The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-08
A COINCIDENCE.

man. I had sought him here IN The re-
treat where he and his cold. uncongenial
wife lived, it was said, like pair OF her
nlits-
was ready 10 give IN all the pity and
sympathy which a bachelor of experience
can feel for the irremediable mistake OF
married friend.
You are just the same. I went on,
with that romantic un-Epglish look, as
/ called it, which you never would ack-
nowledge You remember 1 dubbed you.
The Troubadour"
He nodded and hunmed verse or the
little Old obsolete song
She for the troubadour hopelessiy wept;
Under the battlement softly he crept.
Singing From Palestine hither come,
Lady love, lady love, welcome me home
"Oh, that She" / exclaimed, Does she
stin hopelessly weep or did she welcome
you homer
Have you been hearing tales about
me?" he asked: shall l tell you the
story of my welded life2'
IF it does not pain YOU
Where shall 1 Begin ne asked.
''At the beginning. You are very young.
careless and Think heart-whole when
went TO the other end of the world.
DO you know that I have been mil
lionaire in the meantime?'
Il have heard something Of it
1.-The wealth OF an ancient relative
poured in on me after his death How
the golden wave came and went is story
by itself. For FIVE gilded years 1 was
TRANSPORTED in the eyes of the world, and
it was during that period 1 met and fell
in love with my Wife
1t was not l alone who thought her
supremacy beautiful. The world had al
ready bestowed on her a queenship before
the June day when / first saw her at an
open-air fete all in white pale. cold, Sc
we're and sweet, like a goddess in marble
If il be the case that what everybody
SAYS must be true. then true it was that
the cold, exquisite daughter, and ner
naughty, hawk-like mother were adven-
turesses playing q game for fortune.
beauty, against slender purse and
year or two of prime youth Already
beauty had over and over again dared 70
reject love, alteration and fortune consid-
cradle. Their figure has not yet been
reached whispered a cynical friend,
your million viii do it BY this time
had proclaimed myself an open worshiper
and mOth-like, was reeling round the
flame ! am bound to admit that all the
encouragement l received was from the
mother The daughter remained icy. I
persisted in my suit and in short time
was the accepted lover Of the woman who
held me in thrall."
"She accepted you willingly"
"Tacitly so. The mother seized on me
with effusion. Ny sffianced wife appeared
just to endure her new position with pa
thence nothing more. The mother assur-
ed me that her daughter had a most af-
fectionate nature hidden under that chill
exterior. She loved me and she had new
er loved any other man. tried to be
lieve her even though my heart craved
for more tenderness. And so we wed.
He continued: After a time when
the excitement of my first pride and hap
piness had subsidized I began to feel relnc-
tantiy conscious that there was some
thing wanting in our life together. Ny
Wifes behavior was perfect from every
point of view, but there was wall of re-
serve between us which nothing was able
to break through. Wherever we went
was aware that people said I had been
married without love for the sake Of my
million. How was to feel sure that the
verdict was not true one7 Had she Civ
en- her heart to some worthy fellow who
was millionless and rejected him even as
she had accepted me at her mother
bidding2
I resolved to take things as they came
and to make the best of the goods the
gods had provided for me. We led life
of amusement and pleasure. Our house
in London and our country house mot this
house, something much grander) were as
perfect as money could make them. My
wife went everywhere dressed and be
jeweled as the world expected to see her.
We entertained the smart crowd known
as society.
GAS time went on her reserve. which
was my despair. communicated itself 10
me, and the impossible barrier between
US was complete"
There was another silence while the
rising wind soughed though the wet trees.
DO you apprehend the situation?'
I'll 7
Does all this agree with what my
friends say about me in London
Il confess I had heard that you had
unfortunately married cold and heart
less woman" I said.
We went on smoking in silence. At
last he said abruptly, Il have more 10
tell"
friend, I think I can imagine all the rest"
We smoked in silence for about min
ute and then he continued:
Some other time l may tell you of how
nv unexpected fortune departed as sud
denly and surprisingly as it arrived. The
news of what appeared TO be total ruin
reached me first IN a telegram which
found waiting for me one night when I
returned home from a dinner party alone
my wife having pleaded q headache and
retired to her room early in the evening.
] gathered I'D the letters which had come
by the last post and carried them to my
dressing room where 1 sat down TO read
them. Imagine casting ones eyes on
bit OF paper as the ewes Of the owner Of
a million and raising them with the
knowledge that one does not own a pen
ny in the world
How was I to tell my wife? How
would she bear it-she who had married
ne for the splendors which she must re-
linquish
4 had sat for two or three hours mo-
tionless as stone; the first gleam OF
dawn crept in at the edges Of the blinds
and 7 stirred ard wrirhed in my char
''The door opened a little, opened more
and figure in q white robe appeared on
the threshold IN the gray light; rot
mouse but my wife. one glance at her
and turned away my head.
" What ais yOu9' she said gently.
" Nothing thar I can tell you AT pres
ent' I said. Go back 20 your rest
9" VIII you not tel me what IL the
natter
" Certainly 7 viii tell you tomorrow.'
seXVhile / was Speaking her keen eyes
caught sight OF the open telegram. and Of
the letters sprawlsd or the paper which
spelled ruin. The next moment she was on
her knees beside me
:" 'oh. ny dear. vii you not share this
trouble With me-
Il was 50 sturia from the shock 7 had
horne that the sweet words and pleading
tone came on me IKE second blow.
answered cruelty. Unfortunately you VIII
have 70 share & with ne
d. No. saw fortunately Or. nv love
nv husband. am 81 unworthy, M1st I
be counted as thing bought With gold.
living on gold ard Tor god and cast
aside when gold fails ard i1fe might Vel
80 49, - e., AIRY sha- 7 raa54 -.-