Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-05-01

catch fine phrases now and then, but
you won't laugh at me.
We'll. we were engaged, Of course.
My nance presented me with a dia-
mond ring. and diamonds are my souls
delight. After got this one | used to
keep n little light burning In my room
at night so that | might see 1t sparkle
II | happened tc be wakeful. / SUBJ
sequently learned that there was a
financial irregularIty involved In the
obtaining of the glittering gem, but /
did not learn that until after 1t had
passed out of my possession"
Where did fate find this precious
rascal?" whispered Brenda. "And why
did fate send him to your
"Why did fate send good man after
ward7'' said Elsie. why not before?
Well. the moving finger writes and
having writ. moves on 1t was to be.
Finally the gentleman announced that
a marriage under the laws of the state
Of Pennsylvania would meet the re-
quirements of the situation I was
good deal startled by this definite sug-
gestion, and I wrote to my mother on
the subject for the first time. The gen
tleman took the letter to post. and it
has not been delivered yet, thank heay-
en-!
Before II was time to get an answer
sudden business of great importance
called my fance to Philadelphia How
opportune. Well, Brenda. packed
little hand bag and went What must
you think Of me?"
Brenda bent down gently and kissed
Elsie's hand and held 1t against her
face.
81 don't know the story yet" she said,
'but you have portrayed thorough
scoundrel And you have also shown
me trusting and true hearted girl who
went to be married with an innocent
heart Blessed heaven! Think of q
man for whom young and pure girl
will go out into the world like that, as
II 10 walk in the f1elds! Should not ev-
cry fiber of his sou1 be thrilled to loyal
ty for all his lifeP"
"The gentleman In question had no
soul" said Elsie. 81 think he will be
spared all punishment hereafter. as the
brutes are. Let us proceed, Brenda,
dear. The remainder Of the story is
not long. We took the IL o'clock train
and reached Philadelphia in time for
luncheon. Our marriage was to be
kept secret for awhile, and there SEEM
ed to be some slight objection to the
public dining room of the hotel where
our hanson spt- ms down. However,
fn r
had no appetite. Then we re-entered
the hanson and went to look for min
lister. We had remarkable difficulty in
finding one, considering that Philadel-
phia is large city full Of churches, but
we finally succeeded. Then it appeared
that we had neglected to comply with
certain formalities, but the clergyman
was able to rectify the matter, and so
we were married pitifully, as I see it
now, with stupid old servants and a
chance laborer who happened to be at
work in the house as our witnesses.
when we got back to the hotel, 1t
was o'clock, and l was nearly fam
ished. We hurried right into the din
ing room, and my husband ordered a
great spread, with champagne, for our
miserable celebration, and now / will
tell you the unromantic part. In the
midst of that dinner, and while 1 fan
cied that l was eating with a splendid
appetite, l was suddenly seized with
the most awful pain that ever devas-
tated my poor little stomach. Yes,
Brenda, 1t was a regular, terrible
stomach ache-just pain, without bit
of nausea. l felt as IL some one had
my stomach In his hand-a hand about
the size of Captain Neale's-and was
crushing it to pieces.
"My husband said he guessed 1t
would soon pass away, but it didn't,
and so he left his dinner and ran out
to drug store to get me something to
take. When he came back, took 1t,
and I didn't feel any worse, because
that wasn't possible, but 1 certainly
felt no better. In a few minutes l be-
gan to realize that was going out Of
my wits. l talked insanely and saw
things that weren't there. The next
thing l knew we were riding up in an
elevator, and It seemed to go up for a
week. Then there was woman lead
ing me along a hall and into a room,
and she began to take off my clothes In
the bedroom Of little suit. / stared
at her and asked her who she was.
Pm the assistant housekeeper,' she
said. L belong to the hotel
"As If she had been a piece Of furni-
ture. Then 1 asked where my hus-
band was, and she said he had gone
out for a doctor. So she made me lie
down. Probably seemed to be there
on that bed, but in reality-my own
reality-I was playing in that old barn.
storming company and studying,
studying. studying on long parts that
were always changing, but sometimes
I was little girl again in town way
out in Michigan, running through the
streets, with my long legs flying and
my heels touching the back of my
head. as my mother used to say.
stole the neighbors' flowers in the
scented June evenings and staid out
under the little whispering stars till
my mother came, weeping with anx-
ly enough, right in the midst of it all
there stood the doctor, tall, gaunt
young man, asking me how ! felt
But where was my husband?
"'He has not got back said the wo-
man. 4 was afraid to wait any Ion
ger, SO l got this gentleman, who Is a
New York doctor stopping in the
hotel
'Then l felt something sharp prick
Ing my arm and afterward the pain
was easier, and my mind suddenly be-
came as clear as it In now. I heard
the doctor say that l would be all
right when l had had some sleep, and
then my husband appeared, looking In
between the curtains that hung by the
bedroom door. 1t seems that he had
not brought q doctor, but had left
word for one to come.
"My husband remained there, be-
tween the curtains, perfectly rigid,
staring, pale as ghost. He was look
ing at the doctor beside my bed, and
glancing up saw that the doctor was
staring at him.
Your said the doctor, and he took
three strides out Of the room, my hus-
band backing away as the other Ri-