The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-09-26
CHAPTER xvI-CoSrrxurD.

CHAPTER ANI--CoNTINUED.
'Dear Mary" he said. ..if you could
cnly know how constant my thoughts
are to YOU" She did not doubt that it
was SO; but Just so constant were her
thoughts to John Gordon. But from
her to him there could be 20 show of
affection = nothing but the absolute
GOODNESS of perfect silence. She had
passed the whole evening with him last
night, and had not been allowed to
speak single word to him beyond the
ordinary greetings of society. She had
felt that she had not been allowed to
speak a single word to any one. be-
cause he had been present. Mr.. Whit
tlestatf had thrown over her the deadly
mantle of his ownership. AND she had
consequently felt herself % be debarred
from all right over her own words and
actions. She had become his slave: she
felt herself in very truth to be poor
creature whose only duty it was in the
world TO obey his volltion. She had
told herself during the night that. with
all her motives for loving him, she was
learning TO regard him with absolute
hatred. And she hated herself because
it was SO. Oh, what tedious affair
was this of living! How tedious, how
sad and miserable, must her future days
be, SO long as DAYS should be left to
her! Could it be made possible to her
that she should ever be able to do her
duty by this husband of hers--for her,
in whose heart of hearts would be seat
ed continually the image of this other
man?
Blythe bye" said he, 81 want TO see
Mrs. Baggett. | suppose she is about
somewhere
''Oh, dear. yes. Since the trouble of
her husband has become nearer, she is
earlier and earlier every day. Shall |
send her2 Then she departed. and
in few u inutes Mrs. Baggett entered
the room
Come in. Mrs. Baggett.'
Yes, sir"
Il have lust few words which
want to say to Won. Your husband has
gone back to Portsmouth. -
''Yes. sir; he have" This she said
in very decided tone. a. though her
master need trouble himself no further
about her husband
Il am very glad that it should be so.
It's the best place for him-unless he
could be sent 10 Australia"
HE amt a-done nothing to fit him.
self for Botany Bay. Mr.. Whittiestaff,"
said the old woman, bobbing her head
at him.
81 don't are what place he has fitted
himself for, so long as he doesn't come
here. He i.a disreputable old man."
- l,o
Mr.. Whittlestaff. He amt a-done moth
ing mu h TO you, barring sleeping in
the stable one night when he had
drop o drink too much" And the old
woman pulled out a great handker-
chief and began to wipe her eyes pit
eouslv.
What a fool You are. Mrs. Baggett"
"Yes; am a fool knows that =
Here's this disreputable. old man
eating and drinking your hard-earned
wages
but they are my wages. And who's
a right to them, only he?"
II don't say anything about that,
only he comes here and disturbs YOU"
well, yes; he is disturbing: if it's
only because of his wooden leg and red
nose. don't mean to say as he's the
sort of man as does credit to a gen.
tleman's house to see about the place
But he was my lot in matrimony, and
I've got to put up with him. l amt
agoing to refuse to bear the burden
which came to be my lot. don't sup
pose he's earned single shilling since
he left the regimont, and that is hard
upon 4 poor woman who's 90. nothing
but her wages"
Now look here. Mrs. Baggett."
"Yes, sir.
'Send him your wages"
And have to go in rags mysef-in
your service?'
You won't 90 in rags. Don't be
fool"
II am fool, Mr.. Whittlestaff; you
cant tell me that too often"
"You won't go in rags. You ought
TO know US well enough
"Who IS us. Mr.. Whittlestaffe They
amt no us-just yet
"Well-me"
'Yes, 1 know you, Mr.. Whittle-
staff
''Send him Your wages. You NAV
be quite sure that you'll find yourself
provided with shoes and stockings and
the rest of it,
And be voluntary burden beyond
what l earns. Never-not as long rs
Miss Mary is coming to live here as
miSSus of your house. Ishould do sum-
mat as l should have to repent of. But,
MIR. Whittlestaff. I've got to look the
world in the face, and bear my own
crosses never can do it no younger"
Your an old woman now, and you
talk of throwing yourself upon the
world without the means of earning a
shilling
y think I'd earn some. at something.
old as am. till fell down flat dead"
she said. Il have that sperit in me,
that I'd still be doing something. But
it don't signify; I'm not going to re-
main here when Miss Mary is to be put
over me. That's the long and the short
of It ALL
Now had come the moment in which,
if ever, Mr. WhittieStaff must get the
strength which he required. He was
quite sure of the old woman-that her
opinion would not be in the least iniIu-
enced by any desire on her own part to
retain her position as his house-keeper
Il don't know about putting Miss Mary
over YOU he said
Don't know about it, she shouted.
My mind is not absolutely fixed"
LAS she said anythfng?"
Not a word
.'Or he? Has he been and dared to
speak up about Miss Mary? And he
who. as far as / can understand, has
never done ha'porth for her since the
L. L.