Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-11-25

j*AIIIII
-. + ! $50. s..s+s.s.sa /.
"The caprice which had led me to
choose the old Moore house to be mar
ried in led me to plan dressing there
on my wedding morning. 1t was early
when we started, Cora and I, for
Waverley avenue, but not too early
for the approaches to that dreadful
house to be crowded with people, eager
to see the daring bride. Why 1 should
have shrunk so from that crowd can
| not say. l trembled at sight of their
| faces and at the sound of their voices,
and if by chance a head was thrust
forward farther than the rest cow
cred back instinctively and nearly
screamed. Did 1 dread to recognize a
| too familiar face? The paper had
| seen bore date six months back. A
man could arrive here from Alaska in
that time. Or was my conscience
aroused at last and clamoring to be
heard when 1t was too late? On the
corner of N street the carriage sudden
| ly stopped. A man had crossed in
front of it. I caught one glimpse Of
this man and instantly the terrors Of a
lifetime were concentrated into one in
slant of agonizing fear. 1t was William
Pfeiffer. I knew the look; knew the
gait. He was gone in moment and
the carriage rolled on. But knew my
doom as we'll that minute as I did an
hour later. My husband was alive and
he was here.
| "You were waiting at the curb when
arrived, and remember how my
heart stood still when you laid your
hand on the carriage door and con-
| fronted me with that light on your
face I had never seen disturbed since
we first pledged ourselves to marry. In
terror seized the hand which seemed
my one refuge in this hour of mortal
trouble, and fastened into the house
which for all it's doleful history had
never received within it's doors heart
more burdened or rebellious. pressed
your hand with mine and smiled. Oh,
God! If you could have seen what lay
beneath that smile! For with my
entrance beneath those fatal doors a
thought had come. remembered my
heritage. remembered how had been
told by my father when was very
little girl presume when he first
felt the hand of death upon him-that
il ever was in great trouble-very
great trouble, he had said, where no
deliverance seemed possible-I was to
open little golden ball, which he
L toll ,ho< r oh
find inside and hold it close up before
a picture which had hung from time
tmmemorial in the southwest corner of
this old house.
"He could not tell me what / should
encounter there-this remember his
saying-but something that would as
sist me, something which had passed
with good effect from father down to
child for many generations. Only, IL ]
would be blessed in my undertakings, 1
must not open the golden ball nor en-,
deavor to find out its mystery unless
my trouble threatened death OF some
great disaster. Such q trouble had in
deed come to me, and, startling -coinc1
dence, was at this moment in the
very house where this picture hung
and, more startling fact yet, the golden
ball needed to interpret its meaning
was round my neck. for with such jeal
ousy was this family trinket always
guarded by its owner. Why, then, moi
test their combined effect? I certainly
needed help from some quarter. New
er would William allow me to be mar
ried to another while he lived. He
would yet appear, and I should need
this great assistance-great enough t.
be transmitted from father to son-as
none Of the Moores had needed it yet
though what 1t was did not know and
did not even try to guess.
"Yet when got to the room I did moi
drag out the fligree ball at once mol
even take more than one fearful side
long look at the picture. In drawing
off my glove had seen his ring-tht
ring you had once asked about. I,
was such cheap affair, the only one
he could get in that obscure little, towr
where We were married. I He'd wheI
you asked me II At was q family Jewel
lied but dM hot take it or. perhaps: be
cause:it tfuhg so tishtly,,i aS II In ire
membrance Of the vows 1t symbolized
But now the very sight Of it gave me {
fright. With his ring on my finger
could not defy him and swear his CLAIM
to be false-the dream of a man mad
dened by his experiences In, the Klon
dixie. 1t mustscome OF. Then perhaps
should feel myself q free woman
BUTT Would hot come Off. + BtfuEEiet
with 1t and tugged In vain; then Iibe
thougKt HE Of slsfng q null hlssfo- SIEVE,
i. This did, grinding and gfTndIAl
at it till the ring finally broke, and
could wrench It off and cast, It, away
out sef sl9ht .dtds Gs .;hopSh out .ol
my iinAmdfsnaibo. .dr breGthedaBasiel
when rid Of this token; yet choted:Mttf
terror whenever step approaches tht
door. Twas clad 3nvmy bridal dress
but mot ts1n ytuidai iveiA;or Ornaments
and. hta6uraifu GDrQ and; thenstnHmats
cameatdaisstsf mei..sBut.sI yv0,dh,ao
let them in. was ;satdt teAtin1thl
secret Of the fllieree ball. $500 u, Il. y,
'sIhe scontents -of the heIi tuEned; qu
to tigA; small. naghif0ing :giaas aAdSths
pichtrns . nusase of oHutktepitWsYds I'd
didsnats decphe rdtgall.a4 dlM nat. az
cipher the half. did not need to. "A
spiphsofo 3iKinat ion, iwRs igiKen me ner,l 4
thatiAAEGqleAsM which qpabled, pa, IL
grasp Its,lfuA ga!eaRina fram the fsV
sentanAssr ItdAd Iptcks oyh, land l tha'
meanipga At yHasah 9ggShles ippeqncelYy
ablsns,aM6yEqe YES Taught dpyf gnuEd5al
froRca distAAae, and By Ar. act tqa, sim