The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-12-07

81 happy man IN town
was Peter, and pessimistic bachelors
whofound lie slow in single harness
resolved to marry.
But as time drew near Peter Van
Vik's smile was shaded sometimes as
if it's light shone through a thin cloud,
but whatever dimmed the bril.iance
momentarily he was sure to be genial
and kindly to all who held converse
with him.
The day came and Peter was nerv-
Gus and tidgety, the smile was gone;
IL cloud cast by fear was on his
handsome face. AS the hours snailed
by he grew so excited that when at
last the doctor ann into the lib
krary he was greeted with the shrieked
inquiry:
"Well?"
The physician was a slow moving
man. In times OF great excitement,
when everybody ran, he walked.
Somehow, in Il a S OF life or death,
he got then through.
"Your wife is resting quietly under
the influence of opiates," he replied
slowly; but there's a new boyupthere.
l want to talk to you about him. Sit
down."
Peter obeyed and the doctor, with
out the use OF onetechnical term dash
ed the new fathers hopes.
''Don't let her see it," he said with
a shudder, when the physician had
concluded.
II have already SO instructed the
nurse"
The doctor retired, admiration for
Peters courage swellinghis heart. As
for Peter, when he was again alone he
sat still as a statue and while he
struggled with his pride there crept in
to his features, a soft pathetic expires.
sion that, full Of kindliness, won him
friends in after times where before his
self satisfied smile had awakened only
envy.
When he stood by his wife's bed as
she recovered consciousness, he was
calm and gentle and strong. Present.
ly she asked to see her newborn child
and Pettr, leaning over her, said soft
ly:
at is dead, my love, but, thank
God! you are here"
She wept awile and then fell asleep.
One day, seven years after the ngiht
when Peter told that lie, a wild cry of
terror startled him out of adose. He
rushed from the library to the hall
and saw his wife leaping recklessly
down the stairs, while up on the bal
ustrade there hung by it's only foot an
ugly demon, choking with derisive
lau zhter.
eco back" Peter commanded
harshly, brandishing his cane, and the
ieering devil disappeared.
When his wife had somewhat recov-
cred her composure she pleaded mat
ernallove as her eAcuse for venturing
to the attic. 1t was so unnatural,
she said, to never look on ones child
ana to keep it shut up forever, even
il the poor thing was hideous in its
deformity.
She had known the truth q long
time. Peter had toldher, when she was
strong and we'll again, that their child
was u miserable malformation and
was kept from the sight of all but one
faithful servant in the attic of their
mansion. He asked her to promise
never to 90 to see it, and should
there ever be asked impertinent ques-
tions about the mystery of their gar
ret she Was to reply to them with all
tho nonchalance for which she was
famous. They both had had to ig.
more a good many inuendoes and con-
ceal a grimace of pain with a society
smile, but no one had the temerity to
bluntly ask them if it was true that
their defcrmed child was kept a pris-
oner in their attic.
But now that she had seen it, Mrs.
Van Vik pleaded to have the child
taken away-sent to some insane
asylum or retreat where shecould not
ieel it's hiieousness, as she would while
It was in the house. She asked not to
We told where it was: she wanted only
o know that there would be no pos
siliility OF her coming upon 1t in the
ouse.
And Peter promised to comply with
her wish. The next day passers along
the avenue, seeing the attic windows
of the Van Nik mansion wide open,
wondered If the child we're dead and if
it lfaddied "a natural or violent death.
Be that as it may, it was soon
noticed that Mrs. Peter Van Vik was
becoming more debonair every day.
At ~ a:out she wasthe merriest of them
all. ami her smiles and wit flashed
everywhere. But Peters face wore
the same patient, kindly look that
made people say: '"Poor man! he is
sad because of his great disappoint-
ment."
However, Peter Van Vik was not
sad solely on account .of his deformed
child. His. fortune was i'll. Luck had
taken O turn with him, and his ven
lures i'm stocks and bonds that had
once promised to return him double
the Investment were now showing
badly. The decline in the stock
market soon began to worry him, but
he said nothing to his wife. Her ex-
travagance was remarked upon. Her
dresses were the talk of the "4OO."
Her dinners we're marvels, her recep-
tions superb. Sho filled . tat para
graph every week ia the society
column, and Peter was proud Of her
beauty and social triumphs.
One day he called a halt and ex-
planned the situation to his wife. She
listened calmly to his statements and
agreed to retrench expenses. When be
began to itemize, and at last came to
the carriage and limited that it would
he wise to give that up, she declared