The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-07

demned herself to living alone with him
In order to hide their Quarrels.
80 she Was much astonished one day
when Nine. Walter said to her.
.'wIli you be able TO stay all day to-
morrow. Marianner I am having . dinner
Marianne knew that ordinarily her ques-
tons went unanswered. but In sudden
paroxyism Of curiosity she asked:
Are you going TO have company
Instead Of whitening her with . look
which imposed silence. Nine. Walter ex-
planned.
mo, but tomorrow win be cur golden
wedding day. and we are giving ourselves
q little party. / would like to dine with
out getting up and down from the table.
you understand
Marianne understood. A discernment
, which instinctively unknots the compli-
Gated problems in the conduct OF her
nsighbors told her at once that there was
some mystery here. and that this golden
celebration would be a queer one. This
golden wedding idea naturally came from
NJ Walter. One day after disagreeabie
comment on some dish which was not
spiced highly enough to suit him. he had
said to his wife:
by the way. you know u Will soon be
the 18th OF October
For a long time she had not celebrated
any anniversary: and Easter. Christmas.
and New Years hardly detached them
selves from the monotony OF her days.
''Weil?" said she. not understanding.
why well? Doesn't that date mean
anything to you? consider IL quite char
ac,eristic Of you-as little heart as head!
The 18th OF October Is the anniversary
of our marriage. the fiftieth. my love-
the golden wedding. 1t would be well for
us to celebrate, helm? A nice little din
ner, like you get up on your good days.
with bottle OF champagne at dessert;
that will make US young"
nice little dinner with champagne for
dessert was all that NJ. Walter saw in
this date that his gourmandizing brought
suddenly to his mind.
As he never considered his wife. he did
not notice that she became pale and ate
nothing more. TRANQUILITY he awaited the
great dav.
Nine. Walter was overcome. Fifty
years. God. was this possible? Fifty
years. a half century, the duration OF
two generations. that her life dragged on
a slow sacrifice.
For fifty years she had grown old wait
ing for the morrow and a ray OF happi-
ness or affection, which never came. For
fifty wears ideas OF revolt. terminating
secretly in her, had miscarried In her
soul.
Fifty years ago. when she was young.
blonde pretty. with quick mind and warm
heart. she nau placed ner mana IN tne
hand Of this man. 1t took place far on
in a southern country. on sunny day.
on a warm day, amidst a smiling nature,
with songs. and laughter. and gayety. and
dancing round about. He was young. She
loved him. She believed In him; in front
Of them a beautiful. easy future stretched
out its blue horizon. And the deception
began the day after the wedding. when.
in the heart of this man, decked by her
with all the fine feelings. she saw reign
ing and spreading out a monstrous ego
tism. And this deception grew from day
to day. from month to month. across
ruins where the self-asurance of the man
who believed uniquely in himself precipi-
tated them. through travels where he
dragged her from one end of the world
to the other. through mutual griefs which
be never shared. as ne was quick to shove
aside obstacles to his well-being.
Nevertheless, in spite OF anguish which
had heightened the hours. in spite OF slow
falling tears time had passed and passed
so completely that life was over. hiding
nothing in the little unknown still to be
revealed. and there was small hope except
that in the mysterious beyond. And this
supreme hope-had not the selfish hard
ness of the man destroyed 1t like all the
rest? Had ne not soiied her faith with
the same coarse jests that he had scof1ed