Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-10-01
more often afterwards away from home

and how wiser than q serpent he had
been Ia never letting his wife suspect
II, II spoke Of our blue'eycd Jona'e
--how proud no would bc, 10 show
papa, on his next visit, his first Jacket
aud trousers, 1t spoke OF my being
wholly dependent on him In my III
health, and how blessed | bad been
In gaining the love Of no good a man
Il reminded him ever 10 dcllcalely ol
u certain allowance that no had prom
ised me from the beginning OF that
current year, but the enc thing that
brought conviction to Mrs' Deanos
mind, aud / knew II would when !
thought of il, was telling him in the
letter how Johnnie had seen his back
in the looking'glass and had discover
cd mole Just like papas,' on his
shoulder.
~ happened TO bc aware OF this
mark on Mr.. Deane's shoulder from
overhearing his sister say that
all her family had II precisely
in the same spot, and she looked tor II
on her nephew as he sat on my lap
81 studied every sentence OF the
letter as one studies the iace OF a sick
child looking for hope in it, My
love for Mr. Dcane had nevefgone out
Of my heart (iirst love never does, !
think), and all these years l have
kept account more or less closely OF
his habits and welfare. knew that
he was often driven from home by
his business, aud that he was obliged
to be away many days at n time.
In a few days had notice from "A
clearinghouse in New York that q
certain sum would be paid mo every
year by order Of Mrs. Isabel Deane. 1t
was precisely the amount Of the allow
ance had mentioned iIf my letter.
not an extravagant sun, but just
enough to support my boy and me de-
Gently.
"She could spare it well enough, and
after all, don't know why / should
be sorry for doing it She Lad more
than her share Of happiness but have
often wondered how she took my
littls thUnderbolt. | heard she went
to Europe with her children.
Madeleine Dejoux had said all this
in a high constrained voice, as if she
had been wound up to run just so many
minutes. She now sank down among
her pillows, and seemed to be bracing
herself to receive my wrath in what
ever form it might break upon her.
For one black instant I had 4 saw
age longing TO clutch her throat and
shake out of her what little life she
had left; but the great joyfulness of
the tidings that could send to Isabel
swept it away. l should been a bang
indeed to give another turn on that
rack on which remorse and disease
had long bound her. l felt the con-
tempt for the workings of such mind
when she looked into my eyes again.
Il see you have been furious she
said, reading me as though l had
been printed in large type; "but now
you have turned scorntul. You used
to be a devout admirer of Mrs'Deane,
who with all her tameness could tacl'
nate men and women both. l know
all the wires that men are pulled by !;
but I never had woman friend unless
you will be one.'
"I-I your friend ~ said with q
shudder did not try to hide.
"Never mind !" she said YEARLY, l
can do without it as l always have. l
see your interest in me ends with this
interview. You would trample me
under your feet if you could help Mrs.
Deane by it.
"That is of courss. | may think OF
YOU in connection with Mrs. Deane's
sorrow as one thinks of a serpeat in
the ruin of Eve .; we follow her for
tune ever after, but l don't know that
any body cares what become of the
particular serpent.
Il was sorely tempted she plead
ed, sand l could not see my boy
starve.
"Where is your boy now 7"
"Oh he is dead. l never repented
until them
"And if he had lived you would
never have undeoeived your victim
you would have let her drag out her
life in torturing doubt her husbands
faith.
"Yes l think So"
"And l think so too," l said draw
ing my cape, which she had never let
90, out of her hand. ''You are mis-
taking remorse for repentance but