The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-11-23
Tn a manifestation of mutual love

LII d mdull6sSIltUlOu VI AOfO
which was almost romantic, we lived
as companions. There was no toll too
heavy, since it's end meant her happi-
| ness, but at my labor she often re-
| belled, and it was amusing to note the
petty economies she practiced, to show
me how little was required for her
comfort Some of our happiest mo-
| ments were on Sundays, when after
early mass we went to our old planta-
| ton and spent the day beside some
spring which was endeared to us from
early association.
] 1t was on one of these outings, when
| I was nearing my majority, that she
| expressed a wish for me to marry,
and when I stated that to me matri-
mony seemed luxury rather than a
necessity of life, she urged that my
| idea was a subterfuge, employed from
| fear that I could not support wife.
She endeavored to persuade me that
nv earnings we're amply sufficient
for three persons, but l fastened to
impress on her that there was TO one
whom I cared to marry. At this she
laughed, and when we walked to the
little battle-ground in which my IA
ther lay, I placed 4 hand on his tomb,
swearing that 1 would never marry
during the life of my mother; but of
this she was ignorant.
There was nothing of unusual oc-
currence in our lives until my twen-
ty-third birthday. AS she kissed me
on that morning, she begged me to
come from work little earlier, and
thinking she intended a surprise for
me, 1 put aside my work before sun
set and cheerily started home. When
reached the house, my mother came
forward to meet me, and in her rear
was q young girl; later l learned that,
as she had no ether relatives, her
home would be with us.
As I think of her now, my brain
bounds in thought, and there runs
through me thrills which make my
hand almost too tremulous to write.
seem to live in another incarnation.
had always been an admlrer OF
: female beauty, but this woman was
, fairer than any type of which l knew.
Her eyes were dark, lucid; and when
she talked, their play pantomined
every virtue or vicissitude for which
, man might battle. On the ivory of
her cheeks there was ambushed a
ermillion dye, which became ruby
on her carved, ripe lips. In figure
she bore that pliancy of outline which
~ DcculldE WVLuSh VI thC oAA-
+ ent. In her voice was the melody of
| a mconbeam, and her laugh was
, lyric. To me she was the book of
Fate, and 1 eagerly read every page
of it. When she formed world for
me, I adored; and yet there was no
, mention of my love, for I was drunk
with the dalliance Of days when
with no word spoken, we each rightly
read the heart of the other.
At this time I became conscious
that my love for my mother was
,, daily growing weaker. The cords
! which had bound us as interchange
: ably as are one mind and spirit, were
being loosed by my hand, and this
new phase in my existence bore upon
: my mother and myself a far diverg
ing effect To her it carried JOY
! that 1 had found what she believed
the highest measure of happiness fol
man; but as I saw the old landmarks
! of my earliest love being removed
> there was the pain of a gnawins
grief; yet I found restraint impossi
BILE. Day after day witnessed a re
newal of the fight between love an6
: affection, and 1 was conquered.
: seemed to stand alone in the uni
| verse, and there was no one to whom
could apply for sympathy.
1t is with horrible shudders that
recall an event which happened a
; this time. In coming from her room
: my mother fell headlong; the physi
D clan who came said there was injury
to the brain. At night he called
r again, and when he left I walked
, with him on my way to get some
t medicine AS I carried it home, ther1
0 came over me a maddening desire
: to throw the bottle down, for, withou
r the effect 1t was expected to produce
3 my mother would probably die. ant
I in her death 1 saw the way to my
t marriage with Edith. 1t had already
o been demonstrated that three person.
could not live On my income, ant
!, Edith clothed herself by taking il
q sewing. My pride could not allow
e my wife to work.
AS the thought which had arisen il
f my mind came apparently nearer tt
: me, it grew into a world of light, ant
: hurled the vial to the paving; a.
q it crashed, the air. seemed articulatt
/, with cries of murder, and like one
s possessed stole on through the night
S each football sounded the multiplied
. steps of a bowling mob, and the
), stars seemed to twinkle in reproach
;, Then as if guilty of the death of my
0 mother, and fearing detection on cir
b cumstantial evidence, 1 turned to e,
/. and gather up the fragments of glass
|, At home all was quiet. A din
t light burned in my mothers room
e and I felt sure it was the taper placed
= at her bier. In the enormity Of m!
+ intentional sin, there was no room fol
g grief. At the door Edith met me; MY
n mother was sleeping quietly; the
: voice of Edith had never been 81
o musical as when she told me this, an(
i after making her repeat the word.
, over, I sought my room to kneel IL
= Thanksgiving that, despite intention
: the actual deed of murder had no
|, been done. When I awoke the mex
] morning, there remained such a sens,
of guilt that could not look into m,
= mothers eyes, but with her recovery
!, a reaction Of my feeling set in; my
. whole heart went out to her in th.
: wealth Of childs affection, and O.
Edith I scarcely took notice. At thi
lack of interest she grew imperiou
in her demands, and angularities o.
disposition, of which I had no
: known, were unpleasantly projected
uDOn nv notice: her love lano11iShaf