The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-08-16
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On n lounge In a prct,ily furnished room
q young gri was lying. her arms Uudc'
her head. lost Ia dreams.
IL was II o'clock In the evening. and ~
the clock struck shc lookcd toward her
tnow White bed on Which Mss spread out
q wedding crcss 90 ivory E2t.n. n lonE
veil and a wreath OF orange hloSsorrs.
The dTcsHmakcr had brought II In carly
IN the evening. and she had not ye; put "
away bccaUsc she was too lazy TO get up
from her comfortable position.
She felt strangely confused and almost
Tn n huncr 90 cry-tomorrow ali her
dreams would como 20 an End.
People called % n love match. because
they Judged from appearances only. a
rich no lcugcr young merchant a fallen
In love with the youn. Eirl OF N whore
parents were not even wealthy. ard rs he
was quite good looking and Of pleasing
manners. IL was OF course only natural
that she also loved him. everybody said.
The ire had almost gone out In tho
open fireplace. She shi, cred n little. arose
slowly. ard took n bundle Of letters from
her little desk. turned the gas on fu;l aud
sat down near the dS ms nre 10 read the
Did letters.
A faint perfume reminded her - some
thing In the past. and smilingly she took
one OF the letters and rcaI'
My own Darilng-So my dream has
really como iruc-you love me ~ I haN"
always loved you. n I were In hcayca ms
happincSs could not lc greater. oh. my
darilns. Spring how I should be happy 10
sarry you on my hands through your
whole .ifc'-
She dropped the letter In her iap and
opened ARCHER. IL contained almcst thc
samc -cndcar!rg ictms. rs did also tho
next. Then canc a bulky. heavy letter OF
sight pages.
"your cc,dncss has hurt mc-you can
never mas nc how much. Did YOU not re-
scivc my last letter. why do you not an
swcr- Your silence II killing me-
She smiled at the thought OF her silence
making n man unhappy whom she had
never spo6en TO or seen. Of whose name
shc was even now ignorant.
Tired OF the monotony of every day life
she had about a year ago answered a per-
sonal In n daily paper in which an cdu-
salcd. refined gentleman wanted to CORE .
spond with a young lady possessing the
same qualities. IL has cost her quite a lit
tile tn begin the correspondence and when
she did she had a friend cory her letters
as she did not want 10 have aim possess
her handwriting.
. No enc had ever suspected her secret.
all - many months the letters from this
W - hAAFNatk'HAA AA1tkh fafR tAHAfs
had made he perfectly happy. until she
met her prcscat bridegroom.
Just vt tris lime her correspondent de-
riarcd his io,c. and hcsnught her 10 drcE
her incpEn.'o. She lc; him suBpcct that
she ioN - mar. iut wanted a formal prom
lsc OF marriage.
lie carefully avoided this In all his later
letters. grd her letters became cold AMI
devoid az r rl.r.. ard - last. cruelty dts
appointed. 80 had written Inn that she
did nc; With 10 continue the correspond
encc.
Bitterly de pp3'uird shc had c"lycri-d
60 become engaged 60 the cold. unfCciing
practical hus..Gss man who hai asked FOR
her hal.
Dur'nr INC four wcckr ~ their engage
mrnt she had 'oycr told her farce any
thing about hy~ Fcerct why should She
HIs Ir.c,ical ,gld hlc"i"i nature would
never o. ah.c 20 urdcrstird her. and he
might oven break on thc'T ,1Eag,m'ut.
The last srark 90 IRE had died out. Lost
in thoEghi Fh" sfili held ihr letters iu l'r
hand. Suddenly ihc though. - sora,ih'uE.
She had mailed her las, letter 10 her
unknow y lover "1 "a W"ilc dnS. ON
Thursday she hal become ,"IuCcl.
Was this rigEg' Had he no. u ug 20 ak
her Iancr', pardon fCr7 Had Fhc really
acted correctly lad fhc any right q
keep any secret from tHc man who's" wife
she was COINS yu o." "a, next day
She had 30 love Tor h.m-hu; BE- WIS a
good. hcrrst man aud the other had after
all only been n rir'.
The though: 81 the honesty ind good
ness OF her failure huf1Iud h!l,d her with
n stranrr feeling - Joy. Tie re sudden
~ looked Lright~i To h"r.
She Was ..Tcg ard began 10 uIdrvsS her
self. A. ghc put her wcddi1E dress away
she lmpulsiyciy kissed the wrcail. and az
she laid her head on the pillow IN" decided
TO tell him everything ths rcSi day.
The room was fun of roses. yiolc;s ana
orange blossoms and among all the flowers
the hrIdc WAS waiting Tot the groom-in
AN hour they were to leave for the church.
The groom came into the room-rhc dli
not stir Ia NEE, him. but he walked over
TO her and kissed her on the forehead.
She did not respond.
After n few moments silence she asked
him TO ~, down next TO her on the sofa.
took his hand and whispered
''Otto. I have @~lrthlng 20 tell YOU"
lie looked at her Ia surprise.
"whnt u II. darling" D.. asked.
II only wanted TO tell you that ! correH-
ponded with n gentleman until a shot
time ago"
you c~orrespondcd with a Gentleman
but he does not know who you are IL IL
not sol n was through a newspaper
''You have guessed II. otto. u was 4
newspaper acquaintance
And when Odd you write him LAST
The day before We were engaged"
And you would really do a thing like
that, Where did he write you
"Poste rCstante. addressed 90 Spring"
i had n friend copy the letters 80 that IA
does not know even my handwriting
She never noticed how confused her
story made him. lie stared at her In SUR
prise. Then he smiled.
And what picture have you formed Of
him IN your mindT'
Her face frightened.
''Oh. I think % him az n genius. a man
OF wonderful gifts. Just the very ideal OF