The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-04-25

I loved him bat no one hut God knew
how well, and l would crush it oIt from my
heart. 1 only wanted a lhtln time TO ont.
grow my shame. and then ecu he the
true mother neain. I could give him 70 my
child willingly when knew that he had won
my heart with honest worth.
One evening As ] sat, long alter nd light,
musing, lonely aud sad in my little room-I
heard the rustling Of soft garments l., ~ my
door. and upon listening cins-r, was sgre |
could hear a sob low aid dep. | spTang
TO the door. ard founG nay ~daagttrr X tie
kneeling uTon the threshold, ale end ear
ful.
II ffared you were sleeping, mamma"
she said, but 10 long 81 ton you some
thing which lies heavily ca my Ia arr"
/ led her in, and hid htr close 10 my
heart, while sobbingly she told me how She
had learned to love DR.. Grahame; how ut
first he lad seemed to return all and more
than see gave him low he had spoken
words which gave her heart hops that she
did not love in vain and now she feared
that she had given her heart in retlr=- fcI
nothing. My heart stood still while ] asked
her to tell me what were hi last words,
"Only these, mamma Little Katie, j
hope some time to have the right TO love
and protect you always"
Merciful heavens the same words by
which he had caught the articles heart Of
my Mayi
This was Infamous, and as the memory
of my own foolish love rose before my eyes,
my face crimsoned with shame, and grief
kept me silent. l pressed my child to my
heart closer, closer, and vowed to bo re-
venged on the man who had brought this
misery upon us.
No sleep visited my wretehed pillow that
night, and when daylight finally appeared ]
was nearly wild with the fever of anxiety
which had complete mastery Of my soul.
How could i tell this man he must leave
us2 How could 1 let my little May know
that she had been duped by the same win.
some subtleties which had deceived her sis
ter? Yet it must be done this monster mus,
not sleep another night in theh house he had
defled. II must be done, and / must do il
The day was long in passing, but at last
evening came, and the hour which always
brought him from his days labor, some
times weary and old-looking, but always
kind and gentlo-the g%entleness of the willy
fox, I thought, now that ! knew his baseness
/ heard him open the little gate, and come
up the walk, the steps, and into the house.
I met him at the parlor door, and breathless
with agitation, babe him enter.
"Dr. Grahame," / whispered, for I had
no voice to speak aloud, I'VE must part. ]
am q lonely, unprotected woman. Leave me
and mine, and my house, / implore you'll"
He turned deadly pale, and catching my
hands in both his, exclaimed while he trem-
bled In every limb
mot till you tell me you will not give mo
the right TO protect you always"
Great heavensl those words again, and
10 mol Wa the man mad? l tried 10
snatch my hands from his, but he held me
fast, while he called aloud, Katie May |
come, comet" And when they few to my
side In alarm, he cried, ooh, Katie! Oh,
May help me to persuade the sweet mother
to give me the right to protect you all
forever. You each gave me your promise
long ago. I love her. / a her for my
wife. Repeat your dear consents, my
daugh,ersi"
And that was what he meant, after all ;
and it was me he loved, in spite Of age, and
the sweet girls who were each old enough
70 be his wife?