The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-21
Gertrude's Sacrifice

Gertrude Gray was seated in her ewa
| coy little sitting-room before the open
| fireplace. In her Lap was a .etIer which
she had just been reading. der face vas
SAT nd her sweet. brown eseS were n.sed
with tears as she rurnural 10 herself:
How can oring a bitter disappointment
to one who has besa my friend since
| childhood? II I only could have loved
him as he wished. or il ne would not
only care for me except 10 be my friend.
as in the past" Ger .uds-s grief was sin-
| cere, for me letter wl.ea she had been
| reading conJa nsi an oner OF marriage
1 from Ned Rhodes. Gertrude AMI Ned hsd
grown up t'setneF as brother and sister.
and 1t was : Cherished hope OF the oder
me nbers OF both families that some time
/ they should unite Their lives
j Gertrude as not Of sentimental Gis-
! position and, although fond Of Ned. lad
| not thought Of him in any other shs
/ than that Of friend Love had MT re-
/ Vealed itself TO her until recently Since
/ Frank Trowbridge, the new rector at st
/ PauFs, had come 10 Hampton she had
/ given her hearts best love 20 him.
I though her hand had not as VET been
| sought. She had many reasons, however
! for thinking that her love vas fully re-
turned, and was happy II consequence.
| Ned had of late observed the growing
4
! Of assurance that some day Gertrude
would be his wife changed into an unceT-
| tainty, and he decided 10 learn his fate
at once.
There were 10 De skating party on the
/ mill pond the following evening. which
4 all the young people would attend and
( Ned had asked that Gertrude shodi3 slve
/ her answer then.
! The evening was well advanced before
I No had
rude. as the young rector had scarcely
/ left her side since their ARRIVAL Cert
rude's young sister had persuaded nm 70
| skate with her across the pOEi. thus
! leaving her for moment without an
! escort
May I claim a little o. your time, Cert
! rude?' Ned asked in a voice which sound
ed almost reproschful Gertrude simply
! answered: Yes, Ned, follow me" Noc
| wishing 10 have their conversation over
/ heard or interrupted. she led the way TO
| the most deserted part IF he pond IN
needing the warning cries that the ice
was not SO strong OF that part Of the
| pond.
1t seemed but moment before a g-eat
/ crash was heard and screams Of terror
| filed the air. Gertrude. preoccupied " II
/ her sad thoughts, had reached the thin
! ice and had gone through into the deep
! water beneath. Aid was quickly at hanC,
| and after desperate struggle, Ned sue
ceeded in bringing her body from the
! water. In the excite ueat that 0jowed
/ Ned's exhausted condition was unnot!csd,
/ but when Gertrude was safely cared for
| Nedis strength gave way, and he, too, was
] carried to his home.
/ On the following morning reports were
| circulated that MSS Gay was not much
the worse for the accident and would soon
be herself again. but that her rescurer,
Ned Rhodes. had sustained INJURIES which
| involved the loss OF q leg III order taat
! his life be saved.
! The days Of suspense that followed
were to Gertrude the hardest of her life
| She had not yet given her answer 10 Ned
/ and now. after al THAT had taken place.
what should 1t be2" Ned had saved her
/ life, and in doing so hadi nearly lost his
/ own. The thought Of Ned in hts great
| afhicton, manned for life = save her,
| overcame al lelse, and she determined
/ 10 give that lift into his keeping. even
though her hearts best love was given
1 to another. In the days that followed
/ Gertrude was brave and her sorrow was
/ hidden from all.
The marriage took place in June. and
! no one who looked at the beautiful noble
face of the bride would have guessed that
] II once beamed with love for the young
minister who was now uniting her 20 an
other.
1 Two yeas later. when Frank Trowbridge
/ was welded To Gertrude's younger sister,
! who had always closely resembied her,
Ned said: II used TO think. dearest. tthat
/ ii was YOU be loved and once feared that
should lose my treasure. bur had you
returned MS love the one bright light II
/ my life would have gone. Dear Gertrude.
/ even the life OF a cripple has been made
/ perfect by the love OF trae. sweet wife,
/ and Gertrude's face beamed with Joy a.
| she felt that her sacrifice was not in vain.
| -BOSton Post.