The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-06-25

fOuI ducO0u0 q
/ impIored him to do, | could have
saved him but he obstinately per-
sisted 10 asserting his innocence until
ii was too late"
$50 did IN cried Ruth. eff an
angel from heayenn-here she raised
her hand upward-''had told me that
nv husband was guilty of such q
crime, | would not have believed IT"
"But you must believe it now the
evidence is too conclusive for you to
doubt
Ruth made DO reply but as the
speaker looked npon the bowed head
that was now resting upon her hands,
be felt that the opportunity be had
sought for bad come.
you have been q good, true
wife, be continued, ito q man ut
terIy unworthy of the wealth of love
you have lavished upon him. You
have alienated every friend, and beg
CARED yourself for his sake, and what
has it avsiled you or himg Think OF
your child, and do not make a wreck
of her life as well as your own. The
law gives the right of divorce to the
wife whose husband has been con-
victed Of an otfense like this, and you
can be free if you will avail yourself
of it-free to become the honored
wife Of a man who will surround
you and your child with every CON-
fort and luxury. 1t cuts me to the
heart to see you, who would grace
any position, 10 such a wretched
place as this. For the sake Of your
child, Ruth"
Light as was he touch of the hand
that was laid upon her arm, Ruth
shrauk from it as from a blow.
P~erceiving this, Mr.. Brougbton
drew back, resuming his place by the
door.
Don't decide now; weigh the
matter carefully. | will come for
yeur answer tomorrow night"
"I'm so glad he's gone."
Ruth looked down upon the little
curly head that was r. sting upon Der
shoulder.
why are you glad, Maud? Don't
YOU like him ?"
mo. | want papa"
There was something 10 this allu'
sion that stung Ruth. she hardly
knew why.
"You can't have your father,
Maud, and | wish you wouldn't tall
about him."
"Wby ~
Maud strongly resembled heI
father, and as Ruth gazed into the
violet eyes which were fixed upon
hers with such a look of innocent
wonder it almost seemed as if be
was pleading through the child with
her.
Crushing down the tender and
subduing memories that rushed over
her, she said in a husky whisper:
"Your father is gone, Maud, a
long way from US both"
Unelasping her arms from her
moth er's neck, Maud stood mp, her
clear, childish voice ringing cut with
q note of defiance;
Gle can't go so far away but what
I snail find him some day."
1t was late when Ruth slept that
night; and then her slumbers were
broken and her dreams strange and
terrible. She remembered only one
with any degree of clearness. She
thought she was standing, with her
husband, beside a little coffin, when
her wedding ring slipped from her
finger and lay in the dust az her feet
Picking it up, her husband put il
back upon her hand, saying as he
pointed to the coffin, whose occupant
she could not see for the flowers that
covered it.
"For the sake of our child Ruth y
With a SILVER of terror at hel
heart Ruth awoke. Springing to heI
feet, she bent over the pillow where
Maud lay tossing and moaning in heI
sleep.
MAUD, darling ?n
"0hl mamma, my head! ny
head %
At the close of the following day
Ruth held a lump of clay in her arms
all that was left of the child she 81
idolized.
The kind-hearted neighbors will
their proffered aid and sympathy haC
gone, and the bereaved mother wa
left alone with her bitter remorsefC
thoughts. Throwing herself upol
her knees she put up an earnes
prayer for aid and comfort. Whel
she arose, the wave against whicl
she had battled in her own strength
go vainly, were still, land there wa
q great calm"
"You have come for your answer
Mr.. Broughton 2"
Il have come for my answer
Ruth"
Mr. Broughton gazed upon th
still sweet features of the dead, ant
then upon the face of the spea ker
which looked almost as cold an,
white.
"Mr. Broughton, when KNOWN,
my weakness and destitution you ap
pealed to the mothers love Tor he
c.ild, you placed a strong temptation
10 my way. But He who does no
suffer his children to be temple,
above what they can bear, has re
moved it, al you can see; ant
though nv heart is too full Of an
guish to thank MIN for it now,
know that / shall some day. G,
and never let me look upon your evi
face again"
A year later, as Ruth sat bending
YEARLY over the coarse work in hel
lap, q letter was handed her from
which a small key dropped as sb'
opened it. It's contents were as fol
lows:
Ruth: When you read these lines
the hand that traced them will b,
cold in death, and my ear deaf t,
whatever ~reprosches you may heal
upon my memory. The enclosed
key belongs to a bcx, which you car
have on application to my executors
and whose contents will prove you
husbands entire innocence of thu
charge brought against him.