Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-08-20
\ Village
Othello
BY Alfred of Hedenstjerna.

Gustav Swensson is stationmaster
on railroad in South Sweden, and
one of the best educated and most gem
tiemanlike men of the village.
Swensson is engaged to marry a
daughter of his milliner, Johnson
whom he dearly loves.
Elvira Johnson has eyes of the
brightest blue, black hair and regular
features; she is modest and lovable
She wears reform costume and will
be nineteen in February. She is very
seldom seen in her fathers store.
The young people, as rule, meet
twice every day.
On a summer morning, a Sunday
Swensson goes into the little garden
outside the railroad station, and, look
ing toward the village, he sees Elvira
coming toward him like d goddess of
love. She is on her way to meet him.
But suddenly he sees that she walks
slower and waits for the son Of Carl
Peterson, the dry goods man, young
man who is soon to graduate from
Lie
hands her a letter.
A feeling of jealousy awakens in his
heart, and he is furious as he sees
how his fiancee actually bushes as she
reads the letter and hides it in her
bosom as she beams upon the young
man, who wears a new smart suit and
yellow gloves.
He parts from her, but does not kiss.
He only shakes hands with her in the
most cordial manner.
SWensson suppresses a deep sigh,
and when Elvira comes up to him he
asks abruptly: what did the boy
want?"
What boy?'
ooh, Elvira, how can you?"
"You mean the young Petterson-he
only asked''-
"The letter. want
81 did not get any letter." she whit
pers blushingly.
Swensson buries his face in his
hands and signs loudly. Then he says
earnestly: 81 have caught you in a
lie, Elvira, for you did get a letter
and I saw it with my own eyes. You
must give it to mel want to read it.
Read my letter! Are you not
ashamed? And you are a government
official, and cannot even see a letter
without wanting to read it. Yes, I
did get letter, but you shall not
see it,"
He turns pale and trembes.
"Give me the letter, Elvira! Imme-
diately-do you hear, or it is all over
between u.s."
$50 you are looking for pretext
to get rid of me. Oh, Gustav! You
want to get rid of me, because you
love another
She begins to sob bitterly.
But Swensson says coldly:
Miss Johnson. as you seem to think
so very much of this letter, | shall
tonight give you back all your letters
and the sofa pillow and the embroid
cred rug and the engagement ring,
and then you are free to receive let
tiers from whom you please
ooh, Gustav, how can you he 50
brutal? | see very well how it is
You throw me over for Thilda Karls-
SON."
DO you try to hide your own SINS
by throwing the blame On me? | shall
neevr forget how I saw you secretly
receive a letter from another man"
but you are in love with Thilda
Karlsson?"
"Nonsense!"
There, you have the letter, you
monster" she says, tears streaming
from her eyes, and hands him an en-
velOpe.
He snatches it with the fury of an
Othello, but becomes quiet as he reads
under a business head:
''My Dear Miss Johnson: Enc,oeed
please find samples of goods suitable
for a wedding gown. I hope you will
not be too long in deciding or we can
not promise to have the dress ready
for Mr. SwenssOn's birthday. Yours
respectfully,
-"Axel Peterson"
"Well, do you see now why dill
not want to show you the letter? |
wanted to surprise you on your birth
day" she says, smiling through her