The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-11-03

| need nevel do stroke. It was ambi-
ton, pure and simple, and she was
fading and dropping because of It,.
For weeks I cudgeled my brains,
wondering how could help her-but
; the gulf between them grew steadily
wider, and was powerless to bridge
1t. 1t was worse than torture to see
her wasting away, dying-literally dy-
ing by inches-and determined to do
something to save her. But what?
That was the question. At last, in
desperation, decided to write to her,
telling her all that was in my heart
How I had seen her husbands neglect,
| had watched her growing pale and thin,
and how I longed to take her away
from it all, and, by my love and de-
votion, bring back the roses to her
cheeks, and happiness to her life. Yes,
Jack, know it was caddish-1 can see
you think so, but II loved herr"
God forbid that I should judge you,
old fellow" said, gently.
Then, in low tone, he continued:
But I've more to tell you, Jack.
The same day that wrote to her, I
had occasion to write to Verne A lit
tie business matter-some mining
shares in which we both were inter-
ested-and listen! I know you'll
think me a fool! I placed the letters
in tceir wrong envelopes!"
Good heavens, old mani" ex-
claimed, what an awful mistake!"
~
did it Intentionally!
"Intentionally?' I almost gaaped.
"But why?"
A curious smile lowered round his
lips for moment. Then he said,
dryly:
Jack, you've less penetration than
I gave you credit for. My dear fellow,
don't you see? My Object was to make
Verne jealous! 1t was tho only chance
for-for herr"
"But wasn't 1t rather risky?" I
asked
. Rex shook his head slowly.
Il don't think so, old fel!ow-not
with a man Of Verne's temperament.
Besides, he knew-he must have
known-that she was too true, too
pure, to be false. 1t was not in her
nature. He could see that the letter
was to her as unwelcome as it was
unexpected, and-as I had prayed it
should be-he saw that I alone was
to blame. Yes, lakeland there was
a note Of triumph in his voice now
my object was achieved. That let
ter opened Verne's eyes to things to
which his ambition had previously
blinded him."
For some moments there was ST.
lence. Rex was gazing absently across
the water at pair of swans, while I
watched bank of white, ffeecy clouds
steal slowly up from the west.
'I'm glad you've told me, old fel-
low" said, at last. lis that all?'
Every nearly Verne came round to
see me that evening, but I needn't
go into details as to what passed be-
tween us. He wanted no assurance
from me to prove that his wife was
blameless-she had convinced him of
that. The end of it was that I prom
Used to leave the country at once, stay
away for year, and never write or
speak to her again. But that's not
the worst of it, Jack"-his voice had
grown suddenly hoarse-"the hardest
of all to bear is-what she must think
of me-" and he sighed heavily. ANY
how, I'm glad I've told you'll think
it has done me good. God knows I
thought only Of her-that acted as
did only for her happiness. I'm
banished from her forever, SO it could
hardly have been for mine''
A look Of unutterable sadness stole
into his eyes.
"Poor old Rex!" I murmured, softly.
"And yet, old man," he said, II
would do It all over again tomorrow.
For they tell me''-thu note of triumph
had come back to mis- voice-"that,
she and her husband are always
together now. She's no longer neg
lected, there are rosev in her cheeks,
and they say she's the happiest wife
in the world. And that is all I wanted
that is my reward"
He had pushed the boat out into the
stream as he spoke.
Most men would think it a strange
reward, old fellow" I said, reflective
ly. ''But it Was certainly a risky act
of friendship."--N.Y Y. Weekly.