Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-05-07
Lost and found


face, the other cool and non-commit-
tai.
Then everything is gone; there is
nothing left?"
Yes, everything, I am sorry to say
replied the one addressed aAh, but
wait minute; | had forgotten that
| $500 a year and the lakeside cottage
YOU had settled on your wife. That
can be saved, but that is ALL I fear
STILL you know, sir, half a loaf'-the
lawyer stopped abruptly at a motion
| from Richard Temples hand.
1--WE will discuss this matter more
thoroughly tomorrow he said. ut is
enough to know for the present that
am bankrupt"
"As you like, Mr.. Temple, but |
thought chat l would better let you
know at once"
Thank you; it was quite right and
now | will bid you good night" and
Richard Temple rose from his chair
and stood in the handsome library of
his beautiful home with one hand
grasping the back of a chair as if for
support, his face deadly white. The
lawyer looked curiously at him as he'll
passed out He was used to this sort
of thing and was not much affected.
Richard Temple was to him but rich
client, who had speculated rashly and
lost heavily, with nothing left now but
his wife's property, and the lawyer
knew, as did others, that Mr.. and Mrs.
Temple were two.
This night the stately mansion was
aglow with light and flowers, and
from the open library door Richard
watched the merry crowd Of people |
gathered in the drawing room. From
this place Of vantage he could Sc lbs
fair young wife, the falrest am )ag all
the fair women gathered there, and as
he watched her, surrounded Dy q slOrp |
of her admiring friends, he thought |
with bitterness how completely the |
role of hostess became her, how com |
pletely she belonged to the life he now
must renounce, the life he feared to
ask her to leave, for the life he dared |
not ask her to share.
1850
That she would be scornful and bitter
he knew. Had she not been so ever
since he married her? And he had so
longed for a little bit of love. II only |
she loved him how gladly he would |
go to her; aye, even to ask her TO |
share his poverty, but he knew she did |
not love him: it was only for the |
oh hoI 1oorrinJ him and |
that was gone Gnd in it's place he had |
nothing to offer her but his love, a |
poor thing in her estimation.
Instinctively he felt that not only |
had he lost his fortune, but his wife, |
in the same hour. He went slowly |
back to the dimly lighted library to |
wait until the crowd had dwindled |
away. His heart was heavy with the
hopeless problem. and as the last |
guest departed he got up and wander
ed about the now deserted house. At |
his wife's dressing room door he paus
ed--he felt the story must be told |
sooner or later and SO he entered
Mrs. Temple looked surprised as
we'll as annoyed at the abrupt en-
trance He did not often intrude
Since the first few weeks of their mar
riage he had been a model husband |
and had kept his place.
Well" she asked, what is it?"
He looked at her as she stood be-
fore him in her rich robes and woman
ly beauty-his and not his.
What is ito" she repeated
Merely to tell you that we are
ruined" he said CURLY. Her insolence |
made him cruel.
"Ruined?'
Eyes: ugly word, is it not? Howev |
En- you still will have your settlement |
q mere pittance, | grant you, but some
thing Believe me, [ am sorry for |
YOU for your sacrifice of youth and |
beauty that has been in vain. fan
cied when / married you that | might |
win some return for the great love | |
gave you, but | have learned during
the several years we have been togeth |
er how futile that hope is. For you |
am sorry; for myself | do not care. |
can win my way. | will give you the
only PREPARATION l can make you-your
lIGcuOlu. bOOu llloIlt'
Like one turned to stone she stood |
white and silent before him, unable to |
utter word For a moment he hest |
tated, then took a step forward and |
crushed her in his arms, placing pas
sionate kiss on her white lips. Good |
by, my dearest, good-by,' he said, and |
was gone ere she could reply.
al hi ,I,
sprang forward with outstretchod |
arms, great light on her face. Rich
ard, Richard" she moaned, how
have misiudged you. | thought You
did not care You love me, you love |
me-" She fell sobbing On the couch.
In a sudden frenzy of grief she rose
and tore off the rich robe she wore.
donned a simple little white dressing |
gown, and went swiftly down the hal |
to his room. She felt that she mlsl |
see him. The room was empty and |
she darted down the stairs toward the |
library. Something other than herself |
was urging her on. He was sitting be |
side the table loading with grave pre-
cision small but deadly revolver |
when she found him, and on the table |
lay a note addressed to her. The |
rustic of her gown betrayed her pres
ence, and he rose hastily iii confusion.
covering the pistol with his hand.
81 thought you were i'll bed, was all !