The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-12-05

on would nave committed SUI
eide for my benefit? How gallant of
you'll"
But not knowing"
Not knowing you were a goose,
you did few prize stunts, yourself,
L understand. They tell me Acker-
man & Ross are going to take you
into partnership"
"Bully, isn't ?" gloated Bob-"and
speaking of partnerships, Doll, why
don't we go into partnership on the
coral? AS Mrs. Robert Tarbell, L
shouldn't mind your wearing it
bit!''
The hot red blood rushed maddening-
lySnto mycheeks. My heart was throb-
bling furiously. "Is this-is this pro-
posal?" l gasped.
Bob leaned over and took my hands
in his. ''Oh, my dear little sweet
heart" he said, eagerly-"don't you
know how 1 love you! Don't you
know l love you better than anything
in the world?"
Better than the coral?" I asked
doubtingly.
"a thousand times better than any
coral ever built" he declared. ''To
prove it, you shall keep the fish, for
ever-only please take me, tool"
They were very beautiful days that
followed. Days as exquisite as para
disc; as short as delight. Days that
fairly toppled over each other in
their cruel fight. And never knew
that they were numbered. l let
them go without good-by glance.
Not that l did not value every beau
tiful hour that had passed, but what
was yesterday-what were week of
yesterdays, when new day had
come-a glorious new day made for
Bob and me, and world of new days
coming after.
We were to be married in June. A
good month is June; the days are
the longest; the sun shines the
brightest; the skies are the bluest.
Then, isn't June full of song-birds
and roses? What could be gayer
than June?
1t was two weeks before my we'd
ding day that mamma and I ran
over to New York for few last odds
and ends l needed for my trousseau.
We went for day, and the day
heightened into a week, with one de-
lay and another; but at last all our
errands were done, and we were
ready to return home the day fol-
lowing.
had heard from Bob that day.
He had a beastly cold, and was bark
ing like dog, he wrote me, but felt
sure these good June days would
put more silvery voice in his throat
by the time of my return.
Somehow, l could not sleep that
night. That is, 1 fell asleep when 1
first retired, but woke at two o'clock,
and could not sleep any more. My
eyes seemed propped open with sticks
I couldn't close them to save me.
L got up and sat by the window,
awhile, watching the twinkling lights
of the city; the silvery Diana, alone
on her tower; a policeman strolling
leisurely along his beat.
And 1 thought of Bob; and of all
the dear future when we should be-
long wholly to each other, and how
L should live for him every minute
of every day.
And / took the little coral fish that
hung about my neck and kissed it
because Bob loved it, and what Bob
loved was dear.
And then very strange thing hap
pened. The little fish trembled in
my hand. 1 cannot expect you to
believe it wouldn't believe it my
self, though quite distinctly 1 felt
it's tiny body SILVER in my hand. Yet,
when 1 looked at it closely, it lay
quite still.
But if the fish had not shivered, I
was shivering now, and hurried back
to bed.
''All nerves!" I told myself. "Gone
to pieces, got paresis," L quoted
savagely. ''The next thing I'll fancy
1 see the chairs walking around"
And then the clock struck four.
By and by [ slept, and woke in the
bright daylight, but somehow / felt
only half awake. When mamma came
to ask me into her room for break
fast, it was an eXertion to answer,
and after she had gone l still lay
staring at gold humming bird on
the wall paper, balancing itself on
a golden trellis, over which gold
honeysuckles grew.
And then, all at once, my heart
stood still. What was it! What had
happened! Why this undefnable
horror! L looked around, wondering
ly-and then l knew!
Just by the window it lay. A blood
red blot upon the dark green car
pet. A bit of blood red coral, carved
like fsh-but no little gold link in
its mouth. I put my hand up to my
throat. The chain was there. A
gold link hung from it. But the fish
lay alone by the window, where ]
had sat staring into the night.
The telegram came soon after. He
had died at four that morning.
Pneumonia, coupled with some diff
ficulty of the heart, it said.
June is good, did 1 say? June is
brazen. Why should skies be blue,
and the sun be bright, when the
FL n IL n