Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-22

l4;il,, cou4>- ---,,-..sec who, feeling for it. could help pressing it, if only to see
 T was always reckless girl, mad for pleasure and without any thought of consequences. When school bored me took all my books out of my desk, called upon my mates to do the same, and, stacking them up into sort of rostrum in field where we played, first delivered an oration from them in which reverence for my teachers had small part, then tore them into pieces and burned them in full sight of my admiring schoolfellows. I was dis missed, but not with disgrace Teach CTS and scholars bewailed my depar- ture, not because they liked me or be- cause of any good they had found in me, but because my money had thrown luster on dhem and on the whole estab- lishment. This was when l was twelve, and 1t was on account of this reckless escapade that I was sent west and kept so long from home and all my flatterers. My guardian meant well by this, but in saving me from one pitfaI he plunged me into another. grew up without Cora nnd also without any idea of the requirements of my position or what might anticipate from the world when the time came for me to enter it. I knew that had money-so did those about me-but I had little or no idea of the amount nor what that money would do for me when returned to Washington. So, in O nxyi1 dov ov,H 4,,e% eighteen, fell in love, or thought did, with man (oh, Francis, imagine it, now that I have seen youD of suffi- cient 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 if 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 cheek burned un- der his look that he was the man of men and suited to be my husband that is, if I thought at all which is not likely, for I was in feverish whirl and just followed the impulse of the moment, which was to be with him ; WAChCfCl T W4tAOuL the teachers attention. And this, alas, was only too often, for he was the brother of qne of our storekeepers, a visitor in Owosso, and often in the store where we girls went.
 We would not have been married in the way we were if he had not wanted to go to the Klondike for the purpose of making money and making it quick y, so that his means mlSnL nItch nine
 II do not know which of us two was host to blame for that marriage. He urged 1t because he was going so far away and wanted to be sure of me. I d accepted it because it seemed to be romantic and because it pleased me to have nay own way in spite of my hard bld guardian and the teachers who were always prying about, and the girls, who went silly over him-for he was really handsome in his way-and who thought tat least many of them aid) that he cared for them when he eared only for me.
 T have hated black eyes for year. He had black eyes.
 'I forgot Cora, or, rather, did not let any remembrance of her hinder me. s She was very shadowy person to me In those days. had not seen her since we were both children, and as for her letters-they were almost bore to me; she lived such different life from mine and wrote of so many things I had no interest in. On my knees l ask her pardon now. never understood her.
 Tt was all planned by him-I have no head for such things. Sadie helped him. Sadie was my friend-but Sadie had not much to say about 1t, for he seemed to know just how to arrange 1t all so that no one at 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 his confidence, for Wallace kept store 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
 
 when, having returned to Washington, I 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, and those were so far removed, and one even-my friend Sadie being dead :, why not ignore the miserable secret ceremony and cheat myself into be- heving myself free, and enjoy this world of pleasure and fashion as Cora was enjoying it and-trust? Trust what? Why the Klondike! That Bwallower-up of men. Why shouldn't 1t swallow one more? Oh, know that 1t sounds hateful, but I was desper- ate; I had seen you.
 ''I had one letter from him after he reached Alaska, but that was before left Owosso. never got another. And never wrote to him. I rode and danced with you and went hither and Eon, lavishing money and time and