Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-07-28
PART OF A LIFE.

ESQ you want my little girl for your
wife, do you?"
The speaker, from a glance at his
snowy hair and mustache and sorrowful
dark eyes, one would suppose to have
been man well along in years, but on
loolling more closely at the well knit,
supple folm reclining at ease in the
study chair it was discovered to be an
ssold head on young shoulders -
His deep, musical voice was half sad
hslf tender as he continued to address
she young man, who, standing before
him, was nervously toying with book
that lay on the table at his right
Perhaps I'm not quite as surprised
AS you thought l would be. You have
played together as little children, as
boy and girl you were companions, and
now that you are man and Maud is a
woman your hearts naturally turn to
each other, and | will see my dearest
wish realized The friendship that has
existed between your father and myself
Ton lG gears will be augmented by the
union Of our only children. You are q
rood, manly fellow, Hugh, but trifle
hot headed and impulsive. Learn to con-
troll yourself, boy; learn to control your
self.
lyon have much of my disposition,
and | would save you from the rocks
on which my happiness was wrecked
you and my little girl
''Sit down, Hugh, here, near me, and
! will tell You a story-an answer to
the question you have so often had ON
tne tip of your tongue to ask me- What
was it that turned the hair of such a
comparatively young man white" Tush,
boy, don't look confused-you couldn't
help wondering.
well, to begin with 20 years ago
married one of the fairest, sweetest lit
tie women that ever won the love of
man. was a reporter on an evening
paper, ambitious and struggling to rise
in my profession We rented little
house i'll the suburbs, and although we
had not much of this worlds goods our
home was a very happy one for the first
six or eight months. Then little bicker-
ings and fault finding began. Bitter
quarrels finally grew out of the most
trivial things, and scarcely day passed
that there had not been angry words
spoken by one or the other.
1--WE loved each other dearly, and we
tried hard to avoid all this We had re-
solved again and again in our moments
of repentance that we would treat each
other with more consideration, be more
forbearing, but it seemed useless-our
troubles increased.
$50 it went on for several months. l
had become morose and gloomy, and
Nora's poor little face had grown SO
pale and sad that the sight of it made
my heart ache
Zone lovely morning in early sum-
mer, when the roses that clambered over
our cottage walls were in bloom and
nodding their pretty heads at us through
the windows, when the birds, newly
mated, were singing their joy and the
air was heavy with the perfume of flow
ers and breathed only love and peace,
the crisis came.
"While was hurriedly getting ready
to go to the Office something occurred to
detain me- l was annoyed and spoke
sharply to Nora. She answered me in
An insolent, taunting manner that al
ways enraged me. Our words grew hot
Ten and hotter and more extravagant In
my anger applied shameful epithet
to her.
'Cowardp she almost shrieked as
she sprang toward me, her face distort-
ed with rage and defiance
"What devil possessed me do not
know, but quick as flash l raised my
hand and struck her in the face with all
the force could summon.
II "She was such slender little woman
that she had not the strength to with
stand my powerful blow. With low,
heartrending cry she sank to the floor.
Almost before she fell my senses re-
tnrned. | realized what had done, and
Ealing ON my knees beside her took her
in my arms, kissed the POOR bleeding
bps had so brutally lacerated, and with
by tears dropping ON her face implored
ben forgiveness. She seemed completely
HoIen. Her anger was all gone, and
here was a startled, grieved look in
Ner eyes that cut me to the heart.
'She lay motionless in my arms while
ct7NN AiOl W IOl SlNS iiAe' AAAS' HiAS
spid softly;
1t doesn't matter, dear 1t was my
!Hnit as much as yours We will never
~ 1t happen again Now go 10 work
you are late already.
she said it 50 strangely, with such
Aqueer look in her eyes, that would
ny consent to leave her, But she in
Flsted, and when she bade me goodby
~ said' taking my face between her
tAhds and drawing it toward her: i
t0Ve you with all my heart, my darling
npsnand will love you for ever and
vet Now goodby.'
what long, long day that wasl It
seined as II my work never would be
tihshed My heart was so full of love
fbr Nora
i bought bunch of Jack roses ON
Ny way home 20 remind her Of our
fOurtship, when they were the flowers 7