Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-05-23

that the time given me was almost up
As L stood there a cab drove up; a
young lady aIighted from it. l saw a
fresh young girl with bright color and
gentle brown eyes a quiet determined
mouth and a cool broad forehead. She
was dressed all in gray; a look of
serenity and happiness shone in her
face, and then | said to myself:
why not tell your story and make
an appeal to one who looks gentle and
good, and from whom it would be an
honor t. receive a benefit:
The notion cheered my failing cour-
age. [ saw the practical difficulties,
the unlikelih0Od Of getting shy, we'll
bred girl to speak to me at all. Then
was She rich: This l thought l could
ascertain. l followed her to the book
ing Office; she opened her purse with
confiding carelGsSneSs common to the
sex; | looked in and saw a folded bank
note. The sight Of the money braced
me to a sudden wild resoIYa. [ left the
office and went on to the Platform with
the tirmest conviction that my moment
had arrived, and that l must seize it.
well. | carried out my Intention
When | opened the carriage door | had
no clear notion how | should proceed
Possibly, | thought, l should speak ana
throw myself on the fair young girls
mercy. But the strangeness of the
repugnance in the brown eyes, the in
eNplicable sharp sense Of the some
thing that hides heart from heart, and,
apart as though we lived on different
planets, sealed my lips. To get an en-
trance into her interest and pity |
needed weeks; | had only moments
The single advantage l possessed over
her was the advantage Of will The
purse lay on her knee; l saw it, and l
saw in her face that the quick mind
was moved to resistance and set to
danger. And then from some I'M
dreamed distance in my nature. the
brute, which lies crOuched side by side
with any urgent human need, leaped
up-the horrible selfish strength of the
stronger.
Il used my muscle to push the Slen-
der frightened girl back into her seat,
and 20 snatch the purse which she so
helplessly grasped. In all my life
[ have never forgotten the dreadful
sensation Of that moment. 1t clingS
like a bad dream. For all that. my
will did not go back from it's own deed.
All my mental powers through excite
ment, shock, starvation and what mot
We're in an abnormal condition. The
girl W&S-ShOuld be-my willing CO.
opera tor; | would force her to under
stand the money was lent. If l could
not, then | would throw it back to her.
But such was the intensity Of will
which | carried with me in the moment
that | had not Il grain Of doubt as to
the issue, nor did ! feel the slightest
establishment when the young girl al
tered her terrified action, and bent her
face toward mine to whisper, in her
fresh, musical voice: Eleanor Keith,
Rose Villa, Middleford.'
Did you suffer, Miss Keith, when
the train carried you safely away from
your prosecutor? | was as one walk
ing on air! l put your address in my
note book and hurried back to the
room which Mime. Won Halle had
taken for me. Here l awaited her az
rival, and my waiting was not for
long. She came into my room closely
yelled, and shut and locked the door.
Then she lifted her veil and looked at
me- Shall l ever forget the agony of
suspense in her cOrpse-like face? |
thrust the ten-pOund note into her
hand without a word. And then she
sank down upon 4 chair and broke out
with terrific sobs. l knelt beside her,
! endeavoring to console her.
Mime. Won Halle, l asked, what
IS it? Can l help YOU further? Be as
sured of my wish to do So
'.She controlled herself instantly and
drew the veil again about her
Yes. one thing She said: vow
that You will never seek to find us out
again, that you will not permit Ques-
ton about us to pass your lips. Ac-
cept my eternal gratitude-and fare
Well
$50 saying, she rose suddenly from
her seat and escaped from the door be-
/ fore | could say a word. BY this time
! it was getting toward the hour when
/ | should be at my work. l had not
tasted food since 1 o'clock the preced-
ing day. I opened the little purse
again and looked in with an odd sense
of reverence and tenderness. There
were a few shillings left.
And so l went out and bought food
with your money, Miss Keith. But
food, and days honest work, and a
good nights rest brought back my
feeling to a normal condition, and |
began to realize what you might be in
reality experiencing, and with that
myself to suffer an agony of shame
and remOrSe. Then l set myself to
earn the money back for yOu-tO earn,
if possible, double, treble the amount
| had some literary talent, and | be-
gan to write story in my leisure mo,
ments. But all my efforts could not
have procured me so large a sum as
ESQ in six weeks time. More than that
sum camC, however, into my posses
sion unexpectedly. One of my cousins,
whose kindly heart was moved at the
idea of the privations l was undergo
ing, saved the amount of EGO out OF
her ample allowance, and surrepti'
tiouSly sent it to me. Shortly after
dispatched the letter and banknOteS tic
you, my university career began, and
!; now. in the present time. am earning