Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-11-02

Hlu uiSIiHS33 UlSu W udl
-aat she professed
I 80 Jl of Joe Morrison,
and the caiy all mic. med ne that she imi-
tated perfectly his tricks of voice and man
ner. What made this more remarkable
was the fact that she had never seen him.
He is our child, remember, and | want you
to consider what will be best for his future,
instead of mourning for me any longer =
You are altogether too headstrong and
suspicious, and won't even listen to the
advice of your friend"
At this point her discourse was inter
rupted a sudden stir in the crowd; Mrs.
Morrison had tainted. The captain and |
carried her to sofa and sprinh led water
in her faee, but it was some time before
she regained consciousness, and not until
after the clairyoyant had come out of her
trance.
The next morning the boat reached ST.
Louis. put up at the planters as usual,
and SO did DR.. johnson and his lady friends.
had several business commissions to at.
tend to, and did not see anything of them
for several days. But one evening SIS /
was going to my room. little Willie came
running along the hall Che had taken a
fancy to me on the boat, sobbing as if his
heart would break.
s'Why, what is the matter, Willie?" I
said, taking him up in my arms.
Ali could make out from his broken
speech was that somebody had "hurted
his mamma, and that she crying ''drefhl
hard" and wouldn't speak to him.
A sudden impulse came over me to offer
my friendship to Mrs Morrison, and thwart
the plans of Johnson if possible, for felt
convinced that he had occasioned her tears.
While was thinking how to do this with
out wounding her delicacy. she came out
into the hall looking for Willie. He ran
up to her eagerly, dragging me along, and
I was really shocked at the change IN her
appearance. She WAS thinner and paler
than when I had seen her last, and there
wa3 look in her kind eyes like that Of a
hunted animal at bay.
can't tell how it was that gained her
confidence so readily, but we hadn't been
talking ten minutes before she began to
tell me of her troubles. My white hair
and venerable appearance had something
to do with it probably Il am not SO old as
Hook, however, and then, too, her need
of friend was urgent and imperative.
She couldn't get the slightest clue to her
husband, it seemed, in St; Louis, and was
almost ready in her despair to believe
everything the clairvoyant said. But the
idea Of marrying another man was abhor-
rent tJ her, and DR.. Johnson was continu-
ally urging her to this step mingling threats
with persuasion-and alleging the impos-
sibility Of mis- remaining her friend other
wise. This net had been subtly laid. He
had placed her under pecuniary obiiga-
tions that CALLED her womanly spirit and
made it the harder to reject his proposal.
She didn't want him to think her migrate
full nor could she forget that he had be-
friended her IN her time of sorest need
True, he was uugenerous enough to remind
her of this fact; but even that did not can.
eel the obligation. Then, too. he promised
to care for and educate Willie: and love
for her child pleaded strongly in the moth
er's heart.
Johnson was going to Chicago the mex.
day, and was coming to herin the morning
for a final decision. If sba refused to &C
| company him thither as bis wife, then al
| waS at an end between them. But wha
| was she to do in st. Louis, alone and pen
niless? For she was weak, fragile littl'
creature, untitled to battle with the world
as Johnson we'll knew.
| Yet didn't hesitate as to the advice
should give her, although I felt doubtful
whether she would follow it, for, IN spit
of her reluctance to marry Johnson, I coult
sea from the way she told her story tha
| be had gained an influence over her trul
| wonderful. I promised, however. to do a,
I could for her, if she remained in ST
Louis, and early besought her not to com
| NIT the sin of marrying this mac frOUl
mistaken sense of duty.
| Stranger as she was, | was so much in
| terested in her fate that | couldn't sIee
| for thinking ct il, and it was laGe the fol
| lowing morning when I went to breakfast
sat down opposite a traveller, sUnburn
and coarseIy attired, but honest and genia
looking.
| We entered into conversation, and ther
was something in his voice and manne
that seemed strangely familiar, althougl
I couldn't recollect that [ had ever seel
| him before. But 1t came over me- ike
Dash of light when he spoke Of having JUS
returned froc the mountains, that thi
YVES the mau whom Sarah White, the clair
voyant, had personated on the steamboa
Dresden. I turned to him, eager and ex
cited.
"Pa1don me, sir, but isn't your nam
Mr. Joe Morrison, and didn't you live L
-?"
He started to bis feet
| ssFor Gods sake, sir, can you tell m
anything OF my wife and child? 1t Is near
ly two years since I've heard word fror
emth."
Joy seldom kills, and I hadn't the hear
to prolong his suspense.
"Yes, yes, they are alive and well"
answered, ''and are in this very house, i
No. :"
my Godl it isn't possible" he cried
rushing away from the table like mad
! man.
1 followed leisurely, and founc m will
! Willie in his arms, pressed close to h.
breast, laughing and crying at the sam
time, and frightening the child nearly t
death. Mrs. Morriaon wasn't in the room
she had just gone out with DR.. johnson
the chant ber- maid said. A thrill Of appre
henson ran over me.
''Do you know where they went?" ask
ed.
But she couldn't tell me anything, e1
cept that the gentleman had said some
thing about Squire Jecko's.
That was enough. [ rushed down stair
and through the streets, dragging MOI
rison and Willie with me, and didn't sto
to see whether people stared Or not. Jus
as we reached the door OF Justice J5cko
Office, johnson and Mrs. Morrison cam
out, and my heart sank within me. Willi
caught glimpse of them, and cried OF
shrilly Mamma! mammal"
: She started and turned, and Morriso
sprang forward with the child in his arms
, but before he could reach her. she had ia
len prone upon the pavement. But ST
} came too quickly, and the greetings b
r tween husband and wife were silent bl
5 affecting. A little later, she returned
r the hotel leaning upon Morrisons arm,
proud and happy woman. Ny fears we,
unfounded; she had refused to marry d
Johnson, even after he had decoyed b
, TO the Office of Justice Jecko.
As to the mutual explanations that fo
lowed this happy reunion, L have little
? say. Morrison was thunderstruck by ii
g treachery of Johnson, in whom he hs
/ placed such implicit confidence as to sei