Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-04-04
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better than to insult it by doubt. Your
heart, know, is mine now, or you would
never have been my wife. know your
pure honor and truth too we'll to think
otherwise. But, oh, my love, nv sweet
wife, If l knew-if I knew that your
warm, true heart had ever throbbed with
one sigh of love for another, I should.
even though it had happened before l
ever saw you, never again know one hap
Ply moment. You may think it is Jealous
madness, but it is inherent in my nature,
and L cannot help it. / repeat that
could never, never be happy again."
No answer. Grace Winans' white arms
Wreathed themselves around her baby,
pressing it closer, as if to still the sharp
pang that struck home to her very heart
A faint SILVER thrilled her, and rising,
she laid the little sleeper in it's downy
nest, smiling little sadly as she looked,
but smiling still, for this tiny rosebud
was the sweetest and most wonderful
thing that had ever come into her lonely
life. Deeply as she had loved the first
object of her young affections, purely and
truly as she loved her gifted husband the
strongest, deepest, most intense passion
OF her life was her maternal love. SIZE
could scarcely recollect her parents, she
could not recall any one who had ever
lavished on her such love as this child
gave her, so devoted, so unreasoning, so
absorbing; and deeply, unselfshly as she
loved her husband, she loved this child
| better, though no word nor sign ever
betrayed the fact to his jealous eyes. She
reached up to him now, and drew him to
her side, holding his arm about her waist
with both dimpled white hands.
MY darling" she whispered, don't be
so unreasonable. You have no cause to
be jealous, none at ALL My whole heart
is yours-yours and the baby's. You
must have faith in me, Paul-haye faith
in me, and trust me as you do your own
| heart"
Drawing his moody face down to hers,
she kissed him with child-like simplicity.
At the persuasive touch of those tender
lips his brow cleared, his lstless clasp
frightened around her, and both arms held
her strained closely to his breast, his lips
raining kisses on her brow, her cheeks,
her lips, even her fair golden hair.
"Now you are like yourself" the musi-
cal voice whispered gladly. "You will
not be jealous and unhappy again. I am
yours alone, dear one-heart, and soul,
and body-your own loving, happy little
wife"
The sunshine on her face was tenderly
reflected on his. She was so sweet and
winsome, so womanly, yet withal so
child-like, and oh, so beautiful! His
strange, unusual mood was. not proof
against the witchery Of her loneliness; her
flowing hair, the subtle perfume breath
ing from her garments, the tenderness of
her words and looks.
81 don't think another man in the
world has such a precious wife, he said.
And though she knew that every mans
private opinion regarding his own wife
was the same, she took heart at his words
of praise, and laughed archly. They two
were that novel sight under the sum-"
pair of married lovers. Why need he
have gone back to the forbidden subject?
All! why have we always done that
which we ought not to have DONE" Be
cause he wanted to make himself mlSera-
BILE, 1 suppose. There is no other reason
/ can assign for his persistence; and, as
for that, there is no reason whatever i'll
Jealous man. HE is simply jealous
for he is jealous" and where Shakespeare
could not find reason for thing, how
can |?
"Gracie, may ask you one question"
"You may-certainly."
"And will you answer it truthfuliJ!
eff | answer it at ALL" she gravely
made answer 1T must needs be truthful
| ly. for | could not reply to you otherwise.
But why ask a question at ALI do not
care to question you of your past; why
should you question me of mine? Let
past and future alone, Paul. The present
| only is ours-let us enjoy it
~ cf,o n law
that fell across her pathetic face, he per-
severed:
"Only tell me this, my precious wife.
This Bruce Conway, who went away to
Europe to learn that he loved you, and
came back to tell you so. Oracle, in that
| past time when you knew hlm-betore
YOU ever knew me-did you-tell me
truly. mind-did you ever love hlmT
| The question she had dreaded and
shrunk from all the time! She knew
| it would come, and now that 1t had,
what could she say? Oracle, debarred
| by so many and grave considerations, IN
desperation, parried the challenge.
Paul, do you know that am sleepy
and tired, while you are keeping me up
with such idle nonsense! II we must
begin at this late day to worry over our
| mast loves ana uFcdiLSs Supp0oe ) gu DCSAh
| first by telling me how many separate
ladies you loved before you ever met me-
Come. begin with the first on the list
1T begins and ends with-yoursef,
| he said, gravely and firmly.
"Then try to think that is the same
with me. Don't worry over such idle
speculations. l am tired and half sick,
dear"
Oracle. you drive me to desperation.
| asked you simple Question-Why do
you try to evade itf'
Because it is unfair to me. haven't
| asked you any such ridiculous questions.
I won't submit to be catechised so, posi-
lively I WON'T Don't be angry, dear
7 am sure the slightest reflection on your
part will convince You that am right.
have partly forgotten the past; have ig-
nored II ANYHOW, not caring to look back
any further in my life than the two years
/ in which / have known and loved you.
An the happiness l ever really knew has
49,, sbowered on me by your lavish
hand. Be content in knowing that and