River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-06-23
MARTHA
6copyright, 1901, by Daily Story Pub. Co.,
ELLA ESSEX DON Lazy

wastin' the best years Of your life wait
in fur a man that may be already mar
ried. You could "a had your pick and
choice of any round here. You amt
heard nothin' from him fur long time
have you?"
Martha shrank from her mothers
sharp words, for they were but echoes
of her own thoughts. She bent lower
over her work, and pretended to De busy
with a. refractory thread while she an
swered in a low, constrained voice: mo.
mother"
"I thought 1T would be so, and told
you so. He didn't want no common
country girl like you. He wants girl
that don't spoil her pretty hands win
work. You throwed away a good
chance when you refused Lem Wills;
he's got a good farm, and would make
any gal a good husband. Now, that
Craig Teller"
Mother, mother!" cried Martha In
sharp, panied tones, cant you nnd
something more interesting to talk
about? Mr.. Craig's movements cannot
possibly interest us; we live in one world
and he in another AS for Lem Willis
well, he is good enough in his way,
and if it will please you to know 1t, the
chance is not entirely lost, and prom
lsed to think it over"
All the afternoon while Martha sat
bIying her needle, her thoughts had been
busy with this subject.
She left the window and drawing
chair close to the fire, sat gazing into
The glowing embers. The freight rose
and fell fitfuIly while her thoughts
gtrayed far back into the shadowy
past. She thought Of the time when she
had come to Seaview to teach the VII
iage school, a small red schoolhouse by
the roadside-and the pupils came for
a distance of two miles and more.
The day had been sultry, and after
Diminishing the noisy urchins, she had
sought shady brook and stopped over
to battle her heated brow. She recalled
the timely arrival of a tall, handsome
stranger just as she was making a flu
tile attempt to rescue her sun hat as it
hoated away on the current of the
stream.
That was their first acquaintance.
Mortimer Craig spent three months at
Seaview. Every morning Martha awoke
with the happy thought that to-day she
would see him, speak to him and gaze
into his glorious dark eyes. Never be-
fore had the flowers seemed so beauti-
full, the trees so green, and the songs of
the birds so sweet. The song in her heart
Then one evening, when the sunset
was nearly over, and the air was sweet
with the scent of flowers and shrubs,
thew left their boat down the river that
they might walk back along a shaded
path. He had paused before her, taking
both her hands in his, and told her of
his love- She had lain in his arms while
she shyly confessed her love for him.
Then he went away.
Not until year had passed and the
first frost of October had again fired
the wood with gorgeous splendor of de-
cay. did Martha lose hope of ever seeing
her truant lover, and her heart grew
sick with hope deferred.
"Well?"
The front door had just closed on Lem
willis and Martha turned to face her
mother who had just entered from the
kitchen.
"You didn't send him away again did
your"
mo. mother I told him would marry
him whenever he was ready, and hate
myself for 1t. | don't love him and
never will oh, hate myself hate
him, and hate the world-everything.
"Marthy, Marthy-wh-" Half the
last word was lost in the bang of the
door which, after hastily snatching
wrap from the rack, Martha had
slammed behind her, leaving her mother
in stupefied wonder.
Martha sped along the street, not car
ing whither-only to be alone-alone
with her miserable thoughts.
Martial" They stood facing each
other In the uncertain twilight. Martha
found her eyes riveted on the stranger,
yet no sound escaped her pale lips A
ghost, conjured by her disordered mind,
stood before her, and fright sealed her
lips. Then as she realized it was no
ghost, but flesh and blood mantle
man who had thrown her and her love
aside-pride came to her rescue and
lent her strength and speech. Martha
put out her hand in a friendly manner,
at the same time saying: How do you
do, Mr.. Craig? Your sudden appearance
startled me for the moment and II
hadn't heard of your return to Seaview."
Mortimer Craig stood with his hands
in his pockets, not offering to touch her
outstretched hand. Martha found her
eyes attracted to his in a way she half
resented yet could not resist. He fas-
tened his dark eyes upon her and re-
garded her steadily for moment
$50! While I compassionate your
dull, monotonous life you found amuse-
ment and occupation-the old thrilling
game We all play at more or less" He
looked so stern and cold Martha almost
feared him, but she could be brave; he
should not see how his desertion had
wounded her.
81 don't understand what you mean:
and you have no right whatever to use
that tone to me.
You know very we'll what | mean.
How can you reconcile it to your con-
science to even enter into an engage
Nnent with a man you know is your in
feo4or, one whom you do not love? Adj
mii you do not love him!"
81 admit nothing to you. do not rec
ognize your right to question me in this