The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-26


hurrying to his counting house with his
heart full of the deepest sorrow.
"What ails Helen? Can she suspect
a1y thing? In three days to change like
that! | will tell her all. But she is 30
Jealous. She has told me she hated
flower if | admired it too warmly. How
would she bear to have me tell her
of Rosetta? No, no, not yet. Later,
perhaps, will tell her all-but not now,
not yet"
Yet it was evident that the secret op- |
pressed him, deepening the burrows on |
his brow, and casting a shadow into the |
depths of his large black eyes. The day |
passed busily, for it was the last |
week of the year, and merchants all |
know there is little time to waste in |
that week.
While Mr.. Raymond thrust back his
sad thoughts to give his whole mind to
business, Helen was striving to Danish
all unworthy suspicion from her mind,
trying to remember nothing but the love
lavished upon herself, and the year of
unalloyed happiness she had passed.
| She was in her sitting-room, with a
dainty piece of embroidery in her
hands, trying to interest hSrself in the
1
nounced: "The woman, Mrs. Raymond,
who was here yesterday"
| Looking up, she saw standing in the
doorway a tall, rather pleasant-face Irish
woman, who held by the hand little
girl of about seven years of age. Look
ing at the child, Helen saw large black
eyes, a pale complexion, delicate fea-
lures, and a mouth of great sweetness,
oI- ot 10 ForJI
lightning glance that took all this in,
and the woman was invited to take
seat. She seemed terribly embarrassed,
playing with the fringe OF her shawl, ad-
justing the child's hat, and getting so
red in the face that Helen really feared
she weuld burst blood vessel.
"You wished to see me" she said,
at last. "Can l be of any service to
your
"Well, ma'am, if you will, you can
serve me, and do a good turn for your
husband at the same time; but it's a
won't hear me out"
81 do not understand you," Helen
forced herself to say.
az am afraid you will not listen to all
have to say. If you will promise,
ma Fam, to let me finish my story, I'll tell
, you how you can do good turn for
husband who loves you"
) "You have said that twice. Tell
3 your story. l will hear you tell it
| ALL"
3 "Well, ma'am, and thank you, too
/ it's long one, to be sure. It's little
: more than twelve years ago, ma am, that
: 1 was cook in Mrs. Raymond's family
: that's your husbands mother, ma am
3 and she wanted girl to help her lady's
' maid / had little slip of sister
a ma am, only sixteen, and Mrs. Raymond
e took her for the work. She had beer
f there three months when Mr.. John came
v home from abroad, where he had been tt
; finish his studies, they say. An only
e son he was, and his parents were sc
il proud of him that they nearly wor
o SHIPPED him, yet holding him in gooe
!, control, too, and telling him sometime
J. of the great marriage he would make
e Well, ma'am, we were all blind, hi
II father and mother, and myself. mus
e tell you, she was very beautiful, m.
2, sister Rosetta"
d Helen turned so pale, that tn
e woman paused, but she signed to her t
e 60 on.
d "Well, ma am, it was a good year be
fore any one suspected what was goin
,r on, and then Rosetta ran away in tn
10 night. Nobody knew where she ha
,e gone, and l was turned away withou
n any reason given for it. 1t was fou
q years, and not word came to me fror
ID my sister, when one day Mr.. John hin
or self came to the house where was, an
no said to me, Maria, come to Rosett.
he She is very ill, and she wants YOU So
al left all and went to her. She was 1ivin
,ss in as pretty cottage outside the tow
n. and found her in bed, with wee bah
no nestled up to her breast. She told n
II that she knew MIR. John had made
hi mistake in taking her away; that he ha
sb tried to teach her and make lady
nm her, but she could not learn. She WI
ps very happy, she said, and he had give
he her every kindness; but she was gls
IN. to die, and leave him free to mar
he again"
in She was his wife2" said Hele
as hoarsely.
sft The woman flushed angrily, and Dire
se, a paper from her bosom.
"There's the certificate, ma'am.
took it, and l took the child, when 81
-, died the next day. Mr.. Raymond W
70 good to her, and he has been good to Il
~ child; but he was not fit wife for hir
Nd 1t was a very young mans love for
oil beautiful face, and when that died O
M sot there was nothing left. Still, he W
~ good to her. But now, ma'am, L
ne ao, wanting to 60 away. I've been marie
aU aso four years, and I've got two children
5So ot my own, and my husbands got go'
~ nf offer to go to India; only here's t
% child. Nobody living but me knows
&C my sisters marriage and Mr.. Raymon
tia 1 can see, can not make up his mind
~ tell you. The little girl is old enoul
10 70 now to be put to school, but he shrin
;oI from that, too, because he must own b
no. in some way. Now, ma'am, you knt
III the story"
leu CTS this the child ?'' said Helen.
ant yes, ma'am. Rosetta, speak to-
3ue ;u lady,"
I n5 But the child only looked shyly
~ ,nu her, while Helen scanned her face a
,un dress. In the latter, there was eve
,at evidence of the generosity of her faith
"a and no less the vulgar taste of her aul
~ 1's Rich material, ill-assorted colors, a
"' gaudy trimmings marred the beautii
=, face, and took away from it the refl
tne ment nature had placed there.
ner "Wait herep She must be alor
nat she must think.
My "She's dazed like" the woman sa
len to herself, as Helen rose and left t
,re, room; and dazed like she indeed felt
1eo she shut herself in her bedroom, q
ma, nat tried to compose her mind.
I'LL If he had only trusted her! If he b
nee only told her why the shadow rested
SHY often on his brow She would glao
aad have given the child a place in her no
tne and heart if her husband had asked
ter- to do so. But it was so hard to hs
de- such story told her by strangers lip
to have the closed secrets of his
MIS- opened by such rude hands.
lien "Let the child stay heretill noon,"s
was said. in quiet tone, "and come ag