Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-04-27
81
A Broken Wedding Ring

By Berba n. Clay.

more,
And have not been six years my
wife.
e Those two rosy boys in the crib
Upstairs are not ours to be sure.
You are just a sweet bride in her
bloom,
All sunshine and snowy and pure,
LAS the carriage rolls down the
dark street,
The little wife laughs and makes
cheer;
But 80. l wonder what day OF the
j week?
wonder what month o. the
year?"
/ Leah listend attentively.
1T is very sad and very sweet,
Basil. All, it is a terrible thing
death. To think that nothing in the
world can save one from it,. neither
wealth, nor love, nor"
Are you afraid of death?" he in
lterrupted.
Yes, l am-perhaps more than
most people. When / was a little
child, l was taken TO Westminster
Abbey, and was left alone amid the
monuments until my friends came
back for me. One struck me so
much, Basil. / forgot the name or
the persons in memory of whom il
has been erected: l remember only
the subject-a young and beautiful
wife clasped in her husbands arms,
and death, in terrible guise, trying
to snatch her from him and drag
her into his hideous den. was
greatly impressed with il. Child as
/ was, / though how horrible, how
strong death must be, when even the
love OF her husband could not keep a
wife safe in his arms. l think that
was the first time l ever felt afraid
of death. oh, Basil, now that | am
so happy, I do not want to die"
MY dearest Leah, l hope there is
no question Of it. What makes you
think and speak of death, when
have come purpOsely to tell you
about our homer"
1T is your fault" she replied, half
Ilaughingly. you would recite those
lines, and you wondered which would
die first"
We'll, if am to blame, viii
soon make amends by changing the
conversation"
She was looking at him with grave
sweet eyes.
Basil" she said, you tell me
that in your fancy you saw me
moving about the rooms at Glen, and
taking my place in them. One
strange thing with me is that ! can
never do that can ever imagine
myself at Glen. / never go beyond
my wedding-day; the life that lies
beyond it is all dark and blank. l
think of you, and of being with you;
ibut see no further. l never behold
a future in which we are both here
at Brentwood or at Glen. Do you not
think it strange.
"You are fanciful, Leah" he re-
piled. Yet her words touched him.
rs that It? ! have often wondered
lin my own mind how it was. You
are sure it is fancy, Basil-not pre-
lsentiment?"
He laughed at the idea that pos
sessed her.
4 do not believe in presentiments,
Leah" he said; fancy and PRESENT.
ment are to my mind the same
thing"
4 DO not think So" she replied
I have heard of so many forebodings
that have been realized"
Has one of your own ever been
realized?" he asked.
/ and she was compelled to answer
, NO"
Before / met YOU, BASIL" she said
p 4 did dream at times of the future;
now have a weird sensation thai
the end of everything comes viii
| the evening OF day, and the morning
begins a new life."
4 was much amused, remarked
Sir Basil. at hearing that Lad!
/ .Drummond had cured her younges
daughter Of a terrible love-fever b!
the simple expedient of giving her
very difficult piece of needlework tC
. do. I must follow her example il
, .this. respect, Leah. l must give yol
some problems in Euclid to solve
2 some chapters of history to study
, anything to clear these cobwebs iron
? your brain"
/. There is one thing that ! woul,
2 much ra,uer you gave me" she said
: shyly.
! What is it, Leah?" he asked.
There was no answer.
( Leah. what is it," he repeated.
And she looked up at him with
! beautiful flush on her face.
Il honestly believe you mean THIS,
} he replied, bending over her, anC
! kissing her lips. Did you mean that
, Idear?"
ct is better than history o.
Euclid" she replied. laughingly.
And then the bright-hued birds ano
the fragrant blossoms were witnesses
of a pretty little scene in whica
sweet sunny laughter and tenderly