The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-04-16

could not believe her that. But at last
there came day when / was forced to
believe. I could doubt hearsay, but I
could not doubt his spoken words; and
heard him tell that girl he loved her bet
ter than all the world beside.
The bitterness of that hour shall
never forget. ! was too proud to CEN
sure him, or to sue for love that was
mine by right; but I vowed that would
not live with the man who had given his
love to another. I packed up what few
things needed for Chester and myself,
and sent my husband on an errand to the
city. Of course Mabel accompanied
him. Then I started out in the great,
wide world, with no friend but my inno-
cent boy. left my husband this note
''SIR:-I have called you husband for
the last time while life remains; blush
for shame to be obliged to call you the
father of my boy. You are free to love
Mabel. Some women might forgive you
I never can. She is weak and easily in
fuenced; that is my excuse for her. l
have none for you; you knew you was
breaking the holiest vow of your life,
and disgracing your wife and child. You
need not follow me, for you will not
find me; henceforth we are strangers
The letter was written in bitterness of
soul; it seemed as though my love had
turned to hate; yet loved Harvey with
my whole soul. I had no money. /
would not take one cent from him.
stood on the bridge where the stage
would pass me. Soon I saw it coming.
I told the driver that I was going away,
and asked for ride. He looked at me,
and questioned me until told him all.
He advised me to return, but I told him
that would seek rest beneath the water
of the river before I would return to
my dishonored home. He took me in,
and at the station handed me ten dollars,
saying:
s'You may need it. Keep it; pay me
when you can And may God bless and
keep you"
From my inmost soul, I thanked the
kind old man. In after years was able
to repay his kindness, but never the debt
of gratitude owe.
I took the first train for Portland, only
to mislead my husband, for at the first
transfer station took the train for the
mountains. It necessitated me making
extra change, but was my safest plan. I
had one friend there I could depend on;
he obtained situation as table girl for
me in one of the large hotels. I passed
for widow; for was I not worse than
widowed?
Chester was the favorite of the house,
and more than one gentleman would
have given him presents or money; but
I would not permit it. I hated all men.
I believed them all false, weak or self
ish; presents from ladies he accepted
- l.
you very kind. But to gentlemen he al
ways said: "Thank you; mamma won't
let me"
This made me the subject for COM
ments, more than one wondering why
hated men SO much. Inever smiled, un-
less it was on my boy. had grown sad
and silent. I believe 1 should have gone
mad. had it not been for his sweet, child
ish love.
At last Harvey found me. It was in
vain that he pleaded for me to return; I
would not. I could never trust him
again. He pleaded for one glimpse of
his boy. I would not permit him, say
I did not want him to remember the
father who had disgraced him. I might
doubt his love for me, but I could not
doubt his love for his boy, and knew
it was cruel blow 1 dealt him with
those words; but I had grown hard to-
ward him, aud he had made me so. He
left me, vowing to take away the boy.
Who Harvey was soon became known,
and / was again the subject of talk,
either of censure or pity. I could not
endure to be made the topic of converse
tion for the house, neither could en-
dure the constant dread of my husband !;
SO left my situation, SO shut up my own
misery that could not give even one
sigh of regret for the beautiful scenery
that at one time would have filed my
soul with rapturous Joy.
chose far distant village this time
as place of refuge. I was successful in
getting situation as seamstress for one
of the summer visitors to the place, and
when she returned home for the winter I
accompanied her. I was happier with
her than L had been since leaving my
own home. She knew my history, and
did not blame me. She loved my boy,
and SO won the heart of the mother.
The next summer we again sought the
One day I was reading in a
secluded spot, when gentleman dressed
in hunting costume approached me. I
had been slightly acquainted with him
the previous summer, and knew his
name. It was Stevens. He raised his
cap cautiously, and made few common
place remarkse He made no allusion to
the past or to the fact that we had ever
met before; yet knew he recognized me-
He was stopping at the same hotel with
us, and that evening saw him bringing
Chester up the steps; and from that time
they were firm friends.
could not help liking Lawyer Ste
vens. He never threw himself in my
way, never questioned me, and was al
ways kind and obliging. One night he
handed me a paper; there was marked
paragraph in it which read, and knew
that henceforth was Free I caught my
boy in my arms and fed to my own room,
and wept the only tears that I had ever
she'd for the man who had wronged me.
do not think forgave him even then;
but death had brought pity for his mis-
spent life, and in after years I could say
forgave, even as I hoped to be for
given. He left his property to my boy.
It was long time before I saw Law
yer Stevens again, and when I did there
was no allusion made to the paper by
either of us. Before the summer was
over he asked me to be his wife. / re-
fused, telling him I could never trust
my man again. 1t was in vain he
pleaded; I was firm; SO we parted as
friends, not lovers.
I met him again in the city. I had
earned to miss him since we parted, and
welcomed him cordially, while Chester
,lim mbed upon his knees. saying: