The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-11-05
A ghost of smile hovered about her

| left the room, she added, lightly:
Doctor, when I turn Catholic, 70,
shall be my fsther-confessor. Gooc
might"
For the next fortnight 1 was very bu
sY. Some sort of an epidemic was pre-
vailing among the quarrymen, and 1 hac
scarcely moments leisure. My usua
visits at the Elms had been prevented
by laborings day and night. But one
day a little twisted note was brought tC
me. 1t contained only these words:
"Come to me, if you can, doctor.
need you. LR"
l went Immediately, and was ushered
into Mrs, Randolph's dressing ROOM
She lay upon a lounge, wan, white,
wasted. The last two weeks had bro't
marvellous change in her. 1 crossed
the room hurriedly, and took her hand
"You are ill.," 1 said. "Why have
you not sent for me before? What has
Randolph been thinking OFF,
You have been so busy" she ans
wered. SIS the sickness abating?"
"Yes," 1 said. But we won't talk Of
that now. What is the matter with
yOu2 That is the question under con-
sideration. You should have sent for
me before"
She looked earnestly at me.
"Really am not so much worse than
l have been, "sbe answered; ''only am
more exhausted than usual to-day
Besides, you cannot bel p me, DR.. Bel
lenger."
"Pshawl not help you'll Why not q
Do not go to being low spirited now ,or
to undertaking my professional skill
Why can't l help you, I should like to
know ?"
Because l am dyiBg, DR.. BeIlenger.
This startled me little. But 1 was
too much accustomed to such things to
be thrown off my guard.
"You are not dying" said. 'You
have no disease about you. You are
weak and have touch of the blues
You need iron and saltwater. Dudley
must take you to the seaside"
She shook her head.
"YOu are not telling the truth, doc.
tor. See here" !" and she held up hel
thin transparent hand. allow long viii
that be above the sodl Put your hand
here. How long will it take to veal
out heart that beats at this rate p
Doctor, do not want to live, so do no
burden your conscience with falsehooC
on my account"
There was an unnatural hardness il
her Voice-a steely gleam in the eye
that were wont to be soft and tender
Presently I said:
4 cannot minister to a mind diseased
Mrs. Randolph. If you viii die, yol
will but in the same hidden grief tina
is wearing your life out. 1t is no heart
disease or other bodily ailment that i
beyond cure
She cast one quick, startled glance q
my face; then covered her eyes with he
hands. l watched her silently-watch
ed her with wordless prayer. Tn
burden of her untold grief was upon me
Suddenly she turned toward me, stretch
ing out both her hands with an cage
gesture, while great tears rained from
her eyes.
% my friendF she cried, 4 mus
speak. l thought to have carried m
heavy burden to the grave with me
But it Expresses, it appalls me. cannc
meet God with this weight upon m
soul. 1 must speak
l took both her hands in mine, an
stroye to soothe her into calmness.
trembled before the spirit l had myse,
evoked. But she only cried the more
4 must speak. 1 have borne thi
weight Of silence so long, So longp
Looking out of the window saw Nj
Randolph and little Clyde Just goin.
over the brow of the hill yonder, han
in hand, as usual. 1 pointed to them
You must calm yourself for thei
sakes,' l said, gently. This excitemeu
is to much for you. Tomorrow, if 70
will, you shall speak, but to-day 20
must rest
Tomorrow is a myth, a dream, sh
answered. Only to-day is real. I mus
speak now while they are away-whil
have time. You must hear me-
'See,' I said, thinking to lead he
thoughts in another direction-see
They are going a-fshing. How clea
the air is to-day You can see thei
faces distinctly even at this distance
tie faces of both father and son.
They are not father and SOM sh,
cried, the words bursting from he
white lips as if without her own volition
They are not father and son, Dudle7
Randolph has no child in the wild
world. Has children are both unde
the grave-sod. We buried them out o
his sight
l do not know what l said but
thought her brain was touched, anC
was about to ring for her maid. Sh
stopped me.
DO not ring she said. 4 know wha
you think; but 1 am perfectly sane
Clyde is not Randolph's SOD, and 1 mus
tell you all about it. You mus: be m,
confessor. Do you rememberl All
my friend, 1 was not romancing tha
night! I spoke out of the depths of M
own bitter experience
Not Randol ph's SON. Was the worlC
upside downl
is he yoUrs@ asked, wondering j
l was myself or another.
Yes, mine My son, but not his.
She lay still, with her eyes closed
and her hand clasped upon her breast
She looked so pure, so ike tired child
now that the brief storm had spent it,
fury. l did not speak. could not
But at length she spoke, laying hel
hand in mine:
Ny friend you must help me.
have borne my terrible burden for more
than ten years and now l can bear it NJ
longer alone. Will you hear my story
will not weary you. 1 will make i
short.
1 bowed my head. What was about
to hear? But still the physician trium
phed.
You must take this cordial and res
for half an hour. Then I will come
back to you. Nay, nay, my child. L
must be as I say. In half an hour, i
l am alive 1 will come back and heal
whatever you choose 10 tell me-