The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-11
REGINA
Translated Marcel Susan Taber
from her, and she married Francois cou-

from her, and she married Francois Cou-
bert
II remember that copied the marriage
contract and my heart was so easily
moved at that time that let tear fall
plump in the middle of the page, which
cost me a severe reprmand from M. Goblin.
Regime became Nine. Coubert. She was
rich and she had several children. Cou-
bert, on the whole, was a decent sort Of
fellow and had treated her WELL Neverthe-
less. Regime was not happy. I knew It
because, Huvelin having left the country,
she expended on me, his dearest friend, a.
little of the affection she felt for the one
who was absent. During the twenty years
that have kept in touch with Mime. Cou-
bert, learned this strange truth; that an
absolutely honest woman can be true to
two contradictory feelings, either one of
which would seem to exclude the other.
Regime was perfectly faithful to her hus-
band but she never gave him her heart.
She had given that once and for always,
to Huvelin Coubert knew it. but it did
not trouble him in the least; he was not
the sort of a man to be bothered by sentt-
mental distractions. So long as his wife
was a good manager and respected the
honor Of his flreside, he asked for nothing
more. But Regime was never consoed.
The wound that her young love had re-
ceived never healed and. in my opinion.
this was one of the reasons Of the nervous
1.-The story that I am telling you, gen
tlemen," went on the lawyer, would hold
true Of many women, and I could relate
ten others just like it where I have played
the part Of witness or confidant. But Re-
gine's story had a dramatic conclusion, a
truly romantic epilogue.
when the poor woman had at last en-
tered upon her eternal rest, I helped her
husband arrange her intimate, personal
papers. Happily, there was no written
trace of the suffering she had endured.
The secret rested between her and me.
We noticed with emotion that she kept
all the little objects that her father had
owned, even to his school books at the
Ecole de. Sairt-Cyr, in which M. de Pill
liere had been interested during his last
sickness. AS I opened Of the books I
found inside sheet Of letter paper, yellow
with age, on which was written in an aWk-
ward trembling hand:
of death, who has already half disabled
me, do not feel that have the right to
dispose Of the heart Of my dear child.
I hereby revoke the disposition Of my
will of the 18th of January. Regime may
marry according to the dictates of her
heart
1.-THE writing, as say, was like that Of
child, just as the poor captain, between
his two attacks, had been able to trace
the letters with his left hand.
Had Regime known, when it was too
late, Of this change in her fathers de-
sires7 She had never spoken of it to me,
and I am inclined to think that she never
knew anything Of it. It Is most probable
that the paper remained, unsupported, in
It's place between the leaves Of the book.
Regime had faithfully kept all the relics
Of her father, but there was no appear
ance Of her ever having turned over the
pages Of a descriptive geometry.
This, the life Of this charming women
had been broken by the scrupulous OBJ
servance of a last wish-what shall say
of a false expression Of last wish!
REGIME had devoted her life to the VEN
Grafton Of a mistake!
II confess that I was deeply moved by
my discovery. M Coubert noticed my
emotion. It was impossible to prevent
him from reading the paper.
"It took him some time to understand
it.. At last, when he realized what it
meant, can you imgaine what he said, this
husband in the midst of his sorrow, for
his mourning was sincere:
"'What luck, my friend, what good
fortune that Regime did not find this
paper before we were married!