River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-08-13

used to have in her fathers lifetime.
She had well nigh forgotten the taste of
cold sauce.
She sat down after 5inrer and wrote
her cousins wife that she would not
come. She vas welded to the old
place" was what she wrote. Had she
honestly questioned her own heart II
would have said: ''I'll wait and see the
end; the end of revenge; the end of
life's love"
When the letter had been finished she
placed il on the bureau, where she
would be sure TO remember il the next
time she went out. Then she seated
herself by the window, and, screened by
the vines and the gathering dusk, gave
her thoughts free rein.
So he was about to fail; to lose the
money for which he had sold out his
troth. But he still would have his wife
what would she think of the change?
Would she still keep her carriage, she
wondered and still carry her head in that
high way? Would she be obliged to go
into the kitchen and broil her own
steak, as she did? Oh, II would be hard
on her, and hard on himi What was il
he had said rat night in the rose arbcr?
Life would be a torture with moth.
ing but love to live on" And now there
was not so much as the love. What
would IL be TO him? What would il
mean, the old riddle called life, with
out even love ito live on?"
Suddenly Miss Elizabeth dropped her
little brown hand upon her lap and
frrhN 10
too? She had not thought of that when
she had flung her one little taunt after
him. How contemplate that wasi how
meant He might be in dangerl might
o--go-to-prisoni The soul
of the woman woke then. That must
never be-neverl He would die there
il he ever got there. If there was a way
not to go he would find it--she knew
him well enough TO know that. He in
prison! He who had held her in his
arms once; kissed her lips; loved heri
Ii must never be. He was hers again,
for one wild moment; hers, If not to
have, at all events to save. 1t was eight
O'Clock; she heard the town clock strike
as she pulled the tottering old shutters
together, and reached for the tattered
mantilla, lying in the top bureau
drawer.
At the door she hesitated; she had
never been on the street alone at night
in all the 80 years of her life. She felt
that people would criticise her if they
saw her. There was deal of gossip in
the town.
Poor little old witch! what did any,
| hndxy In, har 10 aft Il
maids are exempt from suspicion Of
many kinds. They are the unwanted,
the unclaimed of this worlds stock and
trade. She crept close to the fences,
however. as she went down the main
street, and well into the shadow of the
trees that leaned over from the yards
on the other side.
She stopped, breatlless. afraid of her
own shadow, at the door of the cashiers
house. The white stone of the steps had
weird look in the moonlight; and from
vine trained against the wall came the
odOr of musk roses. Then she remem-
| bered that il was June.
The servant who answered her ring
stared; it was the first time in her life
that her foot had crossed his threshold.
The softness of the carpet about the lit
tie old-fashioned feet reminded her of
the old days when she had been her
fathers only child"
81 want to see the master of the
house." she said, and waited in The hall
while the man went to see if the master
was at home. While she waited a door
opened at her right and negro woman
came out, leaving the door slightly a. jar.
BEFORE she could retreat beyond reach
of the voice she heard the sound of Sob
bling, as of some one in deep distress.
| He had told her, then; she knew that the
bank would close; that her. poor day was
| over.
The sobs were hysterical, followed by
reproaches, upbraidings such as the
/ lonely little old maid had never
dreamed could fall from wifely lips.
Then n man came out of the room,
with his head bowed upon his breast,
and passed her, so close that the gray
skirts touched his shoe, but he did not
see her. She saw his face moment; it
was ashy white, and his hand was thrust
into the pocket 1T his hip.
He entered the door at the left, clos
ing it securely behind him. a moment,
and she was at it. the glistening brass
knob in her hand. But the door refused
to open; it was fast, locked upon the
other side.
She put her lips to the keyhole and
called his name.
"Who is there2" a startled voice de-
manded from the other side. He had
fancied that 1t was the ghost of an old
wrong that had called to him from out
his despair.
ut is /, Oscar-only Elizabeth.
Let me in. won't you?"
The door opened, and showed her the
white. determined face of the suicide
that was about to be.
"IIave you come 20 gloat?' he asked.
IF you have, tell you, Elizabeth For
roster, that you have your revenge. I
am as poor as you to-night-as poor as
YOU were that night when broke faith
with you for an old mans money. You
are revenged; do you hear? Now will
you go. and let me die in peace?"
Slowly the tears gathered in the faded
blue eyes; the little, old-fashioned feet
took step nearer; the fre-browned
hand was laid a moment upon the
bowed head of the man who had once
refused il. Softly it stroked the silver
strands. as gentle as when il rested in
the hand of the lover that had once
been.
did you think l would leave you in
your trouble? Did you think / did not
care P-that l would not give up life
itself to save you? Did you? viii it
save you. Oscar-the money my cousin
left me? / have it here now; brought
ii for you"
She started back when he lifted his
head 10 look at her.
Save myself with your money.
Elizabeth
"Yes. know" she replied-"I know
how you feel; but | do not feel as you
do. | have learned to be poor, long ago.
| shall not miss il. You must save your
self. and with this money. lend il to
YOU, then; do you hear? You may pay
il back-when the tide turns. See?"
She knew that the tide would never
turn; II was too late for full tides in his
life, though he did not believe it.
81 will pay il back to you some day,
60 holm mo Eodfo