Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-02-20


sake MRS Lamoile though there of graft
tude to BIND her to the spot faught only with unhannv
memories Day alter day she mnistered to the suffer-
or, who wild with derun1 INSTRUMENTATION mad near
y ebbed to its olosein the of Maud the startling
story ..'1a.' .af t"Fao-sF e@ $500 - ~-~HN'4e
L am your mother Maud Arlington p sbe sho,tad
Il loved your father, and hated you YOU looked
80 much like him. / tried to smother your worthless
life out when you babe-but he foiIed me. Thon
struck deeper at his heart and agonzed my peril
dy, be took you and fed from me! Ha ha He forgot
the riches which hastened bear beyond his reach
beggared you both. SEQ there, Maudp she ejacda-
ted springng upright and pointing to darkened
ner-'Your father! Beckon away, old dotard aoon't
come Q, my God, am dying and shreking loud,
hideous shriez she fell back dead .s ss.t+
Maud remained pale breathless and shocked at the
terrible scene, and the words of the dying woman
Lamoile sat opposite, regarding her with strange
intensity. Presently Maud whispered:
Mr. Lamoille, can you tell me the meaning of those
frenzied words !? a... 2 0'I"-
sinister smile cured the scornfnI lips of LamoiIle,
as he answered slowly and deliberately:
She your mother After she forsoOk your faith
er, she came hther and lived with me-
lie paused to watch the effect of his words Maud,
terribly agitated gasped:
She could not; my mother could not have done
unwomanly thinrp
She did, nevertheless, sneered her tormentor and
your father was cognizant of the fact.
My poor, poor, tatherP murmured the Mortified girl
8 1t is no wonder you smiled -
Lamoles black fathomless eyes regarded her even
when-in the heavy stupor which had come lDon her
she seemed unconscious of his presence
= You are to fill your amabe mothers place. he said
crossing to where she sat- and laying his hand on her
-
She felt in every fibre the subtle mesmerc power Of
the utrous orbs which appeared penetrating her very
She would have spoken, but her lips were frozen and
would not move; her tongue chained, and a deadly
weight pressed upon her brain .
Few people to Mrs Iamoille's funeral: thew
feared Infection, and they kept aIoof Poor Maud with
Hood OF dscordant emotions surging up in her heart
beneath an exterior of perfect apathy behed her old
enemy placed in the family vault, and almost nncon
sclousy Lamoile became her constant attendant and
with fendish JOY, which he took care to conceal
went on weaving about his helpless victim those strong
intangible cords holding her in such oathsome bondage
Rumors derogatory to both were circulated by the
lovers of scandal which, through a faithful servant
reached the of the miserable girl 1t was rare
exemplitcation of the ascendancy gained bv strong
wicked beng over one physically weak Maud under
the baletul influence of Lamoie, seemed gradually for
getting the past, and losing intelligence; and with
zest, favorng of diadLire, watched cooly and trum
phanty, the sad spectacle of mind sinking into diocy
Having established, beyond a doubt in his belief that
Maud was fully and rretrievably under his control he
left her evening, for the first time since Mrs La
moles death-three months having elapsed since that
event.
1t dark, starless night, and a south wind moan
ed dreary through tho yews quiverng aspens with
out, and penetrating crevices fared the pyramids of
1ame Gaping the tall waxen tapers burning the mar
bic table.
Maud crouched before the fire. listening to the voice
OF the approaching storm. Thoughts began to move
like shadows through her sluggish mind There was a
sensation OF pain as she gradually awoke from her long
mesmeric sleep and became of the life she had
Tor weeks been leading: She shuddered memory in
part reproduced the wretched past She started to her
feet glancng earfuly around and percevine herself
alone bounded from the apartment out into the dark
ness With feet swiftly mpelled by terror-for she was
now fully aroused from the ethargy imposed upon her
by the demon in human form -Lamoie-she i fed to-
ward her early home The gray dawn of morning came
in rain and tempest when Maud reached the door of the
cottage The elm-bOughs vibrated slowly, for thew
heavy with moisture, and the birds tvttered in
the rosebushes-Just crimsoning with unfoded buds
She lifted the latch, and went in; damp musty odor
greeted her senses. Sick and almost insensibe she
flung herself upon the COUCH last pressed by her diving
father; and then ensued wild derum induced by the
fierce fever raging through her veins She thought the
raindrops patterng upon the messy shingles were bull
lets dropped by Lamoie into her burning brain and
the rosebush tapping against the window his fingers
the panes
From this deliriup she awoke, one evening lust as
the setting tngng with gold the deep shadows
under the trees Through her partially closed lids she
saw widow Brown (who the cottage in her
childhood to labor for herself ather sitting bv the
open door knitting She heard the tea Kettle h1mnipp
on the GOALS and inhaled the of the boiling tea
She felt weak and languid, willis sensation of perfect
peace and security stole her.
A new life opening upon her pereeptions-a life
OF wider activity and truer aspirations The words of
her dying father had deeper import than hitherto
She had bitter experience but it made a grand ba
sis for the superstructure builded in the aftertme
CHAPTER III
The neghbors were kind to Maud, and with their aid
she established school, which was berally patronzad
while Mrs. Brown became her ally in the household
duties. '~O-'>
Thus year passed quietly away. Maud remembered
the time spent at Mrs. Lamolles with shudder
She had expected Lamoie would seek her out in her
humble retreat-but no tidngs of him had reached her.