Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1897-10-01
A LIFE HISTORY.
BY JENNY WREN.
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CAN Say "1tAOuo vanity, lOOKlH q
back over this long stretch of years,
nat was not unjustly called the belle
of mr. town. 1t was quiet place dur
;np eight long months of the year and
Found it dull enough, and wondered
,,hy it was appointed that must drag
.,t nv life within it's limits, but the re.
moining four months saw it emerge as
,he butterfly from it's chrysalis. and
.v,ken into such fullness of action that
y almost compensated. It was during
those periods that l learned my beauty
sutitled me to a wider sphere, or so
thoueht in my narrowness of judy
ment: but when, at ball or reception.
cav men leave the richly attired women
whom they met the year round to seek
an Introduction to me, simply dressed
and the daughter of retired officer, i,
was little wonder that blush of con-
scous pride rose to my cheek, or my
eve burned with a satisfied vanity.
was but IS when I met Vance Will
mour. He was double my age, and when
he bent over me with the wonderful
Grace of manner he so fully possessed,
or let his eyes dwell on mine with an
jmpassioned glance, my heart would
1hrob as voice within would say:
This is love-" 1t seemed as though an
emperor had stopped from his throne
10 ask the peasant girl to share his high
estate when he at last told me of his
DEVOTION and asked me to become his
wife. My father shook his head when I,
ioyously exultant, asked him to receive
my lover.
"He is not the man to make my bright,
uncaged bird happy" he answered.
Take care, Madge. No matter. how
brightly gilded the bars may be, the
mountain songster will beat out his
life against them in the struggle to be
free"
But to all that he might say my ears
we're deaf. He could bring forward no
real obstacle, however, and so l won at
last reluctant consent, and six months
from the day 1 met Vance Wilmour l
became his wife. At last l was to see
and mingle with the world. 1t was Of
this thought, rather than the solemn
vows had just uttered, as side by side
we had babe farewell to the old home,
and were journeying to the new. Still,
all my heart was his, and had he cared
to mold me he might have cast it in any
form.
was not long in finding the empti-
ness of that I had so desired. The
home to which my husband had brought
me was perfect in its every appoint
ment. The suite of rooms he had had
prepared for me to my unaccustomed
eye presented a vista of fairyland, and
for a time I was happy. But then, as
NY father had predicted, my wings be-
gan to beat themselves against the bars.
learned to recognize that underneath
the velvet touch was the iron hold, that.
l must stand ever ready with a smile,
faultlessly dressed, to receive him and
those whom he summoned to admire his
captive. No WEAKNESS, no fatigue gave
excuse. I learned then why he had
married me. Wealth, station, all were
his. but his pride demanded more. My
beauty he knew would reflect credit
upon his taste. Twas too young, too ig-
norant to interfere with his pleasures
or assert my rights as wife. So he
reasoned, and his judgment served him
WELL
For year there was little to mar the
scene; then my health failed. Excite
msnt and constant gayety did their
work. Nature demanded rest, and even
he was obliged to recognize the neces-
sty. Then followed months in which
scarcely saw him, when he hardly
found time to come to the couch on
which l constantly lay to inquire if l
were better or worse; and when in my
'mpatience l would greet him with
words of reproach or anger he would
silence me by some cutting words OF
scorn, which would leave their sting
Sor days behind. Twas utterly unable to
cope with him, and when in the spring
'afee years from the date of our mar
rage ne was induced to join a hunt
ing excursion on the western plains I
0ade him good-by with scarce feeling
ofregret.
DIX weeks later was one day sum-
moned to the presence of gentleman
VINO told me with trembling voice and
paid lips that l was widowed. Their
purity While hunting had been attacked
y! d party of Indians and Vance had
. 40 IN the field, while they, to save
"elr own lives, had been unable even to
~. .eseue his body. The shock proved more
'n"h could bear, and for months they
uousht would not live; but as health
s a"u strength crept slowly back a Won
a.''o1 softness had taken possession of
ny heart. and l mourned him with a
tsN'er pity. burying his faults in his
'ar-otf grave.
rs soon as Twas able to bear the jour
~ l closed my house and turned my
tas e 10 the old home with a great con-
~ nesting in my spirit, that the quiet
~; 1'u once despised again was to be
a'"e. My dear old father met me with
b re', arms. and felt when pressed to
b.' breast as though had gained Il
ro,e e" indeed after my long and stormy
r.; aging on the sea of life. Two peace
h.: years passed away and my fathers