Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-03-08

"Do not say it is gomez she cried
rising quickly and grasping my arm.
'sOh. God would not so aflict me! Look
everywhere for it, | BEG yon. ] pray
you!
Her hand shook so on my arm that |
could feel the quivering of her fingers
| tried to think TO whom / had sold a
cabinet that day; then it flashed over me
that there had not been one in the cata-
logue Had | made mistake and sent
it West? If so, it could be recovered. /
felt glad for my error, but the poor lit
tie woman mistook my silence and broke
down completely, and then / knew that
some great cause lay beneath her desire
to reclaim the cabinet.
1T is more to me than life or death!
1t means my cbildren's honor Listen,
and YOU will be influenced by my great
need to find this cabinet for me. / be-
ieve it contains the certificate of my
marriage and my children's baptism,
without which / cannot claim my hus-
bands estate in France. 1t is not the
money | want, but my children must
not be deprived of the right to their
fathers nameu'
She paused to look at me. ] felt as il
a severe tension on her nerves had given
way ut last, and quite crushed by the
fear Of her treasures being lost, her re-
serve had broken down and she appeal
ed to me in her need.
Fifteen years ago my husband de-
serted me. He was led away by evil
influences, and while for my children's
sake | would have pardoued him, |
never saw him again, or heard one
word Oh him until learned through the
papers that I've was dead and had left an
estate to his wife and children. could
not grieve, except that lac had died un-
forgiven by me / have toilcd Tor years
to maintain my children. So for their
salies applied TO the lawyer 20 obtain
possession of the estate Oh, the shame
of finding another claimant in Frace to
my children name and honor!
"The careful French lawyer said |
must prove our claim rs wife and child
rem by the production Of the marriage
and baptismal certificates And / did
not know where they We're! The min
lister was dead and the witnesses had
dishonored my children, and for days
could get no relief from my anxiety I'M
til by a flash as If from heaven remem-
bered that / had placed the certificates
and other papers in the old cabinet
had parted with to Clutchem IL Keep. ]
went to them; they had sent it here fol
sale, and now you"
She broke down with q moan of des-
pair. 1t was more than / could stand.
That cry and the pitiful story forced me
into action at once.
"You shall have back that cabinet,
madam, said solemnly, as if deyoting
my life to its search
"Oh, sir, you will do "a noble deed il
you find it for mel' she cried gratefully,
looking at me with beaming eyes.
Her face looked to me as if n halo
came over it, and dimly felt why had
stood bareheadcd before her. Truly
had | stood in deaths presence--the
death of hope and love in this poor
woman's life the requiem of gladness
and impulse
She left me with hopeful smile, tax.
ing my hand with pretty grace, and |
watched her 90 down the shadowy
into the sunlight of the street, but the
shadows seemed to fall from her.
/ telegraphed to the Western firm.
They had the cabinet and rectrned it at
once; so that before many DAYS the
nervous little fingers were searching in
the presence of the lawyer and myself
for the precious papers.
She found them! shall never forget
her face as she held them mp. The halo
was there as she said softly
Thank Godr'
1t seems to cling to me yet, and to
make me think how much misery our
evil passions can work for the innocent.