Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-06-08


4 lover whose Iovs she returned she
would never have made known.
Such was tie reasoning by which
Clarence Hooper persuaded himself
that his dead wife had loved some man
and. loving that man. she could never
have loved her husband. Doubtless
some obstacle had interviewed between
them to prevent a marriage, or, what
was worse, she had met the unknown
after she had become a WIFE, Hooper
inflicted upon himself succession OF
such torturing hypothesis and when
they had been all applied began again
and went through the process anew.
One day Hooper saw in paper that
veltvolsky was coming to America to
sing in opera. The thought that he
might meet her again was pleasant to
him. When she arrived he went to
the metropolis where she was singing
and called upon her He told her Of
his bereavement, and she sympathixed
with him. With kindly tact she d.
verted his mind. When she had time
to spare from study and rehearsals
they drove out together. Hooper was
a frequent attendant at the opera
house where veltvolsky sang, and
evenings when she didn't sing he fire.
quented her apartments. He confided
to her his discovery that some one
who had loved his wife was caring for
her grave. The prima donna deprecat-
ed his fears that his wife had had a
lover. explaining the episode by the
superstition that the unknown friend
was some poor creature whom the
dead had befriended. This tempora.
rily at least relieved his mind.
Hooper was seen so much at the
opera, applauded SO enthusiastically,
drove SO often with veltvolsky and
spent so much time In her apartments
that the little coterie Of singers at last
began to connect her name with his in
q more tender connection than friend
ship. Then one day he saw a notice
In a newspaper that the prima donna
was to marry an American gentleman
whom she had met in Russia shortly
before her visit to the United States.
Hooper was naturally very angry at
the publication of this bit Of informa-
He went to the office Of the paper con-
tanning 1t and complained. He was
shown the manuscript Of the item.
which had come In from an unknown
person. He did not recognize the
name signed to 1t az belonging to any
one be knew. Nevertheless there
was something about the handwriting,
which was evidently wOman's, that
was familiar to him. 1t looked like an
unsuccessful attempt at disguise. He
could not divest himself Of the feel
ing that he had known the writer or
had at least seen her handwriting.
When the opera season came to a
close Hooper went to his home. The
first thing he did after his return was
to visit his wife's grave. He did 80
with mingled emotions. among which
was desire to see If there was any
further evidence of the unknown friend
or lover.
He found the grave strewn with
fresh cut flowers. A cry escaped him.
Had the grave been desecrated he
would have been enraged. This token
of an unknown affection filed him
with agony.
The mystery, with its distressing at
tendant conditions. began to wear so
upon the widower that he feared they
might unbalance his brain. Could he
have found clew to work on his in
vestgations would have been a relief.
AS 1t was he could only brood.
One day he formed resolution to
bury 1t all in new interest. Nine.
Veltsv olsky had shown great partial
ity to him, but that she would marry
him he did not know. She had gone
to the country. and there he followed
her. He told her that through her. and
her alone, he could secure comfort
Would she receive a love that had
withered, bat which she could warm
into new life?
Then she confessed that she had
loved him during their meeting in Rus
STA and had loved him ever since.
but. knowing that you had wife,
she added, whom you loved l gave
be drawn from her 70 me. You were
unconscious of your danger"
Then Hooper remembered the men
ton he had made In his letters to his
wife Of his new found friend and won
dered If she had been jealous.
They were engaged. Veltsvolsky
soon after passed through the place
where Hooper lived. and he had per-
suaded her TO stop over for day
that he might show her the home IN
which 1T was expected she would in
future live. After inspecting 1t she
expressed a desire to visit his dead
wife's grave When he asked her why
she could not tell him.
1t was bright morning In early
summer when they drove to the ceme-
terry. As they walked along one OF
the avenues leading to the lot Hoop
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