The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-10-22
A DOUBLE DEATH.


A S look back now it seems to me
n that l must always have been in
love with Bertha Maxwell. Certainly
l know that if try to fix the time when
it became an accepted fact, upon which
I thought while awake, and dreamed
a thousand tender dreams while sleep
ing. l find it quite impossible to do so.
AS a matter of fact, we had grown up
together. Herbert Maxwell, the bank
er of B--n. and my own dear old gov
ernor, who was retired colonel and
lived on his pension and small but
convenient income. which, alas! is now
mine through his death, had been life
long friends. And so when my father
returned from 20 years service in India,
it was taken for granted that he would
settle down in B-n and pass the
evening of his life with the dear old
chum of his boyhood.
Whether these two, as they sat over
their evening "grog." laid plans and
wove schemes for the united fortune
OF Bertha and myself have never quite
known; but the ill-concealed grief my
father displayed when certain un-
toward events came between us, and
for long. dreary. hopeless time blotted
the sun from our sky, led me to befieve
so.
At any rate, Bertha's budding girl
hood and my awkward boyhood were
spent together. We played tennis, we
went fishing. we took long walks
through the beautiful country which
surrounded B-n, and so we insensi-
bly, grew into each others lives. and
became daily necessity to each other.
At this time Bertha was to me the
most beautiful of human beings-in-
deed. she is so still-and never for a
single moment has anyone else seemed
quite so fair or so lovely. Her figure
was 1.-THE and graceful; her step. when
she walked, buoyant with overflowing
health; and her cheeks dyed with that
rich hue so often seen in those of south
ern birth; while her eyes were at once
serene and thoughtful, or brimming
over with mirth and mischief. She had
thousand little ways peculiar to her
self, all of which. l now know, endeared
her to me.
However, l must come to my story,
for if l run on about Bertha 1 shall
never cease. The hair is frosty about
my temples now, and my step is not
so quick as it once was, but little lady
who now walks beside me through the
same green lanes often looks up archly
in my face and says: dad, you do
like to talk about mother!" And so
/ do.
Well, the time came for me to go away
to complete my education. When we
parted-I remember it as if it were
yesterday-Bertha kissed me over and
over again. 1t was, however, only as
young and innocent girl she kissedme;
and as she stood in the doorway be-
tween my father and hers, waving
fearful farewell. it was to a chum and
a playmate of childhood only that her
"adieus" were given.
Four years passed swiftly away. /
occasionally saw Bertha, and l, at least,
knew that the camaradenie of our child
hood was at an end. Bertha had grown
into the most queenly creature in the
world, and had taken her place, quite
undisputed, as the belle of B-n. Her
manner with me was as charming as
ever, but there was a slight constraint
at such times as we were altogether
alone; not the constraint of formality,
but that of diffidence. For my part, /
found that instead of decreasing her
attrastions to me, my absence had
served to enhance them. To me she was
then, what she ever has been, the one
woman in the world. Every day l re-
solved to put my fate to the test, but
! hesitation, born of tknidity, prevented
/ me, and the time passed away without
my ever giving utterance to the words
of love and passion which l longed to
speak.
But ii hesitated, there were others
more bold-indeed, Bertha, at every
garden party" or other social func-
,ion in the neighborhood. was always
he center of group of devoted admir-
ers. Among them all Royal Phelps was