The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-08

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y 80 that his means might match
mino
II DO not know which Of us two was
most to blame FOR THAI marriage Tie
urged it because be wis going ~ far
away and wanted to be sure Of me /
accepted it because it seemed to be
romantic aud because it pleased me 10
have my own way Ia spite Of my hard
DID guardian and tine teachers who
were always prying about and the
girls. who went silly over him. for he
was really handsome in his wag-and
who thought Cat least many of them
dldl that he cared for them when he
cared only for me-
y have hated Dlnck eyes for . year.
He had black eyes
II forgot Cora. or. rather. did not
let any remembrance Of her hinder me.
She wns very shadowy person 70 no
in those days. I had not seen her since
we were both children. and a. for her
letters they were almost bore to me.
she lived such different life from
mine and wrote OF so many things 1
bod no interest in, On my knees I 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 friend but Sadie
had not much 10 say about it. for he
seemed to know just how to arrange
it all so that no one at the seminary
should know or even suspect what had
occurred tlll we got ready to tell them
He did not even take his brother into
bis confidence for Wallace kept store
and gossiped very much With his
customers Besides. he was very busy
just then selling out for be was going
to tho Klondlke with William. and be
bad too much on his mind to be bother.
ed, or so William said. All this I must
tell you or you will never understand
the temptation which assalied me
when, having returned to Washington.
| awoke TO my own position and the
kind OF men whom | could now hope
to mOet I was the wifo-oh, the folly
OF it-but this was known to so few
and those we're 80 far removed. and
one evon-my friend Sadie-belnK dead
why not ignore the miserable rSeret
ceremony aud cheat myself into bs-
lieving myself free. and enjoy this
world OF pleasure and fashion az Cora
was enjoying Il and-trustl Trust
whatl Why the Klondikei That
swallower-up OF men. Why shouldn't
Il swallow one mOre7 oh. / know chat
II sounds hateful. but l was desper-
ate; had seen you
Il had one letter from him after he
reached Alaska. but that was before
left OwossO. | never got another. And
never wrote 20 him rode and
danced with you and went hither and
yon, layishing 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 Antoinatts and An.
toinette only. For the Klondike was
far and It's weather bitter. and men
were oyins there syery day. and no
letters came q used to thank God for
thisl, and I need not think-not vet
whittier was tending OaO thing only
made mo recall my real position. That
was whom your eyes turned on mine
your true eyes, 80 bright with conf.
dence and pride wanted to meet
thOm full. and when I could not SUD
denly knew why and suffered.
Il 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 tili a
day came-yOu remember the day when
you found me laughing like a mad wo
man in a circle OF nstonishod friends7
You drew me aside aud said words
which l hardly waited FOR you to finish.
for at last I was free 10 love you. free
10 love and'free to say so The morn
ng paper had brought news A tcle-
graphic dispatch from Semitic told how
A man had struggled into Nome. frozen.
and without accOutsrments or
II was with difficulty he
bad kept his feet and turned in at the
irst tent hs came to. Indeed he had
1niy time 10 speak his name before he
'ell dead This name was what made
his dispatch important 10 me. Il wns
William Pfelffer For me theye was
ont one William Pfelffsr in the Klon-
iike-my husbsnd-snd he was dead,
That was why you found me laughing
but not In mirth I am not so bad as
hat. But because / could breathe
again without feeling clutch about
ny throat did not know TN then
low nearly had been stified