The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-15

| 0I consequences. NDen school bored
Fme took all my books out of my desk.
I called upon my mates to do the same
| and, stacking them mp into a sort OF
| rostrum in a field where we played.
| first delivered an Grafton 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. / was dis
missed. but not with disgrace. Teach
ers 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 them and on the whole estab-
lishment. This was when I was
twelve, and 1T was on account OF this
reckless escapade that / was sent west
and kept so long from home and all
my hatterers. My guardian meant
well by this, but in saving me from one
pitfall he plunged me into another
grew up without Cora and also without
any idea of the requirements of my
position or what 1 might anticipate
from the world when the time came
money-so did those about me-but 1
what that money would do for me
when / returned to Washington. So,
in an evil day, apd when I was Just
eighteen, fell in love, or thought did,
with a man (oh, Francis, imagine it.
now that / have seen you'd of suff1-
cient attraction TO satisfy one whose
prospects were limited to a contracted
existence in a small town, but no more
fitted to content me after seeing Wash
ington life than IL he had been a COM
mon farm hand or the most ordinary
Of clerks In country store. But was
young, ignorant and self willed, and
thought because my cheek burned I'M
der his look that he was the man of
men and suited to be my husband
that is, II 1 thought at all, which is
not likely, for / was in a feverish
whirl and just followed the impulse of
the moment which was to be with him
whenever 1 could without attracting
the teachers attention. And this, alas
WAS only too often, for he was the
brother of one of our storekeepers. a
visitor in Owosso, and often in the
store where we girls went.
1--WE would not have been married in
lnC way We were IL uc udu HOL WdHtcu
to go to the Klondike for the purpose
Of making money and making it quick
~, SO that his means might match
mine.
II do not know which of us two was
most to blame for that marriage. He
urged it because he was going SO far
away and wanted to be sure of me.
accepted it because 1t seemed to be
romantic and because it pleased me to
have my own way in spite of my hard
old 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 Cat least many of them
did that he cared for them when he
cared only for me.
Il have hated black eyes for a year.
He had black eyes.
Il forgot Cora, or. rather, I did not
let any remembrance of her hinder me.
She was a very shadowy person to me
in those days. had not seen her since
we were both children, and as for her
were almost bore to me;
she lived such different life from
mine and wrote of so many things /
had no interest in. On my knees l ask
her pardon now. I never understood
her.
1T was all planned by him-I have
no head for such things. Sadie helped
was my friend-but Sadie
had not much to say about it, for he
seemed to know just how to arrange
oil SO <hot <ho
should know or even suspect what had |
occurred till 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 he was going |
TO the klondike with William, and he |
had too much on his mind to be bother
I'd, or so William said All this must /
tell You or you will never understand
he temptation which assailed me
when. having returned to Washington,
awoke to my own position and the
Kind of men whom l could now hope
70 meet. / was the wife--oh, the folly
II it-but this was known to so few.
Ind those were so far removed, and
'ne evening" friend Sadie-being dead
why not ignore the miserable secret
ceremony and cheat myself into be-
ieving myself free, and enjoy this
world Of pleasure and fashion as Cora
vas enjoying it antitrust? Trust
What? Why the Klondike! That
of men. Why shouldn't
t swallow one more? Oh. know that
t sounds hateful. but 1 was desper-
tie; had seen you.
II bad one letter from him after he
cached Alaska, but that was before
EFT Owosso. / never got another. And
never wrote to him. I rode and
anced with you and went bither and
on, lavishing money and time and
Ieart on the frivolities which came in
ny way. calling myself Veronica and
irving by these means to crush out
very remembrance Of the days when
vas known as Antoinette and An
oinette only. For the Klondike was
ar and its weather bitter, and men
we're dying there every day. and no
etters came Il used to thank God for