Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1903-11-26

and saw none but clouds Of gold In the
long vista o. their future.
l could only sit and gaze .longingly
n eagerly while the phantom faded
away from my gaze. Another picture
now rose before ne.
saw myself clad in a cheerful morn
ing robe. Charlie had prospered in
business, gold poured into his Golfers.
n with gold came fashion, with am
bition ana pride and a score of demons
In her train. 1t whispered:
You are young and you are beautl-
full. In the great world you would be
an acknowledged queen. Put your
husbands wealth to use. Let not your
beauty fade out in the nursery. Your
child viii get on we'll enough in the
nurses care. Live in The world and
hin like a queen"
And this was the beginning of the
shadow which darkened the picture. %
saw the glitter of the ball. the splendid
furniture, the silver plate. the gay
equipage and the stately apartments.|
and amid 1t all through the opencdl
door Of a neglected nursery l saw al
pale, drugged 4-year-old child slowly
dying. The end came. The tiny rose
wood casket was closed over the fea-l
lures of the child h died of motheilyI
neglect. l saw n strong man bend IN
convulsed grief over his dead boy and
then go out silently and. growing grav-l
err day by day, turn to his businessl
again l heard frantic bursts of grief
from the stricken mothers mouth and
clasped my jeweled hand In anguish.
4 long pause fell between, and them
another, the last. picture fell beforei
me. ] recognized It's faithfulness att
once. Ten years interviewed .betweenI
this picture and the preceding one. y
had not changed save to fuller and per-
tected beauty. Everything was as plain
az day-the magnificent furnishings
of the home. with the Persian carpets,
costly tables. bronze and marble stat
,:es and him and silver wares. and
! through these walls 1 moved. a cold
and beautiful woman OF ice. l shrankl
from the portraiture with dismay. But
while 1 sat and gazed into the picture
Elided a pale. ca reworn man wearing
the same expression l had often seen
upon my husbands face. How
changed me looked from the hopeful.i
| manly Charles Gordon who had stood
before me in the moonlight. He had
been a grave and silent man ever since
his boy died. but there was now fresh
trouble eating away his life.
What has brought this about?" 1
| asked.
In a moment my question was an
swered. Into he. magic picture came
d shadowy finger which pointed to the
paper-strewn tabk. at which my hus-
band sat. gazed and heheld a evela
ton, n mechanic ally my eye ran over
every ape he opened. The catalogue
was fearful-a long array of bills
plate, furniture, statues. jewels, silks.
a long array of which 1 recognized dis
tsnctly my own agency and balancing
this catalogue sto I'd a tangled trade.
empty Golfers. with the word "Panic!"
written as with a pen OF fire. While
he sat and unfoldsd each paper and
laid 1t aside I stole nearer and gazed
Cpo the n he hid just taken. 1t,
was iuy latest bill. t he hill for my ball
dress. l mad a movement to snatch.
1t from him. and the spell was broken.
Whit is it. Daisy? You asleep here
myself seated in the great velvet chair
and my husband standing beside me.
Did 1 fall asleep? %Ii1nust. But you,
Charles, you have not. slept!" L said,
for just then I noticed that he was in
his coat and full dress.
II have bee up la tie. looking over
! some papers / brought frora the store.
But l was Just going up sxairs. You
should be asleep before this he added.
half reprovinl.ly, his eyes wandering
with u sort OF panied look over my
! toilet.
Why do you. not speak to me.
Charles? You are in some great trou-
BILE. Oh. Charles, l nave had a dream
this evening that has shown me myself
II lily true lghtllam nott ling. more
than nothing. I an a drag instead OF
a helpmeet. Speak to me, Charles. and
tell me hat o do not hate me-"
Can you bear the worst. IDaisy?" he
asked hoarsely. lifting his eyes to
mine.
Anything. anything. my dear hus-
hand. 1 have been blind. hut h scales
have fallen now. Tell me everything.
Are we ruined?"
I'VE are" he whispered in a thick.
unsteady one. THE crisis has carried
me down. / have dragged away the
long hours Of this night trying to de-
wise some loophole of escape, but all in
vain. I do not care for myseh,. but for
you-you. Daisy" and he gnoaned in
I bitterness of spirit.
1 could not bear 1t without a burst
N OF tears: he 80 thoughtful, 1 SO selfish,
pressed my lips to his burning fore
head and said. amid my sobs. mo
Charles. not ruined, for we have saved
cur owe from the wreck"
Charles looked at me steadily. and g
weight seemed to have been lifted of
his head. His lips lost their grim ex-
preston and there was a ripple of tear,
il. HE. voice.
Daisy, you nave saved mel" he said.
"Maddened by the thought of the NOR
I. row. i know not OUC the result might
have been this-see!", and ne drew
: forth a little vial labeled ''laudanum'
I from his vest pocket. But o have
saved me darling"
2 "Ctharles. we have both been mad!'
! I SAID, with pallid lips, and striving fol
t his sake. TO subdue the terror that h~
: Eirt my whole being when I realized
how nigh my husband had stood TO tbs
I v'retched guilt OF suicide. And Go
: forgive me for my want of sympathy
t Ia al! your troubles and help me IRON
y this hour to be your faithful wife,
: And sitting there late In the night
my husband kneeling beside me ant
with his head upon my lap. ! bent m,
cheek to his, and the tears. baptixinl
our reunion. fell upon the folds Of M
e last folly-my ball dress.
n 3{'
Table Decoration.
For dinner table decorations as IA