River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-04-24

derby lady who was helping for the
afternoon.
Where is Miss Mason?" queried
Steele, after greeting Mrs. Morrison.
''Oh, Mr.. Addison!" began that lady,
somewhat excitedly. Sam Howard
has been having trouble with Mari
eta, and Leslie went down there
quite awhile ago 10 help make peace,
and j don't dare to leave until the
others come, but I'm beginning to
get frightened, for if Sam has been
drinking
Steele had all the necessary infor-
nation, and, forgetting politeness,
rushed from the house, taking the
front steps almost at one leap. He
knew what it meant if Sam Howard
had been drinking. 1t was with
many misgivings that the Hermitage
patrons had viewed the marriage,
not long before, of these two young
people of the district. Sam and
Marietta were Woodworking young
people, and cared for each other,
but he would indulge in drink on rare
spell of crazy drunkenness.
Reaching the tenement where they
lived, he sprang up the stairs to the
little suite of rooms that the Her
mitage club had furnished as a we'd
ding present to the Towards, ana
burst open the door.
Against the wall crouched the
young wife, her eyes horror frlcken,
her face white with terror, except
where the blood was gathering I'M
| der the skin from a freshly-dealt
blow on her cheek.
| Between Marietta and her HUSBAND
Leslie had interposed herself. The
mans face, with its bloodshot eyes,
was that of a mailman. He had evident
| ly struck Marietta with his hand, but,
with increased wrath that anyone
should attempt to thwart him, he had
caught up a stick of wood from the
floor, and even as she tried to soothe
him he had the bludgeon raised threat
ening.y. With spring Steele was up
on the man, who, though powerful nat
urally, and with the added strength of
frenzy, was no match for the new
conner, whose muscles were backed by
a rage that man should raise his hand
against any woman, and Leslie, Of all
women. There was a short, sharp
struggle, and then Sam was over
powered and forced into chair, where
he sat in sullen apathy.
When Leslie would have thanked him
and offered TO help the frightened wom-
an, Steele. with an air of command, or
dered her TO desist.
go straight back to the Hermitage"
| he ordered, peremptorily, land stay
there till / come. This is no pace for
YOU. Have no fear" he added, with
still smoldering rage; II shall spare
the life of this protege, who so nearly
| killed you. When / have left some one
! to take care of his wife and to watch
him, / will get carriage and come to
the Hermitage for you. Go at once!"
And Leslie. so used to commanding
and being obeyed, went down the stairs
without a word. She did not wait for
him, however. but as soon as she was
out of the alley ordered carriage to
| take her home
| She arrived late for dinner, cold and
! tired, and with unstrung nerves, but
as she knew that Steele would follow
10 inquire after her welfare, she put
away her inclina ton to go to bed for
a good cry, and, changing her gown,
put on brave face for the occasion,
though her heart was anything but
brave.
81 xN,a Of {iT1a - no aopfidaH
to herself, ambiguousiy, as she sat by
the fire. Men are all alike-they do
not care for anyone but themselves,
and Steele is only more honest than
the rest in owning that he does not
| care. and does not care whether he
cares or not. OF course, he is gentle
man, and would not strike woman,
as Sam did poor Marietta, but he has
no heart, and that is bad enough"
1t was a very mournful girl that
| Steele found few moments later, but
he was evidently too excited to notice
her detection.
''He has new argument that he
thinks will crush me, she said to her
self, in dismay. And. oh, dear! / be-
lieve a fly could crush me this even
ing"
Leslie" exclaimed Steele, Il have
come to tell YOU"
please, Steele" she entreated, hold
ing up an imp2oring hand, don't speak
of Kant or Darwin. My opinions are
firm as ever, but / am SO tired"
Steele was holding both her hands
and beaming down upon her as he stood
by her chair.
Kant and Darwin may have been es-
Unable men, my dear. but for me just
at this time they have never existed. 1
have come to ask YOU to advance me
to the first class in sentiment. Like
good pupil, have been studying at
home l have learned to carry your
picture next my heart and to sleep
with one of your handkerchiefs under
my pillow. press all the flowers that
YOU put into my buttonhole, and /
stole a little curl of brown hair that
used TO lie just back of your ear. /
think brown eyes with yellow lights in
them are the sweetest eyes in the
world. and my heart thumps like
trip hammer when you put your hand
on my arm. Not content with think
ing of YOU by day and dreaming of
| you by night, have called the office
boy Leslie, and addressed my gray
i headed employer as Miss Mason. Hay-
! ing learned AL this, come 10 tell YOU