Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-10-05
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ssysl61SlSC E5T last my dear
XHNNM&AyS II friend lay dying
iS1NRMs 4 while Norma held
I NV ESA one of his hands,
0llXy the other. What
5k ~ else was there fol
INK sS@ him to do, since
~ Norma would not
marry him? And
yet, il woman
ever loved man
She loved him; and
as sat and studied these two wretch
ed mortals--hc dying of poison adj
mlnistered by his own hand in a
moment OF rash desperation because
she had refused to marry him, and she
tortured by an inconceivable agony of
consciousness that she was the cause
Of the tragedy and that in u sense his
blood was upon her head. and that
in his death she was losing all that
life held precious for her, as studied
the strange and tragic incongrnities
that mingled with the other world
shadows which fitted about the room,
wondered, hardened physician
though was, at the variety Of human
perversityand the suffering that issues
from 1t. Here, reflected, was girl,
not child, blessed with an uncom-
. mon array of giftsa soul as whole
some and pure as the odor of roses u
mind both broad and strong, both
wise and intelligent, a heart filled
with all the tender charms VIII ich
make their posscssor a benefaction to
the race, and n person winsome and
beautiful; yet through one of these
unaccountable wnims which mark the
best Of her sex as the easiest victims
OF fanaticism, she had placed in her
heaven guiding star that glowed
dull with an ugly crimson that night.
had exhausted the resources of my
skill to save my friends life, for I
loved the brave. petulant, kindly lad:
and when / realized that all was in
vain and heard his confession, I had
summoned her in order that she might |
suffer, in seeing him die, all the
cruelest tortures that life could hold !!
for one so sensitive as She So there
she sat in the dim light, holding his
hand and looking steadily, unwaver-
.ngly into his pain-drawn face and
staring eyes, her own face blanched,
her own eyes expressing the agony
which | was joyed to see. No words
passed between them. At last he
shivered, closed his eyes and sighed
YEARLY and then all was over
laid down the limp hand, passed
iround the bed to the side at which
Norma sat. and touched her arm Her
read had sunk upon the bed, but her
land still held her dead lovers
lightly. Seeing her thus so crushed
ind hopeless. the mean revenge
which had gratified yielded to pity.
unclasped her rigid fingers, gently
'aised her to her feet, and led her,
weak and staggering, to a lounge,
where she sat with her head bowed
md her hands clasped between her
,nees. Then ] placed screen to
HELD my dead friend from her view.
Gated myself beside her. took her
lands in mine and said:
s.Heaven has been kind in assuming
he task of administering to you a +,
enlistment for which human hands
fould have been inadequate. The /,
allows cannot reach you, but God .
as condemned you to live" !
This reused her. She turned upon
lc her great brown eyes, dry, hard,
nd unrepcnting, and calmly an I,
wered:
Then, if God has punished me. by
hat right do you assume to be His :,
yecutioner? | want none of your !,
] !, suffer, but my con- !,
:ience is clear"
This amazing speech COMPOUNDED :
e, but not SO much as did her fol- !.
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