Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-09

would be in Holme Woods on the day
following. The note was so written
that all the world might have read it,
and have seen no more in it than
simple desire to procure more ferns.
The note was returned with the basket
to John Smith the keeper.
The nour came when these two
husband and wife, who had been as
strangers-stood face to face. They
met in the woods while the sun was
full at noon, and the world smiling
face to face, she looking calmly at him.
After a longing, wistful, pitiful glance,
he fell on his knees at her feet.
Ethel" he cried, II have Ionged to
see you; but, now that you are here, l
hardly dare to look at your face.
am ashamed"
ct was a cruel deception, Mr.. Car
rington," she said in a clear, pitiless
voice; cruel, base, and unmanly. You
! took mean advantage of my youth;
| you Iured me to what you knew was
my ruin
| 81 know it, Ethel. have no excuse
to offer except that loved you dearly.
! I could not live without you-and love
urged me on"
Pray do not speak Of love-" she said,
with calm, grave contempt "As l
understand the word, you know moth
ing of it. When men love, they spare,
and are merciful. You had no pity
upon me. Heaven help me now!"
ooh Ethel-proud, beautiful Ethel
speak one word to mel l would give
my life to undo what l did then;
your freedom"
1T is too late" she said. Your pity
comes all to late"
''I thought it would be different" he
explained. Il never meant you to
know the story of my sin. l thought
I could persuade you to go to America
with me; and, Ethel, 1 would have
made you happy; I would have given
you all that your heart desired
That is, you would have kept me on
the proceeds of forgery and theft" she
interrupted, passionately.
mo; not So l loved you so dearly
that your love would have made a
good man of me-"
Il have missed a glorious mission -
she said, mockingly.
"Oh, Ethel" he pleaded, "do not be
so hard upon me- See, / am kneeling,
praying to you for one kind word.
Give me that, and I will go away; I
will go to the uttermost ends Of the
earth, where no sight of me shall ever
trouble you again. One kind word.
EtheI.'
Il shall never speak it," she said
!, haughtily. What right have you,
who have married my whole life, to
ask one kind word from me-"
"Have I bIighted all your life,
Ethel?' he asked, sadly.
you must know that you have. I
was only child when you met me-a
fearless, ignorant, willful child You
played upon my pride-upon my fool
ish wish for revenge-and so persuad-
ed me to marry you. You knew that
was too young to understand how
solemn and serious a thing marriage
is. Had you been all that you rep
resented yOurself-had you been 4
gentleman, a man Of honor-it would
still have been base and bad enough.
But you were not a gentleman; you
were a fOrger. You were not All
honorable man, but thief Soiled
and stained with crime, how dared you
marry me?'
How dared -" he echoed ooh,
Ethel it was the irresistible might of
my love"
of your seIfshness rather" she
cried. 1t was not love. You have
blighted my whole life"
He looked up at her with a wistful,
piteous glance.
ethel" he said, humbly, did you
ever love me?"
No she replied; never in the
least You flattered me, you gratifed
my foolish pride, you made my antici-
pated revenge seem very sweet; but
never loved you, not even on that
summer morning when we stood in
the old church together. You dattered
me, and I had 4 kindly liking for you
| L
afterward that never had loved and
never could love you
What has become of your liking,
| Ethel?" he asked.
1T has changed into unutterable
contempt she contempt
that lies too deep for words"
I cannot expect anything else" he
said, mournfully. 4 deserve it all.
1t was selfish and cruel; but l loved
you so dearly. Ethel l would die to
undo it. I thought it would all be 50
different. I thought we should go to
some distant land, where I might
spend my whole life in loving you and
toiling for you-where you would
never hear of my sin. l would not
| have made you my wife if l had fore
seen what was TO happen. Ethel-dO
not be afraid-telI me, have you seen
any one whom you could have lOved?"
Yes: I have seen one such. I have
loved and parted with the man who
loved me. and who would have made
my life all fair and bright but for you"
4 am so sorry-oh, if I could but
free you. Ethel?"
1T is too late for freedom to benefit
me- she rejoined. Live your life, re-
pent of your sin; your death could do
no good to me-"
Ethel, one kind word. Oh, if you
knew what have suffered, the torture
l have experienced in longing for one
| oI;r,Dco Of ,-O,,-ro7, ono word from