Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-01-19

| ing AT inc amount OF Solln lnIOflna-
ton she had obtained.
1t was very foolish-how Lillian
did despise herself for it-but with
the utmost effort she could not take
herself out OF that Thanksgiving day
ten years ago. AS she listened to
the low murmur Of the doctors voice
as he explained to her this and that
symptom Of the sufferers around
them, her right hand still claspcd the
handle Of the silver pitcher, and over
and over again she was forced to
look upon the picture which the mir
ror in the old farm house had shown
her.
"Thls is new one,' sad the ply
sician, stopping before one of the
last cots. "She was brought IN las,
night in an insensible condition, and
hasn', rallied in the least"
Lilian's heart always went out with
unutterable longing to sufferers of
her own sex, and this woman's for
lorn condition touched her deeply.
"Intoxicated when she tell, am
quite sure" continued the doctor, as
Lillian examined the patient.
"ln'oxicateI," repeated Lillian;
''ani, doctor, she Is evidently from
the higher classes" And then she
stepped to the foot OF the bed,
strangely enough wishing to get a
better view Of the pallid features.
"Yes," replied the doctor; "but
you ought to know by this time that
that makes no difference"
"Do you know, doctor, where |
could find this woman's clothes?" III
quired Lillian in SO solemn voice
that the professor looked at her in
surprise.
"Certainly - yes" he answered.
'Thc contents of her pocket are In
the Office
Lillian had lifted the head, and
stood gazing into the dying woman's s
face with an eagerness which testi-
fled to previous acquaintance.
"Have you amy knowledge of this
woman?" continued the professor.
"If you think you have, l will bring
you the articles l had put away. l
believe her relatives have already
been sent for"
Lilian's selt-posscssion was hardly
proof against the Information which
the gentleman returned with. This
was the first thing which met her
eyes:
Ida-For the love of God, if you have
none for the only child you have left, re-
turn to your home For his sake l will
forgive everything, and this you know
full well. | have tracked you to your
present infamous quarters. Write or tel
egraph me where the coachman may take
you up, for, of course, cannot send him
there. ARCHIBALD.
The next letter bore the date of a
week back.
Willie was buried yesterday. did my
best to find you in time to look once more
upon his precious baby,f face. Oh Ida,
our last darling has gone, and his mother
was not near him. May God forgive you
for all the misery You have caused me-
A. C
On the envelope was written, in
Ila's hand, "Dead, and | did it,"
Another examination disclosed Il
still later note, begging the wretch
ed woman to return to hor home AMI
husband.
IL knew you never loved me-" it
SAID, "but | can be SO much kinder
to you than the wicked world you
have SO recklesSly thrown yourself
into. The doctor has ordered me
abroad, and feel that it is about NY
only chance for life. Come home,
and 90 with mel"
The remainder of the letter Lillian
could not read for her tears. The
nobility OF the husband and father
stood confessed. 1t was by no fault
or neglect of his that this wretched
woman had come TO such an end, for
surel ly her life was fast ebbimg away.
Lillian removed her things and an
nounccd her intention of remaining
until it was I'LL over.
Can it be possible?" she asked
herself, with quivering lip, "that this
distigurei creature, this bloated,
bruised mass OF diving humanity can
be my once beautiful ani gifted cou-
sin, Ida lIarris?"
Yes, there was the same golden
Gully hair, the same beautiful hands,
but only by them was the poor wom-
an recognizable.
An hour after she breathed her
last. Lillian had the body taken to
her own home and prepared for bur-
ial
THANKSGIVING evening Lillian sat
by the fire i'll her cheerful sitting
room, her head bowed upon her
hands, the destroyer of her happiness
dead in the next apartment.
No tidmgs had yet been received
from the husband, and Lillian feared
he had left the city, if not the coun-
try. Ter heart went out 20 him in
unutterable sympathy.
"Great Heavens! what must he not
have sutfered?" she moaned, rs she
saw again in her Imagination the dis
figured countcnance of the woman
who had once been his wife.
A ring of the bell.
"This way, if you please, sir" Lii
ian heard the servant say, and then a
slow, feeble step approached the
door.
His step, but how altered! Sum-
moning all her resolution, the brave
woman stepped to the door to meet
her visitor.
He did not look up at first, and
she found ample time to note the
change which had taken place in the
sorrowstricken man.
"Archlbald" she said, extending
both her hands IN warmest welcome.
Not word escaped the sufferers
lips. a smile of joy for one brief
monet lit up the pale features. Me
chanlcally he yr.sped her outstretch-
ID hands, his eyes rivetcd upon her
face, then, with groan fell back up
on chair, lnsenSible.
Weeks passed, and nelther reason
nor strength returned. Ida WAS car
rlcd to her last resting place, Archi-
bald all unconscious OF the cercmo-
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