FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, By LLLA GUERNSEY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2048, 22 August 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, By LLLA GUERNSEY.

'• Yor do in-< proud, mum. Alight and walk i'i!,hi in!o my castle. Th» lady in waitin' will give you a roynl v/cicoaie," anil bowing profoundly ray voluble ho*t clad in rage and patches, with frowsy hair, larriatted Snip, my tired, toug'.i T(.v»n pony near the " castle." " Yessurn, a storm's a brewin', but there's shelter from its wrath in the castle. My princcss'il 3arve ye, and sweet strains of rnusio shall enchant yo i, fair lady." AFreid to refine, I Homily took the arm proffered me to " stiddy me' like," and was soon before the >( princess," who eat upon a low box in ono corner of the dark room of the pod house "on the aiclge of Indian tmitorj ." " A chance gucat, my j.i-incc^i ; the best our castle aflordd must bo plac-d before this lone wayfarer," said my hoot in & patronizing sing-gong manner. The pale, untid/ di=ciuraged woman raised her eyes to mine, ca-tly najing : " Tnere's nothing to sit for her. When we sow not we reap not. Let her proceed upon her way." do you re fire the weary rest, and food when famished ? Bui I am lord of the ni?,nor hi re ; » downy couch is at your disposal, and a rep, at will soon be served you, I mytelf will lull you to dreams, sweet dieams with duict strains," and taking up a battered violin he praceulert to tortuie the princess and myself with di^jjrd3 and creakmgs detestable. Tne princess raooiily v/.nt out to dig aweef. potatoes; hastily buiHin;^ v, lire noar the door, the thrust the potilors m roaet. A more hcantily furnnhci room I never saw; the downy couch provsd to b°. a bundle ot prairie pi«i3-» laid upon the bare earth. The lord of the manor wa"3 easily satisfied. '■ la thi3 cistlo you b'.liold a pair of Lotus eaters dwelling m Arcady, a n-o-t fortunate pasr nre we. What to ut fre all the turmoils of the world; madam, are you not consumed with envy ? ' and tho sulbw, tail, and angular mat: cl-cled abuut tbo room three times, then darting out t.ie tronc djor, returned with the " Piineoss" iv hia arms ; whistling " Money Musk ' he whirled the poor wom^n violently about, stopping long eno'i^li to shout, •• On with the dance, let joy be uaconfined." •' Oh, Abiram, ho' 3 taken bid a»ain," said the woman, as bhc Etiuggled to free herself horn hi 3 c'asp. " You forget Abiram our wayfarer's repast, it's almost ready," she pleaded. "S a rve it now, my princess." He again took up the violin, while she raked the potatoes from the fire and placed them upon a fine box, with a little salt and water. " Allow me to conduct you to the festal board, my bright-eyed guejt," he pompously caid, glaring upon me in a manner I did not like. " Git, git, and quick, mann, when he looks liko that, down ioter the tall prairie grass, I'll distraot hia mind while ye run," whispered the princess. Afraid to disobey I did "git," not stopping to rest until I lay down exhausted in the rank growth of grass. Shrill scream 3 alarmed me for the woman's safety. She undoubtedly was iv the power of a lunatic. A weary two hours I spent alone, fearing to leave my refuge, when a Bo't footfall arouaed me, and I saw the princess. " Pore Biram 1 You've seed what he is, but you oan'c know what he was, when I merried him, straight &1 n sycamore, and hansum an' smart in the head, eddicated fer a minister an' joFt thro 1 collrg". Ons raornin' he woke up turned, touched ; some said a mouse run crost his face in the ni^ht an' witched him. We sent him to a Vylum an' doctored everywhere; I was rftijed nice an' delicate, but I washed an' scrubbed to get money to help him, but 'twas no iu>e. Hid people was ashamed of him an' he had ro friend; my folks wanted nse to git a eepiration from him while I was youiig an' hiitjsum, but no, mann, Biratn needs tne \vu33 than be used ter, when folkg thot he'd looped to m3rry old Peter's ' Elizabeth Jane. " [ oould stand bjing separated if he w»s at hirmelf, or lich an' happ7, but pore »n' errizy, he i 3 on my mind alleis, allers ! I nevei get rid of him, an' I'll etay by Biram until he di g." The dull ted plowed in the yellow cheek, she looked evciy inch a princass to mo now that I knew ber sacrifice and devotion. " Suppose it had been tho other way, do you think he would have remained faithful ?" " I dunno, I dunno, but I will not ask that question mann ; the heft of burden fell upon me, an' X 11 shou'der it as best I may, but I've dored him witn opium, you'd best come now." Following in her lead, I went into the bouso n£,am ; there upon tho downy couoh lay "Eiram" helpless and opium drugged. About tho cabin wero s-cattered Latin and Greek wonls, and evidence that showed the " lotd of the manor" was not always as he was now. Tno wife's firms woic brui3ed and bitten ; them had bepn a e trugple. "lie may kill yon come time," said I. "Yes, 1 look for roihin' else; he keepsstrong p.n' I git weak, but who will keer for him if I don't. I've lived thi-j way twenty ytars hopia' for a charge, but none comes, an' hope is dead in ruo now. Wo had & nice home once, now you eco me, this hair was lika flhiaiu' gold, now you sees its faded an' rou-^h, but somethin'll come to me mebbe in the nPTt, life. Don't you think he'll know what I've dono there?" An ea^er look came into the dull, gray, expresiionl"ss eyes. I could but answer "ha surely would," words of comfort I could think of nono. Often have I thought of tHt miserable' home in the prairie, in & malaria infeoted place, of tho brave, ignuiant "princess." wondering if she jet wcara her darkened life away caring as bc-t phe m&y in her extreme poverty for hir incmable husbEnd, though abandoned by fnends and kindred. Truly rare jowels are found in the rough ; whal moie can bo Baid of any woman or trifft "faithful even unto death."