Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-04-18

read eagerly, despairingly. Great
drops of moisture gathered on his
forehead. As he read, a terrible pal
lor came into his face, a terrible
shadow deepened in his eyes The
letter seemed to be half hidden
beneath a blood-red mist and the
| words at first told no plain story %
him.
Then he began to realize what it
was. Violet had gone and gone for
ever! She had hidden him her la st
farewell; she would never see him
again
you told me- she wrote, chat l
was to try new life, and, if l did not
like it, you would see what was to be
done. Always remember, if you had
told me what life I had to share with
you, l should have declined it. l not
only dislike, but loathe and detest
it. | find it perfectly unbearable, and
l have renowned it. Neither my edu-
cation, my training, my character,
nor temperament fit me for it. I an
not at home in the midst Of the
splendOr and luxury of Ryversdale,
less at home than wild forest-bird
would be in a gilded cage. My dislike
those near to you, the unkindness
with which I have been treated, the
perfect unhappiness of my life, the
sense that | have of having been de-
ceived-I would have borne all for
your sake; but that has happened
which l cannot and will not bear
Your mother has written to an emf
nent firm of lawyers in London, in
structing them to find out whether
there is any flaw or informality IN
our marriage. So great is her desire
to part us that she has taken eounsers
opinion as to whether the fact of your
being married under age is not suffi-
cient to annul our marriage. By mis-
take the letter written by the firm in
reply to hers fell into my hands. l
took it to her. She made no disguise
at all of the part she had played in
the matter. She told me that she
would give half her fortune to see
hard and pitiless words to hear; but
felt they were true; my place it not
here. That was the crowning insult
which I cannot bear; and the crown
ing sorrow it this-that you knew
your mother intended writing and
acquiesced in it.
"That fact parts us. Never willing
ly will [ look upon your face again.
never wiz l bear your name, never
will | live under your roof. | will
never see your mother, never speak
to her, never enter the same house
with hnr. She is dead to me in this
life, as | am dead to her. She has
sought to annul our marriage: l annuI
it myself; | leave you forever. If
when l am gone, you find the law can
help you legally to free yourself am
legally to marry another, my prayer
is that you may speedily do so.
DO not make an attempt at search |
ing for me; I shall never return. If
there were any power to compel me, |
would rather die than yield to that !
power. Remember that death in any
shape would be preferable to return
ing. Your love, your kindness to me |
shall always remember; but the whole |
proceeding from beginning to end has
been most fatal mistake You de- |
ceiVed ne, you took me into a life |
for which | am unfit, and the end has |
come, as the end comes inevitably % |
everything not founded in truth and |
honor. l bid you an everlasting fare
we'll, Randolph, and l hope that you
will be SO far able to rectify your
as to prevent your life from
being spoiled. l sign myself your lost
Violet"
That was all. There was no loving
word to soften the blow, no regret, 20
sorrow at leaving him, no word of the
love that had once been between
them-nothing but offended pride, |
wounded dignity, outraged prejudices
no love.
To be Continued