The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-29
MISTAKEN FRIENDSHIP.
BY ENse Louis.

BY Elise Louis.
~tCopyrisht. lSo4. by ". r. Hearrt. Great
Britain Rights Reserved.
You are mine. heart. body and souls
you bslong to me for better or for worse"
and . pair OF strong arms folded the girl
to his heart.
They were married and were at last
alone in . tiny apartment that they had
spent days and days In making cosy. yet
far from luxurious. They had spent hours
In planning to spend the sinai sum OF
money to the best advantage in htting UP
heir future home; their little nest, 40
they called II, made secure by the vol
lime OF love 1t contained.
In marrying the girl had sacrificed .
fortune and all h luxury money pro-
tides and that she had been accustomed
10 from infancy. She had been brought
up by . maiden aunt who had humored
her In every within but III selection OF .
husband. she had married against the
strict wishes OF her aun and therefore
had been disinherited.
U~ndauntsd and brave in her great love
for the man, she was prepared to face the
Inevitable and begin life with him on .
small income.
He on his side had crave fears of the
future for her, as he was 80 unprepared
w GAlV uAuEl01 w udu NccU U
rustomsd to and which she had tried to
make him believe were not essential to
Fhappiness. and from here we will follow
them with hopes ana doubts for the flu
kure.
In the evenings after dinner. which she
had. In all earnestness taken such pains
to prepare. they presented q perfect pic
ture Of Domestic happiness with faces
Iull OF contentment in their quiet married
ire. With laughter they would tell little
Stories Of their personal sacrifice In order
to be abs to drop a few coins in a small
box for the occasional trip to the theater.
For six months this pleasant state of
AFFAIRS continued without q moment Of
dissension anywhere.
One evening he came In late to dinner
with a friend who was of great advantage
to him IN business. and with her usual
be remembered.
She had such a sweet manner OF making
people feel perfectly at homo that her
husbands friend called often to enjoy the
privilege OF a perfect evening with a
woman whose influence was 80 whole
some.
They drifted into such a pleasant
friendship that the closeness was hardly
realized by either one OF them until ono
evening her husband was compelled to re-
main away. but laughingly told her his
friend would be with her, and she would
not feel so entirely alone.
In his absence the two friends decided
to read aloud to each other. and for
a while the evening was very enjoyable,
but a little pathos In a story he was read
Ing to her prompted him to look at her.
and he found her eyes full Of tears, and
he at once closed the book and came over
to her.
She started perceptibly as he held out
his hands to take hers, but drew herself
away with a dignity that could not be
misunderstood. Nothing daunted, he sa.
down beside her and tried to draw her
toward him.
Sh did not say. ''How dare you?" or
What do you meant" but kindly and ST.
lently drew herself away from him with a
sweetness OF manner that did not fail to
meet with its reward.
Il am ashamed, forgive me-" he said
and walked to the othor side of the room.
When he had composed himself he came
back to her.
You ave taugi. me to. care" he said,
you have taught me to believe in and ap-
preciate a wonlan's sweet companionship:
until tonight thought we were comrades.
but something In your eyes just now COM
Eelled me to fancy that there was more
h that for you and me. but I was
wrong-I know that you will say that I
was wrong"
eyes. you were wrong" she said. "ohi
SO entirely and cruelty wrong. How you
ave misjudged me in my simple little Of
fering Of q well meant friendship; but I
am not going to censure you; 1t was q
mistake, q grave one, perhaps, but never
thcless It shall be forgotten.
"You probably wished me to listen to an
undying devotion and had I been the
weak woman in stories, I should have
cried or fallen. whatever way the depth
OF feeling may have swayed me, and you
would have been disappointed either way.
NO., my friend. there is nothing any
| man car OTTER n woman tn Cnmnpn9QtA for
the loss of a kline and good husbands love
and belief In her, even allowing that the
romance might have fed with the mar
riage tie.
Even had you inspired me into an Il
ltcit love. what happiness would there be
for either Of us7 What strength could
you nave commanded to lift me from
degradation7 None. Am I not right
Now. my friend, as I am so secure in my
love and devotion for my husband. I can
afford to be. generous to one who has
erred. and I am going to command YOU
to forget everything that has passed be-
tween us tonight, n though the waters
may nov be as smooth that we hence
forth sail. in Justice to him and all con.
cerned. silence will be appreciated: there
you accept 1t in the full sense Of the
wordr'
Eagerly and gratefully he xrasped he,
hand and held II firmly. ST It had NOT
been for you strength and sense I would
have been denied the privilege OF ever
. holding 1t again. Thank you.' and be.
! fore she had time to say another word hs
Y was gone.
A little later her husband came home
! and as he took her in his arms she knew
there waS q secret that would sver be he,
avn.
, The Young Parson.
Boston Transcript: Much Of SAINT,
Is too often sacrificed in the pulpit and
in families to the temporary INTEREST,"
. Of the young, who consider q parsoI
: worn out merely because he Is kind
patient and conservative. Ministers
usually do get worn out. like any one
else who Is not wanted and Who has nc
income, n there is no doubt tina,
many OF them are Just as tiresome al
are other people: but the older the1