The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-07-08
The Daily Bulletin.
A TRAGEDY;
Or
i. THE STORY Of THE CHAIN PIER

a DOdlIUd1l ~, anu lHC
contained little drowned child-a fair
waxen babe, beautiful even though it
had lain in the salt, bitter waters OF the
green sea all night. Now comes the
horror, Mrs. Fleming. When the man
who saw the scene went, after some
years, to visit the friend whom he loved
so dearly, he recognized in that friends
wife the woman who threw the child
into the sea
Again came the sound that was like
nothing human.
What was that man to dop" |
asked. "IIe could not be silent; the
friend who loved and trusted him must
have been most basely deceived-he
could not hide murder yet the woman
was so lovely, so lovable she was SEEM
ingly so good, so charitable, so devoted
to her husband, that he was puzzled,
tortured; at last he resolved upon tell
ing her. have told you.
Then silence, deep and awful, fell
over us; it lasted until | saw that |
must break it. She lay motionless on
the ground her face buried in the
grass.
What should you have done in that
mans place, Mrs. Fleming" | asked.
Then she raised her face; it was
winter, more despairing, more CHASTITY
than had seen it on the pier.
III knew it must come" she walled
"Oh! Heaven, how often have Threaded
this--I knew from the first"
Then it ,CdS your" ! said.
at was me-" she replied. III need
not try to hide it any longer, why
should II Every leaf on every tree,
every raindrop that has fallen, every
wind that has whispered has told it
aloud ever since. If hide it from you
someone else will start up and tell, If
DENY it, then the very stones in the
street will cry it out. Yes, it was me-
wretched, miserable mt, the most mis-
cradle, the most guilty woman alive-it
was me-"
My heart went out to her in fulness
of pity-pOor unhappy woman. sobbing
her heart ont; weeping. as surely no
one ever wept before. 1 wished that
Heaven had made anyone else her judge
than me. Then she sat up facing me,
and wondered what the judge must
think when the sentence of death pass
es his lips. | knew that this was the
sentence of death for this woman.
you never knew what passed after,
did your" | asked,
"No-not at all, was the half sullen
reply-''not at all.
ibid you never purchase Brighton
paper, or look into London paper to
seer"
NO" she replied.
"Then will tell you" said, and |
told her all that had passed. How the
people had stood round the little baby,
and the men cursed the cruel hands
that had drowned'the little babe
did they curse my hands?n she
asked, and saw her looking at them in
wonder.
Yes; the men said hard words, but
the women were pitiful and kind; one
kissed the. little face, dried it, and
kissed it with tears in hereyes. Was it
your own child?" u.
There was long pause, a long ST.
lence, a terrible few minutes, and then
she answered:
Yes, it was my child
Her voice was full of despair; she
folded her hands and laid them on her
lap.
II knew it must come" she said.
"Now let me try TO think what must
do. | meet now that which | have
dreaded so long. Oh, Lance my love
Lance my love Lance. You will not
tell himyn she cried, turning to me
with impassioned appeal, You will
not!--you could not break his heart and
mine!-you could not kill me- Oh, for
Heavens sake, say you will not tell
him?n
Then found her on her knees at my
feet, sobbing with passionate cries-I
must not tell him, it would kill him.
She would 60 away, if said she must;
she would 60 from the heart and the
home where she had nestled in safety so
long; she would die; she would do any
thing II only would not tell him. lie
had loved and trusted her so-she loved
him SO dearly, | must not tell. If !
liked, she would 60 to the river and
throw herself in. She would give hei
| life freely, gladly--if only | would no,
tell him.
| So ! sat holding, as it were, the pas
| sionate, aching heart in my hand.
You must calm yourself" | said
LET talk reasonably We canno,
talk while you are like this
| She beat her white hands together
and could not still her cries; they wer,
all for "Lance!"-''her love Lancet"