Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-04-24
Short Story
Of the Dav
EVIL DONE THAT
GOOD MIGHT COME,

I'll tell you a story, dearie, since
you wish it. the story of my first love.
1t was the 10th of April and my birth
day. | had been working with John.
The sun was pouring warm rays upon
us, thawing our hearts, for John had
wounded me and we had Quarreled,
and we could almost see the buds ex-
pand, so rapidly were they opening.
The thrushes were singing over the
meadows, and myriads of insects.
awakened after the long winter, were
chirping merrily.
There's never such sweet time as
after making up difference and John
chose to tell me that he loved me.
81 babe John adieu at the gate. not
with kiss, for the bright sun still
shone upon us and all the neighbors
could see, but with a multitude of
kisses in my heart.
''He was to go to the city the next
day to begin work. saw mother look.
| ing at us through the blinds of an up,
per window and a troubled expression
on her face. | went in and met her in
the hall.
What makes your cheek so red, my
daughter" she asked.
It's the warm sum-
And your eye so bright?"
"'The singing birds and the chirp
ing insects
I'll not blame you for conceiling
the real cause she said, with a sigh
that John Darr has been making love
to you, but I'm dreadfully sorry
why so. mother?' | asked, blush
ing to the roots of my hair.
1.-The young would act differently
could they be old. They must go
through poverty; they must be worn
out trying to make ends meet-for
what? A fancy. Mr.. Winfield came
to your father yesterday, and. like an
honorable man, asked for you He
owns all the land hereabout and has
money in the bank. With him you
would be looked up to- admired
'Mother!'
know that IL is useless to tell
you this, but the day will come when
you will wish you had listened to me-
She passed into the kitchen and,
taking broom, went upstairs, where
heard sweep, sweep. sweep and
knew that she had been giving me her
own experience.
Days passed into weeks, weeks into
months. l looked for a letter from
John, but no letter came. nor did any
letter ever come. Mr. Winfield came
often to see father and sat with him,
talking about the price of land and the
crops and loans and mortgages, such
things as / did not understand or care
for. Often | saw him look wistfully
at me, but was thinking of John. who
had broken my heart by sending me
never word. Year after year my
mother urged me to be the rich mans
wife, but five years passed before | be-
gan to think that since John had cast
me off might please father and moth
er. One April day, when the sun shone
as it did on the day John left me with
such warmth in my heart. / told my
mother that would be Mr.. Winfield's
wife il he asked me.
"He did ask me, and so kindly. so
thoughtfully, for he was older than L
he was thirty-fve-that when he put
his arm about my waist and drew me
to him / suffered myself to cry on his
my lost love.
"The next day was walking on the
road listening to the birds and the in
sects, just as had done on that day
with John, when | saw man, his
face covered with a red beard. coming
toward me.
He was well dressed and stepped
along with jaunty air. When he met
me, / saw him start. Then he asked
me about some recent changes in the
land, whose wag that new barn. that
dwelling.
Somehow l didn't like the free tone
in which he spoke, for / could not
help thinking that he bore himself to-
ward me as a city man would toward
a country girl.
"'You don't remember me?" he
said.
az am sure l never saw you be-
fore / replied.
I'm not surprised at your forget
ting me after the word you sent me
before / went away he said. con
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