Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-09-11


plighted word-to give up her lover and
marry Sir Owen.
Her temptations had been many and
great-they had been continual, they had
been hard TO resist; but that was nc ex-
cuse. She knew that she was committing
a double sin; she was proving false to the
one man whom she really loved to marry
one whom she did not love at ALL
1T is double sim" she said to herself,
'but / cannot help It'll could not 60
through life of drudgery and poverty.
Felix will hate me, but in after years he
will know that nay decision was wise"
So she thought and unused, dreaming
iD the sweet shade of the summer woods
of the gorgeous future that would be
hers if she married Sir Owen. Presently
her mood changed and her eyes filed with
passionate tears as she thought of Felix.
II love Felix she cried. why cam
not he have Garswood? Why must he be
poor and obscure while Owen Chevenix
revels in wealth? 1t is not fair"
She had love and wealth before her,
yet she had deliberately given up love
and chosen wealth. She made no effort
to justify herself in her own eyes.
That same evening she saio TO Mrs.
Haye:
Mamma, / have been thinking it will
be better for Felix and myself to part.
am afraid he has enough on his Shout
ders"
Il have thought so for some time, my
dear" was the quiet reply. Your en-
gagement was folly; your marriage would
be madness"
Then Violet went up to her mother and
put one arm round her neck.
Mamma" she said, you will save me
all trouble?
Yes" replied Mrs. Haye, you may
safely leave it all to me-"
And so wealth won a soul not noble
enough to live for love.
Mrs. Haye acted promptly. The follow
ing morning a note reached Felix Ions
dale at his office. 1t read:
THAT which | have to say will pain
you, know, but cannot help tit must
be said. The engagement between you
and my daughter must come to an end.
The circumstances under which L gave
my consent were quite different from
those existing at present. Your prospects
have quite altered. If you marry my
daughter now, you cannot keep her in
anything like the position in which she
lives even at present, and l am not willing
to see her become mere domestic
drudge. Mr.. Haye and myself wish the
engagement to end at once, as under no
circumstances could we consent to the
marriage. Violet sends her love, and de
sires me to say that all this is written by
her wish, and that she hopes always to
be your friend. She is going away on a
long visit TO one of her relatives. Hoping
you will see the necessity for this sten, /
am yours very sincerely,
MARTHA HAYE.
He read it through, at first with the
feeling and conviction that it must be a
practical Joke, then with deadly assur-
ance that they were going to take Violet
from him. The handsome, worn face
grew deathly pale; a dazed, dim look
came into his eyes; great, fearless,
voiceless sob rose to his lips; the sunlight
seemed to change to a blood-red mist, and
a sound like the roar of distant waters
filed his ears. He sat with the letter
open in his hand, dazed as a man who
had received a terrible blow.
Slowly thought and reason came hack
to him. He rose with a white. set look
on his handsome, haggard young face
which might have touched a heart of
stone. He took his hat from the stand.
and walked out and on, looking straight
before him, his eyes fixed on vacancy,
until he reached The Lines. He went
into the ho>se, and Mrs. Haye herself
was the first person that he met
She was half frightened when her ewes
fell upon his face; so unlike was it to
any face she had ever seen, so changed
by his great woe, she could hardly recog-
nize it. She held out her hand to him
with commonplace words of welcome. He
did not hear them.
Come in here" he said; and. taking
her arm, he led her into the nearest
room. Tell me-" he asked, 'did you
write thisg'
''Yes. l wrote it. Felix; il was wisest.
kindest, best"
And you say that Violet is willing
that Violet knows about it?''
Il wrote it with her express sanction. -
she replied.
1T is false! l would not believe YOU
if you swore it! l will not believe it.
Heaven is not so c=uel"
There is no cruelty in it." said Mrs.
Have; 1T is what must be DONE
viii you tell ne why you have done
this cruel deed? What is your motive -
Because you cannot afford to marry
you must not burden yourself with a
wife"
Surely know best. can work. do
work. | would work night and day with
that one hope before me of making my
darling my wife. She loves me: she
knows what trouble has come TO us; she
is willing to wait few months longer,
and then TO share my lot"
Il am not willing, her father is not
willing-we see no use. no sense in the
best and brightest years of her life being
wasted in waiting for marriage that
Will be the worst thing that could happen
to her. We are not willing: and l tell
you frankly that Violet sees matters as
we do. She wished me TO say all this"
DO You know what you are doing TO
nae-what you are taking from me? Do
you understand" he cried. hoarsely, that
you are killing me?"
Il am sorry, OF course-it is very hard.
l know-but such a life as you offer vio-
let would kill her"
Il do not believe it, he cried. You
changed TO me when my fortune chang
ed. You were willing enough to give me
my darling when you thought that l was
the son of rich man. Wealth, rank,
luxury are more TO you than the heart
OF an honest man. But my darling is
not ike you, and l win receive the state
ment you have made from no lips but
hers"
My daughter is not at home, and you
Will gain nothing from seeing her.
Felix saw plainly that it was useless
10 say more to her-there was something
OF animoSity in her tone. He left her.
still holding the open letter in his hand.
As he left the house Jennie. a smart
house maid. who had often opened the
door for him. and who thought him a
noble-looking gentleman. ran after him.
DO forgive me. sir" she said; but
you have always been so good to me, and
know all about il. | am 50 sorry for
yon, sir, thar cannot sleep for thinking
OF IT,
Tell me what you know. Jennie" be