Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-01-04

sake | cared little She was Philippa.
AS to my intention of marrying,
my one wish to marry, wom-
an who, in her temporary and
fully-accounted-f for delirium, had killed
the man who 50 cruelty wronged her,
have but this to say. My tale, although
| give it to the world, is not written for
the purpose of fiction. 1t is the story OF
myself-a story which seemed to me
worth telling-of man who loved one
consideration. Such was my great love
for Philippa that | feel no shame in tell
ing the truth. and saying that had l seen
her, III full possession of her senses, level
that pistol and shoot her betrayer
through his black heart, | should have
held that only justice had been done |
should have regretted the act, but, never
thelesS, | would have pleaded for her love
as feryently and reyerentiy as | now was
about to plead for it.
Once more | say, it you condemn me,
throw the book aside.
Philippa. with her eyes half closed,
was, as was usual at that hour, sitting
in the patio. In her hand she held
sprig of orange blossom, and ever and
anon inhaled its delicious perfume; an ac-
ton, by the bye, scarcely needful, as the
whole air was redOlent of the fragrance
thrown from the great tree in the center
! of the marble space. She was. or fancled
she was, alone, as some little time before
| had left the court to obtain a fresh sup
! ply of cigarettes; and my mother, who
could never quite adapt herself to the
Semi-Open-air life, was taking Il S1eSta IN
the drawing room. AS | saw Philippa
in all her glowing beauty, the white mar
BILE against which she leaned making, as
it were, a suitable foil to the warm color
of her cheek-the long, curved, black,
doWncast lashes-the bosom rising and
falling gently-like an inspiration the
thought came to me that in a minute my
fate would be decided. Heavens! how
could | have waited so long to hear the
words l knew she would say!
| crept noiselessly to her side. passed
my arm around her waist and drew her
to me. | whispered words of passionate
love in her ear-Words, the confidence OF
which startled me- but then this time
| knew that my love of years was to be
rewarded.
struggle to free herself, but she trem-
bled like a leaf i'll my embrace. She
sighed deeply, even hopelessly, and | saw
the tears yelling in her dark eyes. Closer
and firmer | held her. and kissed her
cheek again and again. Had that mo-
ment been my last [ should have said |
| had not lived in vain.
''Philippa'' | whispered. my queen,
my love, tell me you love me at last.
She was silent. The tears broke from
her eyes and ran down her cheeks. l
kissed the signs of sorrow away.
Dearest" | said, 1T is answer enough
that you suffer these kisses, but l have
waited SO long-been so unhappy; look
at me and satisfy me; let me hear you
say, Il love you!
She turned her fearful eyes to mine,
but not for long. She cast her locks
upon the ground and was still silent
Yet she lay unresisting in my arms
| That after all, was the true answer.
pu+ T bax + hor Inns toII
me, dearest-tell me once" / prayed.
Her lips quivered; her bosom rose and
| fell The blush spread from her cheek
and stole down her white neck.
yes" she murmured, "now that it is
| too late, love YOU
| ! laughed a wild laugh. | clasped
Philippa to my breast
TOO later | cried. eve may have
| fifty years of happiness.
''It is too late,' she answered. ''For
! your sake | have told you that / love
you, Basil. My love, | will kiss you once
then loose me, and let us say fare
WE'LL"
"When death closes the eyes of one of
us we will say fareWell-not until then"
| said, as my lips met hers in a long rap
turous kiss.
Then with a sigh she gently and firmly
! freed herself from my arms. She rose,
we stood Oh the marble floor, face to
| face, gazing in each others eyes.
| BASIL she said softly, "all this must
be forgotten Say farewell; tomorrow
we must part
Dearest, our lives henceforth are
| one''
1T cannot be- Spare me, Basil! You
have been kind to me. It cannot be-
Why? Tell me why"
| "Why! need you ask, You bear an
honored and respected name; and I, you
| hat I oh
"A wronged woman, it may be, not a
| shamed one"
"Ah! Basil, in this world, when a
| woman is concerned, Wronged and
shamed mean the same thing. You have
| been as a brother to me. / came to you
in my trouble; you saved my life-my
reason. Be kinder still, and spare me
the pain of paining YOU
By look, by word, by gesture, she
seemed to beseech me. Oh, how
l longed to tell her that
firmly believed she was the dead mans
wife! | had much difficulty in checking
the words which were forming on my
| lips. But | dared not speak. Telling
| her that the marriage was a valid one
| meant that | must tell her of her hus-
| bands death, and, it might be, how he
| died
"Philippa," I said, ''the whole happi-
ness, of my life. my every desire, is CEN
IclSu AAdNIIS yOu VILE. uluh,
dearest, how when I had no right to de-
mand this gift my life was made desc
late; think what it will be when | know
! YOU love me and refuse to be mine!
Have | been true to you, Philippa?"
Heaven knows you have
"Then why, now that you love me. re-
| fuse me my reward!
ooh, spare me! 1 cannot, I will not
give it. Basil. dear Basil, why with
| your talents should you marry the cast
off-mistress-of Sir Mervyn Ferrand?
! Why should you blush to show your wife
| to the world?''
"Blush! The world! What is my
world save you? You are all to me-
| sweetest. You love me-what more do
want? Before this time next week we
| Wi! be married.
.'Ncvor never! I will not wrong the
mon [ love. Basil. farewell foreverr'
She clasped her hands and fled wildly
across he ,con"t. caught her at the
door, which she bad reached and half
opened. = Promise me enc thing"
said; promise you will wait here until
! my return. ] shall not be five minutes
|