The Ordway new era., 1915-07-02
Madse must get married

operate. Madge must get married
within three years.
II hope It won't be that long. ZEN.
n.y." she said. ~ she kissed me In
reconciliation.
Soon after that the young man be.
gan to appear at the window opposite
again.
My invalid chair was by the window.
could NO longer help seeing him
when he was there. The initiative
had. 30 to speak. passed out Of my
hands.
one day . great surprise awaited
me. Madge had struck up friend
ship with the boy next door. After
that he used to venture to smile at
me, and smiled back. Madge had
told me that he wanted to be intro
duced to me; meanwhile felt that We
were practically acquainted.
It IL surprising what new interests
an invalid acquires. ! used to watch
him through the window, as he sat
writing at his table. He meant to be
an author, Madge told me. and, hav-
ing q little income Of his own. he
would not be driven to the expedient
of writing trash for livelihood. He
hoped to do something big some day.
"But, Jenny" she said. when are
you going to let me bring him UP to
see you? You are always making ex-
cuBes."
I made another excuse; but after
she had gone realized the nature Of
my selfishness. was jealous Of
Madge.
Yes, that was It. could not bear
that my lameness, my homeliness
should be contrasted with my sisters
glorious beauty. Madge was prettier
than ever. The boy next door spen.
a good deal Of time In her company.
Sometimes they walked down the
street together. l fancied that people
would be talking about them: was
sure they were going to announce
their engagement soon.
And instead of being happy I was
jealous and miserable. Perhaps the
morbid fancies of sick woman may
mitigate such crime. But tempta-
tion was stirring In my heart, and it
was this: II Madge married tho boy
at the window l would refuse to sell
the house and go to Vienna. would
never allow her marriage with the
man loved to be the price Of my
physical redemption. ,-5
The man / loved! Yes, did not
disguise II from myself any longer.
In my childhood days 1t was l who
had discovered the boy at the window.
1t was l who had shown him to Madge.
and he was mine by the right Of pri-
ority. and by the, right of my love.
could love ~ even though We
had never exch6A8ed word. For the
nrst time In m{aKe hated Madga !
passed through all the variations Of
emotion possible as sat at the win
dow in my invalid's chair.
think my mind had become . lit
tie distorted, for sometimes tho vio-
lence Of my hate frightened me. !
was helpless was % helpless. and
all the while I had to smile and pre-
ten5 to be happy. kncw MadSe be-
gan to grow frightened: sometimes l
would see her eyes bent on mine In
the Queerest way.
Jenny" she said to me one day. Il
am going to tell you . secret-not
now, but some time. / think- A
pause. She looked at me with that
happy smile that charmed everyone.
but now filled my heart with black
hatred and impotent raEe. And \
smiled back. and felt like an assassin.
II shall tell you." she said. when
you let me bring Harry to see ycu.
No, not then, but afterward."
Harry! She had blurted out the
name involuntarily.
"You need not trouble" whispered,
clenching my hands under the rug un-
til the physical pain was intolerahle.
"You need not tell me-"
Madge looked at me in pain. ~How
strange you are lately. Jenny" she
said. But am going to tell you.
When can l bring him?"
The wild pain at my heart demand
ed respite. Let me get the thing
over. Bring him at once! I cried.
Madge was gone. and was waiting
at the window in my invalid chair. I
saw her cross the street. She went
freely into the house now. watched
till they came out together. His arm
was linked in hers, and they were
laughing. What q fool they had made
of me!
It seemed an eternity before Madse
came into the room. She laughed un-
comfortably. thought
you know Harry fremont" she
said with embarrassment. He has
wanted 80 much to see you"
I'VE are old friends" said Harry.
taking my burning palm in his cool
hands.
don't know hov., the interview
came to an end. But It was ended At
last, and suddenly l could bear It NO
more. Harry was gone and Madge
was kneeling at my side. and was
,fv,a iv, hos 4 =