Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-08-15
like humping heart was tearing asun-
der painful past

But once inside her cottage door
where none but plying Savior eoul,
see her, she cried with hands out
stretched IN spirit pleading:
''Oh, God is my love not yet dead
spare me, oh spare me, their pitiles
searchingr's
Yes, there was a. secret. 1t hac
been right under their prying nose:
this many year, and they had scented
it.
Miss Harrington had gradually with
drawn from the gay sociables and frol.
ic of the village, and became an old
maid SO quietly that as one after an
other of her youthful companions were
married off and took up the matron' s
life, they scarcely wondered why she
why she remained single or noticed
the change from gay to grave, SO gen.
tie was the transformation, and only
when the advent of new set of young
folks grew around them did they real
ize that Miss Harrington was no long
er "Ollie" but the old maid. True
she was kind and generous she had
even heard of little waif at the
mercy of the town, many years ago,
and taken it to her home. for three
years tended and cared for it
like an own mother, and when the lit
tie thing was taken with the scarlet
fever, and the old village doctor pro-
nounced the case fatal took it to the
city for more experienced treatment.
But it never came back alive Miss
Harrington had accidentally discov-
cred its parentage and left the corpse
in their family burying ground.
The young man, George Wettemore,
became much better man after his
mothers death, that happened about
this time, and some of the right-mind-
ed people were willing to show their
appreciation of his conduct and put
his name up for county judge. OF
course there were other right-miDded
people who did not consider him fit
for so important position, and said
his politics were of a color with his
morals, and reported some very nasty
stories, quite bad enough for even the
best society to swallow, and George
| Wettemore consequently became judge
up to the present time. He was not
sweet man" by any means. He never
led young ladies or married ladies
into cosy corners, and whispered ten
der things into eager ears, but he was
much sought after nevertheless, and
no one could accuse him of favoritism,
and after awhile the stories died and
the judge became moral man." if |
not married one.
And the years passed on, as old time |
has habit of casting them behind |
him into that vast ocean of the past, |
leaving the bitter scraps of memory
along the wayside called experience.
Miss Harrington had one of these |
hurled at her as she entered the |
Workers room.
Seated before her writing desk in |
her own home she was vainly trying to |
overcome the pain.
Hot, sore tears fell on the letter be-
fore her, obscuring the writing, but |
she knew every word. They had been |
indelibly fixed in her heart for years.
They had cheered her dark and lonely |
life, that her woman pride had forced |
upon her. A hundred times had that |
seeming cold and stately old maid
pressed them to her lips in passionate
love. crying:
Darling, my darling J"
And yet the writer had been passed
with cold bow, and been in the same
company with her many, many times,
and she greeted him with perfect in
difference
Her love was undying, and her sor-
row was secret, for she was woman.
X
Judge Wettemore was i'll the doc
tor said he had no hope.
Judge Wettemore said something |
to the doctor, and that gentleman drove
with all speed to Miss Harrineton's 4
cottage. In few moments he drove /
back again with that lady at his side.
He led her to the sick mans door,
and softly closed himself out-stand-
ing, or walking guard in the hall, with
a curious face under his white hair.
Ollie, Ollie. At last you forgive?"
Almost tottering with the intensity
of her emotion, towar IS the sick man
she turned One little moment anu
the years were wiped out; his head was
resting over her weary, hungry heart,
the resplendence of her eloquent face,
giving him the loDged for answer.
When the doctor entered the room
again he received another commission,
and before another day was passed, old
mother Grundy was in highest glee,
telling her extensive family the news.
Judge Wettemore and Miss Har-
rington are married.
Widow Menken knew all about it.
Judge Wettemore got well the doc
tor couldn't help it; he said it was not
his fault.
When the new made husband was
we'll enough to travel, he took his wife
to the city, and they went to the ceme-
terry and stood beside little mound,
and she took some tear -dimmed let
ters and made an altar of the grave,
and burnt them.
Some portion of their contents may
interest the reader.
Would you cruelty sacrifice two
liy IS for an indiscretion, where the sin
was not premeditated, and the blame
as much on the other side? was not
myself-the other party designedly
placed themselves at the mercy of a
wine-mad boy. Ollie, have mercy on
me. | love you beyond even God, be-
yond everything on earth on my souls
salvation. | have made what atone
ment was in my power. With this
terrible lesson before me do you not
believe me, when tell you my sins are
of the past. With my mothers grave
haunting me sleeping or waking will
ever forget again or place myself at
the mercy of the tempter? God hear
me, NO.
"Ollie, my pure darling, do not turn
from the repentent."
George Wettemore-Do you dare
cast the burden of your degradation
on the woman Poor despisable Adam,
if there was but the least pity in my
soul for you, this attempt to tighten
your crime at the expense of your un-
happy companion would kill it. Our
life is apart. Never dare insult me
with a renewal Of your proposals.
Yourself and your future are dead to
me- | despise you, destroyer of inno-
cence, let this be your answer"
What queer contradiction a wo-
man is.
Miss Harrington, or rather Mrs.
Judge Wettemore, never thought it
necessary to inform the community
that she had q particular-if painful
interest in the little founding she
took under her protection, or that she
had the waif brought into the village,
or that the secret of its parentage be-
longed to her husband Judge Wette