The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1879-09-26

j
soF lie. Some medical man was alrcad
acre, bending over the child ana anx
.usIy gain at its contorted and liv,
atures, but, as faras | could see, DON.
out little to assist in the battle agains
death .He left at once, and Marian
looked up in my face and said
Thank God, yon4hsre come! He wa.
doIng no good. Oh, Harold save m,
sahy save aysoAild r.
y will do what | can to save on,
child, | answered.
called servant and gave nv in
struct'ons. IN q few minutes the room
vas filled with sapor, every vent being
carefully guarded. The cloud Of vapor
kept on steadily increasing till drops OF
water began to trickle down the walls
o'lll the Child on Marian lap lay almost
choked, Its struggles growing fainter
ana fainter each succeeding time. The
ctoad was still pouring into the room,
and nothing more could be done, Sc /
stood al Aarlans knee watching for the
approach Of some favorable symptom.
only once Marian spoke, and then it was
g ask ne, with blanched face aud talter
rs Ups t there was any hope.
10 tue last moment, yes, answered,
and she was relieved At once, hardly
somprthending from my words how faint
that hope was.
Presently the struggles grew more
frequent gradually the aim st lifeless
lmos beeame imbued with fresh yigor,
'he heavy lids relaxed, the gasps TO-
breath became more efectual. and With :.
mighty effort nature asserted her sway.
In short time baby was nesting peace
ally in Marian's arms, wrapped in
sweet, life giving slunlber
Whea he was laid in his cot, his
mother turned to me aud said paiAeticalIy.
Oh, Harold !! when baby was SO near
death. and you 50 far away, / could not
help see how wicked had been to leave.
you as I did. VIII yon forgive me, dear,
md take me back for baby's sake 7"
! could only kiss her and press her /,
ny heart. After awhile salls 1T was
only those words, Win you forgive me- 2
Shat I wanted. If you would have spoken
them sooner we need never have parted. =
Oh, Harold how can you !? II. vas moi
hat ! was asking you to fars;ss. ~, b:
mr. folly in leaving You. an as ianocenl
q taking that wretchel money as m, |
own child. Won't you believe me p
4 do, my darling, DO" replied, with
genuine delight. Il would have believed
fou then, if Jou had said this to me /; but
'ou know you never deigned me q word,
md what was TO think ~
4 was SO horrided at your suspecting
ne that fancied it was beneath me to
leny It. ! can not now understand what
could have prompted you to think such
lreadful thing ofme. Il was very hard
0 bear"
was beginning to wonder. too, how
:ould have suspected my own Marian.
circumstances and my mother we're more
Q blame than ], however
Tn answer, I murmured something
bout Frank.
"Ah that letter to Frank remember
t. You were always SO hard on him that
didn't like to tell You about It. He
eally had been trying to keep on steadily
t the post your kindness had obtained
i'm, but old debts were constantly com.
ng in, and his limited salary would not
1eet them and keep him we'll There
as one man who pressed him hard for
10. He had spent his last quarters
alary within pound or two, and more
.ould not be coming for some time. He
'rote and told me this. asking me to ]
elp him, but | could not. He wrote
gain, and said he must draw on his sal
~, but ! begged him not to do so, 80
oon. was sure his employers, would
link it q bad sign. The man threatened
expose his former habits to the firm, I
hieh you know might have ruined him
ith them. ] resolved to help him this
nee, and in order to do so sold my dia.
.ond brooch, which scarcely ever had
eeasion to wear. | got :e10 for it and /
mt him notes to that amount-he little
aessed at what cost.
"Ny poor, prosecuted, selfgaerifcing
tile woman; why did you not tell NE all u
is 7 Why could you not trust me p
'Why could you not trust me r.
arian demanded, half playfnlly, half
lthetically. Then she added earnestly,
have been very much to blame. was
.oud, and self willed, and all sorts Of
d things, and then leaving you vas
orse than all. Harold, dear, I am 50 ).
hamed Of my self for that. No woman
justified il leaving her husband On SO
ght d pretezt as hail.