The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-10-27

my HuttCicic. Wy kuuiOiuu uicuit'
well by this, but in saving me from one
pitfall he plunged me into another.
grew up without Cora and also without
any idea of the requirements Of my
position or what I might anticipate
from the world when the time came
for me to enter II. I knew that had
moncy--so did those about me-but
had little or no idea Of ne amount MOI
what that money wo, 'd do for me
when returned to Washington. So
In an evil day. and when I was just
eighteen, fell in love. or thought did
with man (oh. Francis. imagine It
now that I have seen YOU'D of suffi.
cicnt attraction to satisfy one whose
prospects were limited to contracted
existence In small town, but no more
fitted to content me after seeing Wash.
ington life than IL he had been com.
mon farm hand or the most ordinary
Of clerks in a country store. But was
young. ignorant and self willed. and
thought because my check burned un.
der his look that lie was the man of
men and suited TO be my husband
That is, If thought at all, which is
not likely, for was in a feverlsh
whirl and just followed the impulse of
the moment. which was to he with hin,
whenever could without attracting
the teachers attention. And this, alas,
was only too often, for nc was the
brother of one Of our storekeepers, a
visitor In Owosso. and often in the
store where we girls went.
I'VE would not have been married in
the way we were IL he had not wanted
TO go to the Klondike for the purpose
Of making money und maxim. 1t quick
", SO that his means might
mine.
II do not know which or us two was
most to blame for that marriage. He
urged 1t because he was going so far
away and wanted to be sure of me. I
accepted 1t because it seemed to be
romantic and because 1t pleased me to
have my own way in spite OF my hard
old guardian and the teachers, who
were always prylng about. and the
girls, who went silly over him-for he
was uuuuSOIIlt Ill Ills Wuy-uuu
who thought tat least many Of them
did that he cared for them when he
cared only for me.
Il have hated black eyes for year.
He had black eyes.
II forgot Cora, or, rather. did not
let any remembrance of her hinder me.
She was Il very shadowy person to me
in those days. l had not seen her since
we were both children, and as for her
letters--they were almost a bore to me;
she lived such q different life from
mine and wrote of SO many things
had no interest in. On my knees | ask
her pardon now. | never understood
her
1T was all planned by him-I have
no head for such things. Sadie helped
him-Sadie was my fricnd-but Sadie
had not much to say about it, for he
seemed TO know just how to arrange
it all SO that no one ut the seminary
should know or even suspect what had
occurred till we got ready to tell them.
He did not even take his brother into
and gossiped very much with his
customers. Besides. he was very busy
just then selling out, for he was going
to the Klondike with William. and he
had too much on his mind to be bother
ed, or so William said. All this must
tell you or you will never understand
the temptation which assailed me
when, having returned to Washington.
l awoke TO my own position and the
kind of men whom / could now hope
to meet. | was the wife--oh, the folly
of it-but this was known to so few,
one evening" friend Sadie-being dead
why not ignore the miserable secret
ceremony and cheat myself into be-
lieving myself free, and enjoy this
world of pleasure and fashion as Cora
was enjoying 1t and-trust? Trust
whatI WHY the Klondlke! That
swallower-up of men. Why shouldn't
1t swallow one more? oh. know that
1t sounds hateful, but l was desper-
ate; had seen you.
II had one letter from him after he
reached Alaska, but that was before
left OwOsso. never got another. And
never wrote to him. | rode and
danced with you and went hither and
yon. lavishins money and time and
heart on the frivOlities which came In
my way, calling myself Veronica and
striving by these means to crush out
every remembrance of the days when
was known as AntOinette and An
tolnette only. For the Klondike was
far and it's weather bitter, and men
were dying there every day, and no
letters came Il used to thank God for
this, and l need not think-not yet
whittier was tending. One thing only
made Inc recall my real position. That
was when your eyes turned on mine
your true eyes, SO bright with conf
dence and pride. l wanted to meet
them full, and when could not sud
denly knew why and suffered.
II did not accept your attentions nor
agree to marry you without a struggle.
You know that. You can tell as no one
else can how held back and asked for
time and still for time, thus grleving
you and tearing my own breast, till a
day came-you remember the day when
you found me laughing like mad wO-
man in circle of astonished friends
You drew me aside and said words
which hardly waited for you to finish,
for ut last was free to love you, free
to love and free to say 80. The morn
ing paper had brought news. A tele-
graphic dispatch from Seattle told how
man had struggled into Nome, frozen,