The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-03-15


found work at once. | spent little. Week
by week the little heap in my moleskin
pouch grew greater. | was glorously happy.
! wrote joyful letters to Bettlna. She an
swered me as hopefully.
A year passed by-l2 long months. One
more year and she would come to me.
should press my lips to hers-all would
be forgotten but our meeting, and while l
lived the old people should share our happi'
ness.
With such thoughts as these in my mind
/ entered the great factory where | work
one day. / said to myself, as | threw oil
my jacket:
"At noontme | will write to Bettna."
| remember thinking this. / remember
crossing the long room. | remember a sud-
den fash and crash, and the oaths of men,
and girls mad scream. After that moth
ing more, until sense of pain awakened
me and | found myself lying in the dark,
with my own hand cold and clammy, lying
in great, warm, soft hand that held 1t
tenderly,
where am II" / said, and my voice
sounded low and hoarse in my own ears
''Who is this?"
1t is the doctor, said a voice. 'Be calm,
my friend"
Is it nightY' asked.
1T is night, said the voice.
"Why do you not light lamp?"
He made no answer.
What has happened?'
1T was an explosion" he said after
pause you were hurt. There were many
killed outright"
Doctor" | said, lis it night"
1T is night" he said solemnly
Dat al, 60, | .oiA Inc
am smitten blind"
Try to be calm, my friend" he whis-
pered II Is hard-but try to bear it"
.- /All was gone-all my hope of life, and
even all that | had won in the last year
Some wretch had stolen the little moeskin
pouch from my bosom ! was a beggar and
blind. ! prayed to die but ! lived and at
last | grew strong again.
One day, as | sat by the hospital window,
! formed resolution. | said to myself:
can at least be brave enough to spare
Bettina something. ! know that if she knew
the truth she would grieve bitterly and re-
main true to me. know that if ] were
sent home, as the doctor says | might be,
she would he constant forever-she would
even marry me and try 10 feed me as she
does her helpless ones. That shall never be.
] viii send her word that | am dead, and
then, when she has greved awhile, youth
viii triumph; she will marry the young
farmer who loves her so truly, and is good
as we'll as rich.
The goood doctor shall write me letter,
and 80 as he passed called to him and
told him ali.
;" 1t VIII be best for her" | said. 1T will
set her free. She will grieve bitterly, ]
know, but the other lover will one day blot
out my memory Tell her | died with her
name on my lips-l do. As die, heart and
SOU, here before you, have but one
thought. 1t is Bettlna.'
"She loves me even as love her" | said
Il will write" he said "Stay-come to
my little Office with me. We shall be quiet,
and let me think. \ woman can tell the
story better than j, especially as it is touch
ing and/not quite true. ! have "a nurse here
now W 30 can break the news tenderly, be-
---liera-<., anyone can
He took my hand in his and led me to the
room he called his Office. Then he left me a
moment, and when he returned heard the
rustic of woman garments following him.
This is the nurse who will write the let
ter" he said
81 thank her" said l. "Be gentle, madam !;
my Bettina has gentle heart"
What shall | write?' she asked, almost
in whisper.
Write that | am dead, | said. write
that | loved her to the last. Write that
babe you tell her when her grief had passed
TO wed another and be happy.
The pen moved over the paper. Soon she
said:
81 have written. Shall read it to your"
yes. if you will, madam"
Die, unhappy girl Your Bernard has
persisted. What is life to you any longer
lie is dead. Had he lived, blind or manned
OF helpless in any way, there would be hope
for you. You could fly to him; you could
comfort him; you could toll for him. you
could be his sunlight. Alas no such Joy
awaits you. He is gone. Lie down and die
This is all that you can do. He is dead"
''Why do you write thusg"I cried. "Who
are you? How did you come by that voice
Speak!
Then / felt two little hands steal about
my neck and a wet cheek touch mine, and a
whisper came:
Bernard, il is /. Did YOU not guess? DC
you not know your own Bettina? The good
DOCTOR" she said, "the first day of your i'll
ness found a letter you had begun to me
and sent it with word of your misfortune
and letter to one who could bring me t.
you If / desired TO come. All, God bles
him He knew a womans heart better thar
you did,
"When that letter came my dear ole
grandparents were lying dead. i only star
10 look upon their graves before came t,
you"
81 shall never see the sweet face that
remember so well. But ! know its beauty
and its goodness and the love-light in tn,
eyes too well to forget them. And know
that / am dearer to her for my misfortune
and am happy. Chicago Tribune.