Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-01-28
MISTAKEN FRIENDSHIP.
BY Elise Louis.

Britain Rights Reserved.
"you are mine, heart, body and souI'
YOU belong to me for better or for worse
and a pair of strong arms folded the g'ri
TO his heart.
They were married and were at last
alone in a tiny apartment that they mao
spent lays and days In making cosy. YET
far from luxurious. They had spent hours
In planning to spend the small sum OF
money to the best advantage IN hitting up
their future home; their little nest, as
lhev called 1t, made secure by the vol
ume Of love 1t contained.
In marrying the girl had sacrificed a
fortune and all the luxury money pro-
Vides and hat she had been accustomed
to from infancy. She had been broughs
up by a maiden aunt who had humored
her in every whim but the selection OF q
husband. She had married against the
strict wishes Of her aunt and therefore
had been disinherited.
undaunted and brave in her great love
for the man, she was prepared to face the
Inevitable and begin life with him on a
tmall income.
He on his side had grave fears of the
future for her, as he vas SO u~nprepared
to provide the luxuriey she had been ac-
rustomed to and which she had tried to
| make him believe were not essential to
happiness, and from here we will follow
hem with hopes and doubts for the fu-
| lure.
In the evenings after dinner, which she
had, IN all earnestness taken such pains
to prepare, they presented a perfect pic
ture of domestic happiness with faces
full of contentment in their quiet married
lifc. With laughter they would tell little
ttor.es of their personal sacrifice In order
to be able to drop a few coins in a small
box for the occasional trip to the theater.
l For ely vnnnfhc fIfo ,1Aoao~ Ck~k~
nffairs continued without a moment of
dissension anywhere.
one evening he came in late to dinner
with a friend who was Of great dyantag
TO him In business. and with her usual
nmiability she made the evening one to
be remembered.
She had such a sweet manner Of making
people feel perfectly at home that her
husbands friend called often to enjoy the
privilege of a perfect evening with q
woman whose influence was so whole
| some.
They drifted into such a pleasant
friendship that the closeness was hardly
realized by either one Of them until one
evening her husband was compelled to re-
main away. but laughingiy 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
SAAAA WA6 vCIy CIJOyAUlC,
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 p%erceptibly as he held out
MS 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.
She did not say, How dare your" or
What do you mean?" but kindly and 81
lently drew herself away from him with a
sweetness OF that did not fail to
meet with its reward.
I am ashamed, forgive me-, he said
and walked to the other side of the room.
When he had composed himself he came
back to her.
You have taught me to care" he said,
you have taught me to believe in and ap.
p~reciate a won.ar's sweet companionship:
sroseeWsaAesss
but something in your eyes just now com.
PEELED me to fancy that there was more
than that for you and me. but I was
wrong-I know hat you will say that i
was wrong"
Yes, you were wrong" she said. "Oh!
so entirely and cruelty wrong. How you
have misjudged me in my simple little Of
ferlng OF a well meant friendship; but 1
am not going to censure you; 1t was a
uliSNdAcs u grave one, peEnapS, Out ucvci>
theless It h q be forgotten.
you probably wished me to listen to an
undying devotion and had I been the
weak woman In stories, l should nave
cried or fallen. whatever way the depth
OF feeling may have swayed me. n you
would have been disappointed either way.
mo, my friend, there is nothing any
man can offer a woman to compensate for
the loss Of q kin 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 H.
licit love. what happiness would there be
for either Of US? What strength could
you have commanded to lift me from
degradation? 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 hat has passed be-
tween US tonight, and though the waters
may not be as smooth that we hence
forth sail. In Justice to him and all con-
cerned. silence Will be appreciated; there
IL my hand in friendship; can you and will
you accept 1t in the full sense OF the
word?"
Eageriy and gratefully he grasped her
band and held It firmly. IF It had not
been for you strength ana sense I would
have been denied the privilege Of ever
holding It again. Thank you," and be-
fore she had time to eay another word he
was gone.
A little later her husband came home.
and a. he took her In his arms she knew
there was a secret that would ever be her
awn
"a