The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-09-27

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lied to me. Well. it's TOO hate now"
She laughed and the once tunetui
voice was harsh and grating. Still
we're her eyes blank with misery.
longer TO comfort her. TO kiss that
face so white and worn and weariful
to bring tears TO those hopeless eyes
There seemed to grow In me greater
hunger for the girl than ever before
a longing to bring Joy to her again, 10
make her forget What did II all mat.
teri She was still my love. Iyearned
for her. We both had suffered. both
been through the furnace Surely
from II would come the love that
passeth understanding.
.Berna." l said, eff Is not too late.
We have both been miserably duped.
Never mind. Berna, we will forget all
I love you Let Us forget and go away
and be happy"
II seemed as II my every word was
like stab TO her. The sweet face
was tragicaIly wretched.
@Oh no." she answered. eft can
never be. You think II can. but Il
can't You could not forget l could
not forget We would both be think
ing; always, always torturing each
other. Our home would be haunted
one. place of ghosts. Never again
can there be Joy between you and me-
It's too late. too later
She was choking back the sobs now,
but still the tears did not come.
"Berna." ] said gently, Il think I
could forget Please give me chance
to prove it know IL was not your
fault know that spiritually you are
the same pure girl you were before"
@No, was not to blame. When you
failed to come ] grew desperate.
When | wrote you and still you failed
to come was almost distracted Night
and day he was prosecuting me. The
others gave me no peace. II ever a
poor girl was bounded to dishonor
was Yet ! had made up my mind to
die rather than yield. Oh, it's too
horrible"
Never mind. dear, don't tell me
about it."
when I awoke to life sick, sick for
many days. | wanted to die, but
could not was so weak, so Ill. SO
Indifferent to everything that 1t did
not seem to matter. That was where
| made my mistake | should have
killed myself Oh. there's something
in US all that makes US cling to life
in spite of shamel But | would never
LET him come near me agar And
though, when he went away, I've gone
into this life, there's never been any
one else. I've danced with them.
laughed with them, but that's all You
believe mel"
"Yes. dear"
Thank God for thatI And now we
must say gOOd-by. | would not spoil
your life. You know how proud am,
how sensitive. | would not give you
snch as L Once | would have given
myself TO you gladly. but now-pIease
go away. Leave me. please"
Leave yOu-to what?'
ITO death, ruin-I don't know what.
II I'm strong enough ! will die. If !
am weak will sink in the mire."
"Berna. will you marry me?"
-No! No! Nor"
"Berna. will never leave you.
Here | tell you frankly, plainly,
don't know whether or not you still
love me-you haven't said word to
show it-but | know love you, and
will love you as long as life lasts.
will never leave you. Listen to me.
dear: let US go away, far. far away.
You will forget, will forget Come
with me, o my Lowell Have pity on
me. Berna, have pity. Marry me- Be
my wife"
She merely shook her head. sitting
there cold as stone.
Then" said. IF you call yourself
dishonOred, |, too, become dishonored.
We will go down together you and L
Oh. would rather sink with you.
dear, than rise with the angels. You
have chosen-weIl. l. too. have chosen.
You will see me steep myself In
shame, then when I am a hundred
shades blacker than you can ever hope
TO be, my angel, you will stoop and
pity me. Wen go down together. dear.
Hand in hand hellward we'll go down.
we'll go down"
She was looking at me in a frightened
way. madness seemed to have got
ten into me.
-Berna, you're on the dance halls.
You're at the mercy of the vilest
wretch that's got an ounce of gold in
his filthy poke. They can buy you as
they buy white flesh everywhere on
earth. Berna. can buy you. Come,
dance with me. drink with me. Well
live, live. Well eat. drink and be
merry. On with the dancel Oh, for
the joy of lifel Since you'll not be
my love you'll be my ight-of-love
Come. Berna. Gomez"
paused. With head lying on the
cushioned edge of the box she was
crying.
viii you Gomez" asked again.
She did not move
Then" said L, there are others
and | have money. lots of it can
buy them am going down into the
vortex. Look on and watch me-"
left her crying.
II is with shame write the follow.
ing pages. Would | could blot them
out of my life. To this day there
must be many who remember my
meteoric career In the armament of
fast life. Ii did not last long. bur in
less than a week ! managed to squan-
der a small fortune
drink and drink L. rnornr %