The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-06-16

of him by flirting utrageously with
the rest of us. | confess TO having
been one of the victims myself, ana
had quite a sharp wound from that
quarter, but the little rascal only
laughed at me when told her SO
Ried used to look savage when she
made eyes at any of us. and l THINK
she dearly loved to torment him, al
though they invariably made up after
the fashion of all lovers.
'.Where is he noH?" asked Mrs.
Traynor in q voice unlike her own.
Bob turned quickly to look at ner,
as the freight flashed brightly Tor
an instant, showing the pale, set face,
with eyes so full of jealous pain, they
betrayed the secret she had so brayely
and successfully hidden that no one
had ever thought the life she was
leading was not the fullest happiness
she had known. He remembered then
the faint whisper Of how she had been
madly in love with her young officer,
whom she had afterward Tilted, be-
cause he was not rich enough to keep
her in the luxuries she felt she could
not live without, and now, at the last
moment, she had given him up when
the wealthy captain sought her in
marriage, and as she had seemed very
happy as his wife, the gossips had
made up their minds that she had not
cared for the young lieutenant, after
all Alas! poor Isabella, after three
long years of struggling to forget,
Bob's story had reused all the slumb'
ering pain she had suffered in giving
ur love for wealth, and she was hlled
with the most intense hatred toward
her rival, who had come into the lie
and heart she had left deSOlate by her
desertion. She had thought it impos-
sible that he should ever care for any
other woman in this world while she
lived, even though she must be as
one dead to him, and now, in a mo-
ment of passionate jealousy, she had
be trayed her secret to Lieut. Brighton.
The thought was intolerable to her
proud spirit but Bob, with a chlvalr-
Gus desire to show that the unspoken
confidence was sacred, quietly laid
his hands on hers for an instant, as
he added:
"eYor1r secret is safe, my dear Lody
Isabella said he, gently raising her
white hands to his lips. You can
trust to nv honor that neither Clay
ton Ried nor any one else shall ever
know from me that our Captains
wife is not the happiest, just as she
is the most charming woman III the
world
"You will tell me if you hear any
further news from him. will you not!"
pleaded Isabella in a low voice, as
She left the lieutenant to receive other
guests who were just arriving.
"rYes, surely he replied, but he
did not keep his word, for in less
than a month from that time he re-
ceiyed a letter from Commander Rled,
which read:
Richmond. Va, October Is, 1894.
Lieut.. Robert Brighton, U. S. N.
MY Dear Bob: For the sake Of the
warm friendship between us during
the eventful cruise from which we
have Just returned, l write to tell you
of the coming event which will make
me the happiest man in the country.
You may not know that soon AFTER
we landed / obtained leave OF absence
and started at once for old Virginia.
I was welcomed right royalty by the
captain and sweetly, though shyly, by
his daughter, the Little Princess.
| have been there ever since, and that
T made good use of my time you will
saw when | tell YOU that when l leave
T shall take with me the bOnniest
bride that ever the sun shone on
none other than Aline, only daughter
of Capt. John Raymond, of Richmond,
Va.
Come down and act as best man for
me. The captain and Aline send you
a pressing invitation to their hOsplt-
able home and several pretty girls will
be here to help entertain you.
Let us know when to expect you, at
your earliest convenience. Regards to
all old friends. Yours, as ever.
Clayton B. Ried
"'Alas, poor Lady Isabella said
the lieutenant to himself as he finish
ed the commanders letter. 1T is real
ly the best thing that could happen
to her. but I'll be hanged if | can be
the one to tell her. he added, as he
carefully folded and put the missive
away, knowing that to show it would
OILY add to the heart-ache and re-
morse of one fair woman who had
suffered enough for the mistake she
had made in believing anything can
e1 er take tie place of love. "-Celestl
A. Dobbins in Philadelphia Times.
Uncle Sans Unique Ram.