Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-07-14

VII Il louilSe III IL pTtllily luFnlsISu IbOIl
young girl was lying, her arms under
her head, lost in dreams.
1t was II o'clock in the evening, and as
the clock struck she looked toward her
snow white bed on which was spread out
a wedding dress of ivory satin, a long
veil and a wreath OF orange blossoms.
The dressmaker had brought it in early
in the evening, and she had not yet put 1t
away because she was too lazy to get up
from her comfortable position.
She felt strangely confused and almost
in humor to cry-tomOrrow all her
dreams would come to an end.
People called it a love match, because
they judged from appearances only. A
rich no longer young merchant had fallen
in love with the young girl OF Is whose
parents were not even wealthy and as he
was quite good looking and Of pleasing
manners, it was OF course only natural
that she also loved him, everybody said.
The fire had almost gone out in the
open fireplace She shivered a little, arose
slowly, and took a bundle of letters from
her little desk, turned the gas on full, and
sat down near the dying fire to read the
old letters.
A faint perfume reminded her OF some
thing in the past, and smillngly she took
one of the letters and read:
My Own Darling-SO my dream has
really come true-you love me as | have
always loved you. If / were in heaven my
happiness could not be greater. OH my
darling, Spring how l should be happy to
carry you on my hands through your
whole life
She dropped the letter in her lap and
opened another. 1t contained almost the
same endearng terms, as did also the
next. Then came bulky, heavy letter of
eight pages
Your GOODNESS has hurt me-you can
never imagine how much. Did you not re-
Ceive my last letter? Why do you not an
swer? Your silence is killing met
She smiled at the thought of her silence
making a man unhappy whom she had
never spoken to or seen, Of whose name
she was even now ignorant.
Tired of the monotony of every day life
she had about year ago answered a per-
sonal in daily paper in which an edu-
Gated, refined gentleman wanted to CORE
spond with a young lady possessing the
same qualities. It has cost her quite a lit
tie to begin the correspondence and when
she did she had a friend copy her letters
as she did not want to have him possess
her handwriting.
No one had ever suspected her secret.
and for many months the letters from this
bright, intelligent though unknown man
had made her perfectly happy, until she
met her present bridegroom.
Just at that time her correspondent de-
clared his love, and besought her to drop
her ncognito. She let him suspect that
she loved him, but wanted a formal prom
Use Of marriage.
He carefully avoided this In all his later
letters and her letters became cold and
devoid of feeling, and at last, cruelty dis
appointed. she had written him that she
did not wish to continue the correspond
ence.
Bitterly disappointed she had consented
to become engaged to the cold, unfeeling
practical business man who had asked for
her hand
During the four weeks OF their engage
ment she had never told her fiance any,
thiEg about her secret Why should she?
His practical cold blooded nature would
never be able to understand her, and he
might even break off Their engagement
The last spark of fire had died out Lost
in thought she still held the letters in her
hand. Suddenly she thought Of some thing
She had mailed her last letter to her
unknown lover on a Wednesday. On
Thursday she had become engaged
Was this right? Had she nothing to ask
her frances pardon for? Had she really
acted correctly? Had she any right to
keep any secret from the man whose wife
she was going to be the next day?
She had no love for him-but he was a
good, honest man and the other had after
all only been a f1irt.
The thought of the honesty and good
ness of her future husband filled her with
a strange feeling of joy. The Efe sudden
ly looked brighter to her.
She was tired and began to undress her
self. AS she put her wedding dress away
she impulsively kissed the wreath. and as
she laid her head on the pillow she decided
to tell him everything the next day
The room was fun of roses, vioIets and
orange blossoms and among all the flowers
the bride was waiting for the groom-iu
an hour they were to leave for the church.
The groom came into the room-she did
not stir to meet him, but he walked over
to her and kissed her on the forehead
She did not respond.
After a few moments silence she asked
him to sit down next to her on the sofa,
took his hand and whispered:
lotto. have something to tell you"
He looked at her in surprise
What is it, darling?" he asked.
Il only wanted to tell you that CORES
pended with a gentleman until a short
time ago"
You correspondent with a gentleman
but he does not know who you are? Is It
not so? 1t was through a newspaper"
You have guessed it, Otto. 1t was
newspaper acquaintance"
And when did you write him last?"
The day before we were engagedw
And you would really do a thing like
that? Where did he write your"
"Poste restante, addressed to Spring"
had friend copy the letters so that he
does not know even my handwriting"
She never noticed how confused her
story made him. He stared at her In sur |
prise. Then he smiled.
And what picture have you formed of
him IN your mind?''
Her face frightened.
"Oh. l think of him as a genius, q man |
of wonderful gifts. Just the very ideal or |