Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-01-24

Dear Lillian" he said, sit is in your
power to try to love me-"
Lillian shook her head. do you re-
member the day of Ben Lees death o.
she asked. Henry Everard and |
were in Temple Copse at midday when
Longs wagon was passing. 1t was
then''-Lilian faltered, and her lip
trembled a little-"that we became en-
gagged"
Ingram was not wholly unprepared
for this, and said so, gazing quietly
before him, without returning the gaze
! he knew she had fixed on him. But
, that is long ago. he added, land you
have your life to live. Because you
made one mistake, because one man
/ proved unworthy, will you spoil an
others happiness|
"Unworthy!" cried Lillian in voice
that startled him. Henry Everard
was never unworthy; that is no word
to apply to him. A more spotless man
lever bleathed"
"Oh, Lillian" returned Ingram, "you
must indeed have loved him if you
| DIiltNSu ulIlll IHIioCtIlI dl Ulle SNl-
dence which condemned him"
81 did indeed love him." said Lillian,
with quiet fervor.
He was silent for time, half stun
ned by the calm force of Lilan's
words; then at last he spoke.
"rhis old pain must be healed" he
said, falteringly; "the dead past must
bury its dead"
'"TNhe past is alive and young" re-
piled Lillian.
Dearest Lillian, this must not be-"
said Ingram, with resolution. at is
wrong and morbid to 90 on broOding
over an old sorrow, and refusing com
fort. Innocent or not, he Is dead to
you; your love can profit him no more
than If he were actually in the
grave"
"You are mistaken" interrupted
Lillian; 1--WE correspond Besides, the
Imprisonment is not for life"
Lillian, this is too dreadful. A con-
victed felon with a twenty years sen
tence! Surprising even the best, and
he came out ut the end of fifteen or
sixteen years; you are sX-and-t twenty
now; youth would be gone"
But not love, Ingram. Do you know
what love is? 1t lis stronger than time,
stronger than prisons, stronger than
sorrow, stronger than shame; it is
stronger. even, than death. Many
waters can not quench 1t, even waters
of salt teams; and no floods of affliction
can drown it. Love is immortal, and
knows nothing Of age or death"
Ingram gazed awe-stricken upon the
inspired face, ethereNlized by the
dreamy moonlight and it's own holy
passion, and listened to the beautiful
voice as people listen to fine strains of
OlEan-muSic.
Lillian" he said ut last, "this can
not be. You must not throw away
your life like this. Time will soften
these feelings
Never" she returned, firmly. "In-
gram, you must waste no more time
on me. You are my very dear friend,
and | have told you the secret of my
heart, and you see now how impossible
any such relations are to me. Let
your past bury its dead, and fix your
hearts good affections elsewhere.
Come, let us go"
But he would go on; he stopped, and,
taking her hand, poured out n torrent
of rcmonstrance and entrcaty.
"Dook, Ingram" she said ut last,
look northward. If our sight could
Tnn.sb Sn for Snllnl1lI M t.iv
dark river crowded with shipping, and
beyond the river stands black round
mass of buildings. In that dark mass
there is a CELL in which, perhaps this
very moon is shining now through
the barred window. In that cell is
man, Il gentleman, a man of unusual
gifts and culture. He Is young, and
every thing has been taken from him
liberty, fortune, hope, ambition, honor,
friends; but not love-" she added, her
features TRANSPORTED as she spoke;
love and innocence are still his. In
gram | am all that man has on this
earth, and | love him. Do yor hink
make NE desert him."
I'VE would never wish you TO be
bound to him II he really cared for
you"
HE does not wish it. But think of
that solitary prisoner, and remember
he is the only man | ever loved or
could love That is my last word"
They went silently on their way
with full hearts, I.ilian's fearful
glances always turned northward, and
those of her companion bent down.
ward
At that moment, within the gloomy
building beyond the dark aud crowded
river, strongly built man. with
haggard face and dark eyes full of in
tcllect was lying on hard couch in
his solitary cell, on the bare white
wall OF which fell square patch of
bright moonlight, crossed by the