The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-06

the light thai slreamed from the window |
he could see that her face was flushed.
A great tide of anger against himself
swelled through his breast.
"Already," ne thought, 81 am bringing
my curse upon her," but he smiled as he
surrendered the little basket of delica-
cies she had brought for the sick woman /
to her, and said he would wait and es-
cort her home.
She raised the latch and opened the |
door, and as she did so he saw through |
the opening an old woman sitting by a |
bed on which lay younger woman with |
u dark Spanish face and long tresses o T
curling black hair, and as he saw, a |
sound that WAS half curse and half a
cry burst from his lips, and involuntarl-
ly he took Il step and crossed The tnresh
old.
The effect OF his entrance was no less
marvellous upon the woman. She start
ed to q sittin g posture ana looked AZ him
with wild, Sharing eyes, and gasped as
though she wished to speak but could
not.
"Ralph Wlltonp she cried. at length,
shave YOU not wronged me enough?
Must you track me here TO torture me
further? Away, sa, Go back to your
paiDLe harlOt, and leave me, your de-
serted wife, to DIE in peace"
Ralph WiIton's head was bowed in
shame. and with clasped hands he knelt
by the bed and murmured "Lenal for
give meV
The woman did not answer. She had
fallen back upon the bed again, aud the
old nurse rose quickly and laid her hand
upon her breast.
"No, SIR. Willan," she said, solemnly,.
| tshe VIII never forgive you. Goa mas
taken away the power"
He did not hear Kneeling by the
bed, his face was buried in his hands,
while great sobs That seemed almost to
| reud his frame burst from nIs lips.
| And Beatrice. She had shrank into
corner ot the room, covering there as
though some one mad struck her death
blow, Two hectic spots burned upon
ner cheeks, and she seemed to pant Tor
some where to turn and fly. But when
she saw this strong man's bitter agony,
ner great, noble heart forgot its own eX
ceeding pam, and went out III pity Tor
his, She quickly crossed the room and
laying her hand gently on his arm, bent
down to whisper some words OF comfort
to him.
He started at her touch, aud turning
Ihs eyes, red and swollen, towards her,
look the skirt of her dress and kissed II.
"God bless yOu," lie sObbed, you
are nuOler and kinder tnan ever lie was
You do not cast ME from you. DO not
condemn me too quickly. she was M
wife. | married ner Wnen l was but u
lboy and she old enough to be my mother.
Sue has been the curse OF my ne. was
not faithful to her, but, as COO ls my
liudge she was most 10 blame. she lett
me in u tit OF jealousy, but l dld NOT
desert her. gave her more money than
hq Al
a right 10 more than that, but when my
boyIsh infatuatiOn Was over though the
marriage into which had been inveigled
still bound me, had not more TO give
lOi Miss ldyard-Beatrioe-l me-
still keep your pity even though you
despise meW
81 do pity you, but to despise you
have no fignt,' she said.
she hau nerved herself 10 speak
steadily, and, though her words were
cold, there was the light OF great, un
iutterable pity sbining III her eyes, az
there might have ueen in the eyes OF the
mother OIL God.
Stall he was on his knees before her
and again he kissed her garmeApS hem
and blessed her.
~ love you,' he crlea--I adore you
worship you. YOU are my only Gud
But know am not worthy to SIS tu,
dust before your footsteps Yet yul
Will give ME your hand betVfe 90, alC
tell me to sin no more, aud hope"
IL was trying her almost too lar. ShC
| could not speak, but she held her tremb
lug little hand towards him, and h,
, seized it and covered it win burning
A kisses.
= "YOu have saved me-" he cried. I"
l will try and be better man, that yo'
may not regret having wasted your pit.
E; upon me. Gou mas sent J ou to be III
! guardian angel, and when have repent
9 cd aud reformed my ways L Will com
i back to show you tue victory you nav
# wrought over sin and shame"
4 He darted through the door into tn
= darkness and was gone, While Beatric
o went back to the quiet little parsonag
Y with a bitter pan IN her young near
yet soothed somewhat by the though
l. that he would come back again.
.. But Ralph Wiltou's nature was not
n the sort TO 20 away IN soIlLude and IT
= nent. A nature that could do this YOU
never have been guilty OF an act tny
of needed 1t to 40 go, and would not dc /
d ii it had, and Ralph Wilton, with hi
o proud, fiery, impetuous nature crushe
with remorse, yet smartlng with humIl
/. alton believing nothing, having faith i
u
II stand Lne ordeal. For moHth or TWO Il
stroVe, maniuily ~ carry out his dete
t. muation, but he br0Oded over the pa
rather than looked 10 tue future. u til /
n bred in his heart sucH a sense OF has . y
Ne utter unWOrtnlness, aau wiz uespa
tuat sue could never be his, that AT la
~ ne cursed God, ANA Fate and hanc
Z. land plugged lnto the widest Of eXces
es. such as he had never been guilty
/ before, to try and 10, get his misery
Ie Wnlie Beatrice, up III thaL tie Sc
" side parsonage, sLiIl trusted and hop,
ii and prayed lur MN, enduring the "lon
81 uull anguish of paLence' until u yei
ID went by, when, her uncle dying sudde
I'd iy, she was left alone in the world.
re- From QUE OF her uncie's old frienC
n. who came up from London to the tuner
re she neard news Vt Ralph.
v- eyes" he said, ne was a fine your
IL man. but he mas gone Completely to Il
OF bad. He mas Oroken ouv OF bounds
ID ogether during The last lew month
It, There was time when he seemed
nave reformed completely, but i. On
s, asted few months. A great pity, TO
I'd with such u tine fortune, 10 60 TO t
bad.' And The old gentleman shook
~ head gravely and slipped some more
IL the fuli-Dodled unereal port
ST And Beatrice, oil course, should ha'
TX cast him oui OF her thoughts as il
le were utterly bad and hardened in s
a insteAd of being WeHk and errinp nj