THE TRAGIC MAIDEN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1292, 20 January 1885, Page 3

THE TRAGIC MAIDEN.

When the major entered the room, whither he had been invited to join a social company and partake of stimulating refreshments, everyone saw that something was weighing heavily on his mind. " Major," said an undertaker, sadly smiling, " you seem fo have forgotten your good cheer to-nigh'." " Yes, T am pretty well crushed." " Tell us of your troubles," exclaimed half a ([<■%■ 'li voic s. "We will listen patiently.'" " I don't know that the recital will interest you, but it will show what a fool a man may sometimes become in matters of love Some time ago L fell in love with Polly Joler, and about the same time became acquainted with Nancy Lory. I soon discovered that both girls tvere in love with me. J did not love but one of them you understand," wiping a bead of whiskey off his moustache. " Polly was so gentle, so confiding, that my scul went tut to her and gathered her in an emotional cmbrace, Nancy was dark-eyed and tragic. It soon became necessary for me to make a decision, and I saw that if I decided against Nancy she would kill herself. Polly, I knew, would do nothing; rash even though she loved me devotedly. I did not love Nancy, yet could I, as a gentleman and citizen, who usually voted twice on tho same day, allow a maiden to kill herself on mv account ! . Should I not sacrifice myself to save her ? I loved Polly, and the thought of givincr her up pained me. I did not love Nancy, as I previously intimated, yet the idea <f being the cause of bloodshed gored me with the thorns of extreme discomfort. At last I must act. Polly, blue-eyed and as beautiful as Pallas, gazed into my soul and breathed an endearing hope. Nancy, dark, and as handsome as Helen of Trov, flashed her eyes upon me and threatened self-destruction. I drew a sigh from the troubled depths of my spiritual existence, and went into the thick forest, to ponder. I loved Polly and I longed to press her lips, I did not love Nancy, but could I stand by and see her blood flow. Her only hope of Heaven was centred on hip. ♦Polly would manage to get there anyway. I went deeper into the forest and pondered. Beads of cold sweat stood on my brow like warts on a toad. I loved Polly, as you by this time understand, and I did not love Nancy, as you by this time have learned to suspect, but what was I to do ? See Polly mope around covered with a scarf of despair, or witness Nancy's cold and strikingly handsome corpse deposited in the dump and uncongenial grave ? I dislike bloodshed. I can stand it to see any one mope around, hut for a girl to cut and slash herself, cripples me. Well, 1 decided iu Nancy's favor. Not that I loved her! oh, no, but to save her life ! We were married. Polly moped where the young pear trees grew, and sat in silence when the katydid opened up his racket, I had made a decision of principle ; 1 had sacrificed my own connubial bliss to prevent a tragedy. Ah, hov man falls into the pits of error. The other night when I intimated io my wife that she did not place the proper estimate upon me, she flounced into a passion, and said " You are a fool. I was in iove with Dan lawyer, and would have married him had I net been convinced that such an event would have caused you to kill yourself. Dan is gontle, and would not think of doing anything rash. I saw you were hot-headed and contemplated suicide in case I refused to marry you. I have made a sacrifice of ray happiness merely to savo your life." I irose without replying, kicked the dog as I went out and buried myself in the deep solitude of the forest. When morning came I sorrowfully went back to the house to get something to eat. My wife was gone She had left i note where she knew I would find it —tied it round the neck of my whiskey bottle. The note ran in this melancholy way : " Sir, having saved your life I have decided to secure my own happiness. I have secured a divorce, granted by my uncle, who is a justice of the peace, and have gone away with Dan Sawyer. You have seen enough of married life to abstain from suicide on my account. Sweethearts sometimes commit suicide on account of love, but husbands rarely do. Their self-de-struction is usually prompted by whiskey I was shocked, and as I chewed the end of a ham bone, accidentally left in tlui' cubboard,' I thought of Polly. I wiped the grease from my mouth and sought her. She had married a man who chops cord-wood for » steamboat. Polly was making soap when I arrived. I explained the object of my visit, «nd suggested that she should get a divorce. She did not reply for several minutes. She was lost In thought. Finally she hauled off, and knocked me down with the sonp-paddle. These combined ininfluences gentlemen, are enough to trouble any man's mind."—Arkaiisaw Traveller.