The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-01-11
plsased to ses you. haven't had a


into the next room.
Yes, there was Bertha. 6he seemed
to have Just come in, ana was seated
In rocking-chair. She wors that pref
ty dark blue dress OF hers, and the bat
with the golden wing in 1t lay In her
lap, and she was looking up into the
e. e. OF a very handsome man who
stood before her" --..,.'..' -.
'Do cit down, Mr.. PeTy," she. said.
May sit here. Miss Van Wyck7"
qrerled the man, drawing . little foot
etool to her side. >!
why, yes, II you md II comfort
able" she answered, Laughing.
wills blood was boiling.
Il am going to see this out" he said.
''lt may be one Of those COMPOUNDED
mistakes men make In stories. l won't
peril my own happiness BY needless
jealousy; but 1t looks bad
It looked worse the next moment, for
Perry took the little. hands In bis and
kissed them.
"Have you been away \ hundred
yearsr' he said 1t seems co."
The girl laughed.
And the voya&e-was it plensontr'
he went on.
lawfully stupid" said she.
1T could not have been stupid for
you," said Perry" You must have been
surrounded by admirers"
"Admirers!' cried the girl; don't
talk Of admirers. There was one man
who tormented me ali the way oyer
the most conceited, insufrerable crea-
ture. The captain thought he was max
Ing things pleasant for me by intro
ducing him, but. oh, how dreadful he
was. really believe he thought i
ahould accept him."
And she laughed.
Am going mad, or dreaming q
dreadful dreAmT' Wheaton asked him
SELF
DO you know, I've been afraid you'd
accept some OF thena," Perry was say
ing. i've been reproducing myself for
letting you 20 without telling you how
l felt-but l was afraid. Miss Van
Wyck, don't bove you as that fellow
| did, do ly'
"Of course not" the girl said.
Pm glad" said Perry, for / love
you so dearly. Darling, can you like
me enough to marry mey cannot i've
| without you.
The next moment WIN Wheaton saw
the man take her in his arms, and she
hid her face on bis shoulder; and when
he said: 1T Ks yes, dearestY' she an
swered; oh, yes, and l am very hap
py."'
For a moment VIII felt Ms though he
must dash through the portiere and
! stand before them, and upbraid the
| girl with her falsehood. Then he re-
menbered that he would only make
himself ridiculous. 1t was plain that
she had accepted him because she had
abandoned all hope OF proposal from
Perry whom she had loved all the time.
Now she did not even remember his
existence.
! He must 60 away while he could,
leaving no token Of his presence be-
hind him, allowing her to think that he
had only amused himself with a girl
he met ON the steamer.
That would be some revenge. Tread
ing softly, and ctutchtnz his bouquet
he stepped out Of the long, French
window and hurried away, walking
bhndly In his wrath, and not needing
the way he took. He was stunned
s1upehed. As yet he scarcely realized
what had befallen him.
He had walked ON for fifteen minutes
before the spasln Of acute agony which
was sure to come feb upon him; be
for he realized what this thing meant
to him-that life was no longer worth
living; that be should really care fol
nothing any more.
All unhappy lovers think that 70,
awhile, and it is in this first flush o.
misery that suicides are committed.
VIII Wheaton turned his unhappy
glance upon the spot to which he hat
wandered unaware, and saw tilat h.
had come to lonely and unguarlet
portion Of the railroad. At that mo
ment he heard the shrek Of an ap
preaching tsain and the thought o
self-destr1ctlon flashed upon him.
81 will end it ALL he said to him
self. II will stand quietly here unit
it viii be impossible for the engtnee
to stop In time, and then walk upo,
the track. No one will know anything
about it; it will be reported az an acci
dent. Nothing could be better"
He took his place close to the TRACK
AS he did SO he lifted the roses lie ha
brought for Bertha to his face.
The rush Of the train was In his ears
he did not look up.
} Goodbye" he whispered to ont
great, white rose that had seemed t
. him SO like her Il loved you, thong
you never loved me. I loved you S
well that cannot live without you"
His foot was lifted for the fatal ste]
, when suddenly four hands seized upo
him, and two female voices screame
4 In his ears:
3 "Oh, come farther back! Oh, ho'
) reckless!'
t II nearly tainted when I saw yo'
| Oh, how could you?"
, Amidst these shrieks the train viii
, zed past, and he saw that Bertha he]
him by one arm, while an elderly lad
y chung to his coat-tails.
II suppose you lost yourself and can
/. the wrong way" said Bertha.
* never saw any one do such st
r; pid thing before" said the old lad
a But 1t is q shame not to have a ia
- man here"
. "Oh, If you had killed yourself befo,
my very eyes should have gone mad
!. said Bertha.
:, II think T have been mad myself
,, muttered the young man, staring
=, her.
q "Wen," said the old lady, I'VE c
. grow bewildered occasionally. con
very near being drowned once by tryil
u u L 49, r., S&r1