River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-05-12

HeF lie Hdu grown less pHy olSdiiy dAOu
Gus. She no longer performed the prac-
teal work of housekeeping or darneo
stockings But she had known no in
creased happiness because of the I'M
wonted ease and indulgence. And with
the advent of the little fortune that hao
placed both beyond the need of financial
restrictions or limitations, her occupa
ton had finally vanished. She was nc
longer necessary, even to Laura, who
might now order gowns and furniture
without thought of economy, whose time
was now at her own disposal. Hence
forth she devoted her efforts to philan-
thropic endeavor and was very useful
but no happier And her thoughts, not
unnaturally turned back to Jim Benson
now and then.
He Had been her first and only lover.
Her first, because he had loved her from
childhood, her only lover because she
would allow no other. And Laura, as be
had said, had quietly but potently kept
them apart.
Little, eccentric, almost absurd in ap-
pearance and manner, hampered by I'M
06SlIdUlG
had seemed to Laura that for her stately.
beautiful sister to marry him would be
little less than sacrilege. she believed
that her kindly, unvarying, halt-Joklne
ridicule had disposed Alice to place poor
Jim outside her matrimonial horizon.
But, in reality, Alice had for Is years re-
fused to allow Jim to speak because she
T
thought of Laura's long tenderness and
the inevitable loneliness consequent
upon her own possible marriage that
had bathed her pillow in tears tonight.
Time. meanwhile, had done much for
Jim Benson. The unfortunate relatives
had disappeared from sight and cognlz-
ance. he had successfully combated pow
erty and misfortune. He had even won
renown as a war hero. But none OF
these changes, while perfectly apparent
to Laura's intellect, had touched her
heart in the slightest.
She, herself, had been long untouched
by playful Cupid. Her whole soul and
heart had been bent to the work of pro-
viding splendidly for Alice, of winning
money that had lifted her beyond the re-
gions of struggle had also caused her real
disappointment, since Alice no longer
needed her devoted ministrations. The
firm and determined resolve to keep
Arthur Huntley at a distance-tor the
sake of Alice-had taken the place OF the
earlier idea of self-sacrifice. But never
until tonight had she dreamed that her
heart had suffered unknowing implica-
ton. Tonight, leaning back in the
low chair over which he had bent in
leaving. she knew that she was in love.
ITO think of it," she sighed and smiled,
half satirically. "In love at So, and for
goodness knows now long, too. |, who
have diagCnsed-and treated-so many
love cases, to be in love myself and so
suddenly learn it. But, of course, shall
have to put this madness quite into the
background tomorrow, and no one will
ever know"
"Why?" her own heart, strangely in
sistent, kept asking.
"Alice," her mind made reply.
Then. too, although she would not for
worlds have owned this, her pride suf-
fered at the thought of lowering her
long-flaunted flag of preferred maiden
hood. Could she, who had so long be-
lieved herself far removed from any soft
ening touch of this pure human" weak
ness. consent to capitulate, to yield?
In the end she, too, cried herself to
sleep like lonely child, and woke, in the
morning, to smile bitterly at vagaries
and the tears of the previous evening,
to resolve never, never to desert Alice,
who would never consent, she felt sure,
to share a married home with her. SO
long as she retained her reason. Her
heart ached sorely, at bottom, but a
sense of exaltation upheld her; the men
tai composition of the kindly but decided
letter that should prevent Arthur Hunt
legs coming strengthened and nerved
her. She went down to breakfast quite
calm and steady but so distracted and
self-centered that size failed to notice
her sisters similar state of mind.
Each woman, although ostensibly
busted with the morning papers, thought
and saw little but a mans dear face.
Laura, with swiftly depressed tender
fancy. was thinking how tender and
manly was the man she would presently
send from her forever; how unlike the
less noble men of her common acquaint-
ance How very different, with quick
natural transition of feeling. from the
other men who had SO long wished to
marry Alice, who had
81 saw Jim Benson yesterday" she
said. suddenly. 81 suppose he is in town
for the winter.
Eyes" answered Alice, once more
blushing and quivering in that long-for-
gotten girlish manner, "he-he was here
last night before you came home"
HE was, was he? Still faithful?" be-
gan Laura, in the light, half-railing tone
she always used when speaking of Jim
Benson. But she stopped, speechless
with amazement, at sight of her sisters
eyes.
Yes" answered Alice bravely. al
though the hand holding eher coffee cup
trembled, she was, and may as we'll tell
YOU Laura, although l don't know how
to-that newell, Laura. he wants me to
marry him, and he says he won't takeno
for an answer So-hes coming again
this morning, and l uppose-I'll-have
to say yes.
There was a moment of tense silence
while each steadily regarded the other.
then Laura laughed aloud in the manner