El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-10
G lHGI.
A Pathetic Story Of a Girl Who
Gave Her Heart to the
Wrong Man.

eyes, though many years have passed
since l last looked upon it. and l am an
old man now, lettering on the verge of
the grave.
We're children and my betrothed wife
when we had grown olde-. Oh, those
happy days! Why could they not always
last? Why should sorrow, in the shape
of q handsome. wealthy sutton, come and
sweep all our happiness away?
The villagers We're simple hearted and
old fashioned, as they must be. so far
away from town of any size, and when
Edward James. dark. fascinating man,
with great deal of jewelry, fiashy, fash
ionably cut clothes and plenty of money,
which he spent freely, came among
he looked upon in admiration and
much sought by the ladies, who, when
finding that he had offered Ethel his
heart and hand, were quite envious.
But she did not love him. She dis
trusted him and chung more closely to me.
EthePS parents. however, battered by
his preference and anxious that their
daughter should share his reputed wealth.
demanded that she should discard me
and accept him.
acres. with its tiny wooden cottage, was
all possessed i'll the world, and now that
Edward James had sought her hand I
was not a suitable match.
Oh, poor breaking heart, How the
tears rained down her checks as she babe
me goodby. and how my own voice chok
ed with sobs rs 1 tried to speak.
"I'll never forget you, Jean" she said.
never, never. And think sometimes of
your poor, broken hearted Ethelv'
''Think of you, My life will be a de-
votion to your memory. And if any
thing should happen-if he should treat
you ill-come to me or let me know where
you are. Promise me that now, oh, my
darling, before this wall of silence must
rise up forever between u.s.
81 promise"
We separated there in the cold. calm
moonlight by the little wooden gate in
front of her home, where we had plighted
our love and where l had many an even
ing afterward kissed her good night and
heard her shyly whispered words of love.
But she was to be married on the NOR
row, and / must never see her or speak
to her again. | heard the church bells
ring out merrily and the noise of feet
fastening by my house to the wedding,
but 1 sat in my room, mad, dumb with
my great pain.
They said she made a pretty bride.
though she never smiled and was very
pale and trembled like leaf. Her hus-
band bore her away to her city home, and
I never saw her but once afterward. and
that was when they brought her home to
die
1t was ten years afterward. 1 had plod-
ded along on my farm, prospered and
saved money. but my grief had made me
prematurely old. and at 80 my hair was
already gray. and lines of care We're in
my face. The old love as fresh as
ever. for when Ethel sent for me to come
to her Immediately my heart beat as fast
as the day when we parted.
Ethel. poor child. was sadly changed
too. Her brown eyes We're sunken and
dimmed with tears, while her face was
hollow and thin.
"You can hold my hands now, JEAN"
she said. stretching them out from her
couch toward me. land call me your
Ethel once more. My husband is dead.
and l have come home for a little time.
See, it won't be long" And she held up
her thin. transparent hands and slipped
back the white sleeves, displaying her
wasted arms.
'-Oh Ethel. it must be for n long time.
and | cannot give YOU up again-cannot
let you fade away from my life forever!
We were made for each other, and we
have been each others in spite of your
marriage. God cannot be Sc cruel as te
separate us now"
Hush And Il soft, white ringer was
laid on my lips. He giveth his beloved
sleep. The day is too far spent. While
l was a wife l was loyal and faithful in
all things. though it was long stretch
of struggles and toil-Swimming against
wind and tide, with the foam at my
mouth-so when my wifehood was end
ed hardships and cruelty had completed
their work, for hope. strength and health
were gone. l have now nothing worth
giving l only wanted to come home SO
that l might die in your strong arms and
hear your voice-the last of all earthly
things-in my ear
She faded away as the summer flow
er-patient, sweet and loving to the last.
The shadows are fast gathering about
me- and the winds are growing chill In
little while the mignonette on Ethel's
grave will be neglected and overgrown.
and the totterng old man that tended it
will have passed beyond the sunsets gold
and be forgotten.-New York News.
John Browns Bowie Knife.
The Listener of the Boston Tran