Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-09-14


they kept out sight but admitted
sound.
One of the men, Roy Somers, had late
ly returned from three years soJourn
abroad, and had accidentally met at the
dinner table his old college chum and
dear friend, Robert Blake, young law
yer rising in his profession. OF him l
will say here that he was yet young,
about twenty-six or seven, a good look
income. Now let him speak for HIM
self.
Lying upon wide lounge, just under
the window of which l made mention,
was little figure hidden by an Afghan,
but above this could be seen face or
delicate beauty, with child like blue
eyes, wistful and pathetic in express
sion and loose curls of pure golden tint.
Over this face was perplexed shadow,
and more than once the pretty lips
murmured:
ooh, how mean, how wicked II is
to listen. But 1 must hear! / must
heart
The friends had discussed current
topics until, as have said they became
confidential, when Roy said. rather abb
ruptly:
81 heard some gossip about you as
passed through New York"
Eyes? did not know was of snffi-
cient Importance to be a subject for
gossip. What, If it is not a secret, did
you bear?"
"Tell me. first if you are engaged to
be married."
mo"
"Short and not particularly sweet.
heard then that you were engaged to
hunchback, a little monster"
The face on the other side Of the win
dow grew white as snow, but Robert
Blake gathered his brow in a heavy
frown.
Don't be angry, old fellow" his
friend pleaded. 81 was foolish to re-
peat it. 1 might have known it was
false, being we'll aware of your fastid-
ious love Of beauty"
False, yes! But I would give all
own to make it true. You have heard
the gossip. shall tell you the TRUTH"
See here. Bob! I've made mess
somehow Do forget it."
Look at that" said Robert, open
ing small velvet case he took from his
breast pocket. Tell me what you
think of it,'
ut is beautiful! Lovely; One of
the few faces one may call angelic"
"And mind and heart are as beauti-
full. as angelic as the face
81 can easily believe it, The express
sion is pure and sweet as babes"
"Yet you just called her little mon
ster."
Bob! You cannot mean that she,
the original of this miniature, is de-
formed"
"Yes. She was crippled in childhood
by me-"
"By you!"
"She is a connection Of mine, a step
child of my uncle, and when we were
children we spent our summers to-
gether, as l was yearly guest at Owls
Nest, my uncles place on the Hudson.
She was the sweetest little fairy at
ten years old that you ever saw, but /
was a great, hulking boy Of sixteen,
and did not understand how delicate
she really was. l actually believe l
was in love with her then, but was
at the most awkward age for such SEN
timent, and covered my actual ador-
alton by teasing her. We were on
the hill behind my uncle's house, where
there was a steep declivity, and was.
as usual half romping with her, tax
Ing her temper by my hateful manner,
when somehow. heaven knows how un-
Intentionally. l pushed her over the
edge of the hill, and she fell down to
the foot. When reached her she was
white and senseless. and I thought
dead. Oh, the long agony of that walk
when I took her In my arms to the
house, staggering into the room where
her mother was and putting her into
her arms only to rush away for doc
tor. / was murderer in my own eyes,
and for days while she lay between life
and death my misery could not be de-
scribed 1t was some comfort that
she lived, but when was told that the
injury to her spine would be lifelong
deformity, then, boy as l was, l made
a solemn VOW to devote my life TO
her."
The little figure on the lounge quiv-
cred convulsively, the tiny hands
pressed each other closely, and only by
a great effort did the listener smother
cry of pain. Presently the deep, man
ly voice resumed the story.
II was sent back to boarding school
before May ibid / tell you her name
was May Talbot?) was able to see me,
and from school went to college while
my uncle and aunt were in Germany,
trying the baths for their darling. Ev-
cry letter was torture for me. yet |
longed for them, watched for them, and
shed bitter tears over the record of the
suffering l had caused. But it was ten
years before saw May again. / went
abroad when they came home. but cir
cumstances prevented farewell visit
to Owls Nest, and l remained. as you
know, in Italy, on account OF my faith
er's health. Do you wonder Roy. that
I was reserved. morose boy at col
lege?"
Reserved, yes. but often very sad"
replied his friend. "but never morose.