Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-09-04

loved with her whole heart, who ought
under the peculiar circumstances, t
have given her even double the faitl
and double the love a husband gives
, his wife; he, who was bound to hel
even by the weakness of the tie thai
should have been stronger, had de-
serted her.
She did not cry out, she did not faint
or swoon; she Gid not sink as she had
done before, a senseless heap on the
ground; she stood still, as soldier
stands sometimes when he knows thai
he has to meet his death blow.
Every vestiSe of colorhad faded from
her face and lips; if the angel Of death
had touched her with his fingers, she
could not have looked more white and
still. Over and over again she read the
words that took from her life its
brightness and it's hope, that slew her
more cruelty than poison or steel, that
made their way like winged arrows to
her heart, and changed her from a
tender, loving, passionate girl to a
vengeful woman.
Slowly she realized it, slowly the
letter fell from her hands, slowly she
fell on her knees.
"He has forsaken mel" she cried
ooh my God! he has forsaken me, and
[ cannot diet"
No one cares to stand by the wheel
or the rack while some poor body is
tortured to death; who can stand by
while human heart is breaking with
the extremity of anguish? When
such grief comes to any one as to
Leone, one stands by in silence; it is
as though a funeral is passing, and
one is breathless from respect to the
dead.
The best part of her died as she
knelt there; the blue of the sky, the
gold of the shining sun, the song of the
birds, the sweet smell of the flowers
were never the same to- her again. AL
most all that was good and noble,
brave and bright, died as she knelt
there. When that letter reached her,
she was if anything, better than the
generality of women. She had noble
instincts, grand ideas, great generosity,
and self-sacrifce; it was as though a
fame of fire came to her, and burned
away every idea save one, and that
was revenge.
''FIe loved me- she cried; che loved
me truly and we'll; but he was weak of
purpose and my enemy has taken him
from me"
Hours passed-all the August sun
light died; the reapers went home, the
cries of the sailors were stilled, the
birds we're silent and still. She sat
there trying to realize that for her that
letter had blotted the sun from the
heavens and the light from her life;
trying to understand that her brave,
handsome, gallant young love was false
to her, that he was going to marry
another while she lived.
It was too horrible. She was his
wife before God. They had only been
parted for a short time by q regal lsalb-
bIe How could he marry any one
else?
She would not believe it. 1t was
falsehood that the proud mother had
invented to part her from him. She
would not Believe it unless she heard
it from others. She knew Mr.. Sewell's
private address; he would know if it
were true; she would go and ask him.
Mr.. Sewell was accustomed to
tragedies, but even he felt in some de-
gree daunted when that young girl
with her colorless face and flashing
eyes stood before him. She held out
a letter.
''Will you read this?" she said
abruptly. IT received it to-day from
Lucia, Countess of Lanswell, and refuse
to believe it.
He took the letter from her hands
and read it, then looked at the still.
white face before him.
SIS it true?" she asked.
Yes he replied, perfectly true
''WiIl you tell me who it is that is
going to marry my husband?" she
asked.
eff you mean will 1 tell you whom
Lord Chandos is to marry, I ann sorry
to say my answer must be NO [ am
not commissioned to do SO. You may
see it for yourself in the newspapers.
''Then it is true" she said slowly;
there is no jest, no doubt, no mistake
about it?'
mo, none. And as you have shown
me your letter." said Mr.. Sewell, Il
may as we'll show you the one I have
received, and you may see for yourself
what Lady LansWell's intentions
about you are. Take a chair" added
the lawyer 81 did not notice that you
were standing all this time; you took
me by surprise. Pray be seated"
She took the shair which he had
! placed for her, and read the letter
through. She laid it down on the
table, her face calm, white, the fire in
her eyes giving place to utter scorn.
II thank you," she said. '"The let
ter written you is cruel and unjust as
the one written to me. [ decline the