Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-10-14

ana Jn1nK you VIII learn to love MN
dearly, or l would never have con-
sented to the marriage, you may be
sure of that. Deformed! Why, Maisie!
% you think your old father thinks
SO little of his little girl that he would
ct her throw herself away ON anyone
yho cannot make her happy?" and he
tenderly stroked her hair, which she
was just learning to wear on top of
her head instead of in a great braid
down her brlck
For moment Maisie was tempted
to confess her misery then glance
at his worn face deferred her. She
knew that his health was very poor,
and that her marriage would secure
for him comforts, luxuries, and she
did not dare tell him that she had
given her heart to another man.
Forgive me-" she whispered, tender
ly kissing him, and then she resolutely
put from her all thoughts of what
might have been if she had been free
when she met Fred, and, taking up a
book, read aloud to her father until it
ing meal.
But little sleep came to her on that
last night of her maidenhood, but she
rose next morning with a sweet, proud,
pure resolve to learn to love the man
she was to marry, and think only of
small tasks for the day she hurried
away to a spot she often frequented
because of its solitude, and there, to
her dismay, she found Fred, more
handsome and fascinating than ever.
Il hoped you would come here this
plead my cause" Fred exclaimed, but
she shrank back, her face first scarlet,
then very pale
You must not plead anything, she
said, gently but firmly. This is my
wedding day, and | cannot listen to
away, her hands clasped over her ears,
her heart beating violently. She suf-
fered all that day. but she did try hard
to put Fred's image out of her mind
and think of the man whose bride she
was to become that night; yet, even
when she was dressed in the simple
white gown, and in the parIor of the
parsonage, she could not Danish tie
handsome, pleading face of the man
she had learned to love with all her
girlish heart
White as DEATH with her lips com
pressed until they lost most of their
girlish curves, she waited for her
bridegroom, and SO faint was she that
she did not raise her eyes when at
last Gordon Phillips entered the room.
She fet as though moving in dream
when her father took her by the hand
and led her up to the waiting minister.
She knew that man was standing
beside her, but her eyes were never
raised to his face. She heard a voice
that broke, repeat the Il do" and did
not recognize her own voice as she
took her vows, but as the ring was
slipped on her fingers she gave great
start, and at last raised ner great
violet eyes to find pair of dear, ia.
miliar dark ones looking down upon
her, and she staggered SO that a strong
arm had to be thrown about her to
keep her from falling. She never re-
membered the rest of the service only
awakening to a delicious reality when
she felt her husbands lips on hers and
his voice saying:
"My brave darling, you truest of lit
tie loves, look at me-" and she knew
that she was in Fred's arms; that it
was his ring she was wearing and
that she was his bride.
What does it mean?' she cried,
struggling to get away, although she
felt her resting place to be the dearest
on earth.
What happened. darling?" Fred
asked, again kissing her, while the
clergyman and her father beamed.
why, l was to marry Gordon Phil
lips, = she faltered.
Frederick Gordon Phillips" her
husband corrected, and then light
came to her.
81 fell in love with you the first
moment | saw you, but | resolved to
win you as poor man." Fred said joy
ously. WAS l cruel?" he asked ten
derby, and Maisie, forgetting all she
had suffered declared that he was
not, although she asked him later:
Suppose l hadn't loved you as the
poor young man, or that | hadn't
proved faithful to my promise?" but
he. once more kissing her, declared:
Either premise would have been
impossible, darling, because you see