Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-12-01

make for me.
We breakfasted almost in silence,
but after the meal was over, she rose
and came softly round the table to-
ward me. Then she put her dear hand
on my shoulder SO lightly as if she
feared to offend, and, bending down,
she said pleadingly, won't you let
me go. Charlie!" And I, or the imp
that possessed me, coldly answered,
"You may please yourself"
I don't know what you will think of
me when you read all this. You can
not condemn my brutality more than
1 do myself Don't judge me too
hardly, Harry. / did not know how
short would be my opportunity.
Half past ten came. Our trap drove
up to the door. The station was near
ly three miles off, and Alice, who gen
orally was waiting for me, did not ap-
pear.
For a few minutes I stood Tuning
in the hall. delighted with my rash
grievance. Then 1 shouted
'Alicew
Coming was returned from the
IUOIu dDONe, dIICL,
my wife hurried down stairs, fasten-
ing on her hat as she descended.
Alice got into the trap and took the
reins, as usual. I seated myself be-
side her. The man got up behind, and
so we started on that last miserable
expedition. Neither Of us said much.
l looked at her once or twice. side
Nnra1s ha6 chn cppnnp1 hand
some, or in such glowing health, but
there was an unnatural deep flush up
on her cheek, and her lips were tightly
closed together
When we reached the station, the
train was already in it. l rushed to
the ticket office, bought our two tick
cts q have them now, for they were
never used, seized my change, and
hurried my wife off the platform,
reaching the train just as it was be-
ginning to move.
''Get in, for goodness sakew cried
peevishly, opening a car door, and
then-God forgive mel gave her a
push, and you know what happened
next.
as she lay in the waiting room, mutt
lated and dying she just opened her
eyes and looked at me. Then a sad,
sweet smile came over her face, and
raising her arms toward me, as | bent
over her in an agony of remorse, she
put up her dear face for a kiss, just
as she had so often done in happier
days.
l stopped down, and then-somehow
I could not give her that last kiss.
Something held me back-a feeling of
utter shame and unworthiness. A
shadow of pain crossed her face, the
arms fell back. and in moment the
opportunity had passed forever, and
our span of welded life and love had
ended-So.
Do you remember that awful In
quest, Harry? You were good to me
that day, old fellow. No one could
have proved himself truer friend.
You remember that, when I gave my
evidence, said that I tried to assist
my wife into the carriage. Well, you
know now that was playing with the
truth and you will probably despise
me for it, I almost hoped that there
would be verdict of manslaughter-
that should be sent to prison.
There is only one thing more TO tell
you. When the accident became
known, 1 received many kind and
sympathetic letters from my friends
and hers. hardly read them, for each
one of them was n fresh stab to me.
eff they only knew my conscience
| kept saying to me. She knows. She
| died cursed by my i'll temper, without
parting kiss. and if we meet in an
other world. what will she say to me
or 1 to her?
| But there was one letter that ar
rested my attention and caused me
far more pain than all the others put
| together. 1t was from the lady whose
| invitation had caused our fatal quar-
rel. Perhaps" it ended, cit may be
some comfort to you to keep the en-
closed letter from her. 1 received it
after her death-probably the last she
ever wrote"
Dearest May-Thank you so very
much for your most kind invitation.
/ should dearly love to come and see
you again, and have good talk over
old times But Charlie cannot well
spare me at present, and he is so good
and kind to me and so nice about ev-
erything that do not like to be away
when he wants me.
We are just off for jaunt to cele-
brate our wedding day, and Charlie
is calling for me to start. Your low
ing friend, ALICE.
That is what she was writing while
1 bullied in the hall. That is what she
had written, when she silently lis
tened to my grumbling on the way to
the station. Oh. the irony of it all!
Now you can understand, Harry,
why it is that l take so long getting
over my loss. One thought and one
alone. sometimes arises to comfort me.