The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-05-02
"This is a most shameless trick, SIR"

You send me word that you are
dying, and I find you up and well,
writing your letters. Good-by, sir" ]
"Odette! Do let me explain; one
word onlyv' And as she was leaving
he snatched up from his desk the let
ter he was writing to his mother, and
held it out to her. Read this before
leaving" he gasped.
She took the letter, glanced at the
first few lines, and then fell on Ray
mond's neck, sobbing.
''Poor boy! 1t was the TRUTH
For a few minutes they remained
clasped in each others arms, full Of
passion and pain, giving mute express
sion to the memory of the happy
months they had spent together and
to remorse for the months of happi-
ness they had lost by their separation.
They sat down close to one another,
hand in hand, completely overcome by
their feelings.
At last gloomy thoughts again beset
him, and he thought of his fatal ill
ness and eternal separation from the
wife he loved. Still, his courage did
not forSake him.
"Well, never mind" said he, with a
smile. II suppose I ought not to COM
plain; I am dying Of complaint
which will be fashionable Tomorrow"
But Odette locked at him reproch-
fully, and he did not continue. Wom-
en- have no taste for irony.
They chatted about old times; at
first almost in a whisper, as if they
We're in room where death had
stricken down n fellow creature; then.
by degrees, the remembrance of better
days brought to mind little incident
which made their lips smile, while
their eyes caught sight Oh the wall Of
some object recalling particulars Of Il
summer sojourn in the Catskills, and
especially Of pleasant ride one day,
when they had cantered side by side,
rustling the brown leaves which coy
cred the mountain paths.
Miniature fans, dusty accessories of
charming cotillions reminded them of
a German waltz which they had dane
ed before their marriages.; and how
they had fiirted the same evening un-
der the palm trees of the dollhouse.
They lived over again their rides in
the park, under the shady boughs,
when they were like two boys out for
a spree, breakfasting at Delmonico's,
and coming back through Fifth ave-
nue. to take their part in the exuberant
life of the gay city.
Raymond and Odette were so alb
sorbed by these souvenirs and the rec
objections they aroused that they be-
came oblivious of time and of the ter
rible circumstances which had brought
them together again.
The bell rang; they awoke to pain
full reality, and exchanged horrible
look of anguish.
DR.. Dumleigh," announced the valet.
"Why, you do not mean to say you
are out of bed?' said the medical man,
with an amazed countenance. 81 was
coming to-"
'You were coming?"
"Well, do not see why I should not
tell the truth now that, thank God. I
have made a mistake. I was coming
to make quite sure you were dead"
'Much obliged" smiled Raymond.
''Then he is out Of danger?" in
quired Odette, anxiously.
"There is no question about it. But
it is certainly very odd, for the Lancet
which received yesterday published
an exhaustive description cf the new
disease-the Mona. Nevertheless, pray
be assured that am very happy"
Unquestionably, the good doctor was
happy. At the same time. if he had
told the whole truth he would have
admitted that he was rather vexed at
having been such bad prophet.
"Odette," suggested Raymond, in a
whisper, to his wife, "do you think
you might ask him to dinner with US
this EVENING"?