The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-12-19
Two In One.
[Original.1

There was a certain sadness of ex-
preston about her that drew me to
her. Had she not been very young
she was twenty-I think it probable
that her face would have borne the
impress of suffering. AS it was. she
looked Ike one who had suffered, but
whose features, having the softness,
the pliancy of youth. did not harden
under the seal.
I liked to be with Miss Norman best
when she was active, for then she
seemed to forget herself and be what
she really was. Or was she then what
she was not? I could not decide.
What puzzled me was that, though she
was one of the best appearing young
ladies in the house and it depended
only on her whether or no she should
be belle. she seemed Indifferent to
attention, or, rather, the attention She
received seemed to inspire i'll her no
enthusiasm. There is a delicate dis
tinction in this which it is difficult to
make plain.
We had been together at the Springs
for month when one day While we
were on the lake l began to make love
to her. | had no intention of doing 1t
when l began l fell into it. | was
pulling the boat, she sitting facing me
in the stern. AS [ proceeded she turn
ed aside and let her hand hang in the
water. She made no reply to anything
I said, but presently l saw tears
Dropping my oars, l placed myself III
a half sitting, half kneeling posture,
took the hand that lay on her lap ana
said
"This is not the way to receive
words such as | am speaking TO you
It should be either with indifference
or smiles. Tell me-eXplain"-
Then the tears came in torrent.
She drew away her hand and bowed
her head in both hands, sobbing as
though her heart would break. In
vain l implored her to tell me the
cause of an emotion so strange under
the circumstances. l asked her If she
could not respond to the love | had
spoken. She was mute. Then she
raised her face, asking me with al
imploring look to desist. l went back
TO nv oars and in silence rowed to the
landing.
We walked toward the hotel through
q wooded path. Midway she stopped
and faced ne.
Don't love me-" she said with in
tense eagerness, unless you are will
Inc to love death in life. One had
better love corpse than me. \
corpse is dead in all respects; l am
not. She who was | died, and l re-
NAMED. She was as innocent as
babe; l am not, for there are times
when would curse God and die She
and are twins, yet one is pure. while
the other hates world sent spinning
in space, it's people without the power
to detect, to separate the good from
the evil. Better a ship under full sail
without a rudder:'
"Be calm!' interposed, laying my
hand on her arm. She was trembling
like q leaf. TELL me what you mean"
"What is a court Of justice? A legal
tourna ment between the prosecuting
attorney and the defendants counsel
And on what hangs the prisoners
fate? Circumstances and witnesses
And if the circumstances can't be eX-
planned. and if the witnesses have a
motive to lie? Worse! At every cele-
brated trial one half of the people who
read the testimony believe the pris-
oner guilty; the other half are uncer-
tain. But very few believe her in
nocent If she is acquitted. those who
believe in her guilt shun her because
she is to them a criminal, While the
rest Shun her because she is regarded
as a criminal. She goes forth with
the brand of Cain upon her brow
She can never again be her former
self If she has friends, the moment
they know OF her twin sister they
turn away from her If she has low
e., as soon as he knows, the words Of
love die upon his lips. Would to God
that
Eer words were choked by q paroxysm
of tears. AS soon as she could again
find her voice she finished:
al al Martha Blake"
I had read the testimony in the case
of Martha Blake, one OF those mys-
teries, puzzles. that seize upon the in
tellects Of millions and will not let so
till they have either formed an opin-
ion or decided an opinion to be impos-
sible. l had more than formed an
opinion; had felt certain that Martha
Blake was murderess. l stood aghast,
while she turned away and buried her
face in her hands against an oak tree
The act produced marvellous impress
sion on me. Here was an inanimate
tree more merciful than l. human
being. The woman I had professed
to love was supported by it's strength
instead Of mine.
II never knew Martha Blake" l
SAID. II have known and loved Esther
Norman. This blow is too crushing
for ne to rise above at once. 1t has
pleased Providence to try me possibly
more than my strength will bear l