Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-09-13


pugnant to her strong rationalism. He
perceived quite plainly that letween her
compassion for the unfortunate mother
and the zest she found in mis- original if
irreverent idea, she was fairly inclined
to confederacy-untilt the statement of
the Magdalen's identity. Mr.. Locke had
of course, been quite cognizant that Mrs.
French had broken with her intended
husband, a week before the day set for
their marriage, on discovery of his en-
tanglement with the Aylmer. And yet
he had confidently expected that gene
rosity and sense of justice would ignore
personal feeling in dealing with the mat
ter in hand.
"You talk as ifthat poor girl were the
only sinner in the world" cried George
Locke at last, exasperated by her obstin-
acy, while time was flying. "You are
thoroughly unjust to her, and you are
less generous than she. l didn't know
you could be SO narIow-minded. Mary
Fron,h, Tho woman you dooplsc trles
more sincerely-ay, L believe she does
more-to help the weak and sinful than
you do"
Mrs. French lifted her bowed head in
amazement But George Locke's noble,
kindly countenance was full of stern sim
cerity and rebuke.
81 mean what 1 say. She prcys on
men. as is the manner of her kind-poor
girl! But no man pays tribute to her at
the expense of family. Her speech is
as blameless as your own, amid all
the ribaldry that surrounds her; some
times it has even seemed to me that her
sweet songs purify the atmosphere about
her. o Mary French! you need not
sneer. Men are not always full of evil.
do believe that many a enc goes there
to let her music work its spell on heart
chords that have long been silent"
| "Do the people of the Continual sa-
loon find this mission work profitable,
or is it labor of lover" inquired Mrs.
French with meek sweetness.
He went on ignoring the feminine sar-
casm:
"She has made a veritable crusade
against the young lads, mere boys, who
used to haunt the saloons-calls them up
to her piano, and talks to them like a
mother. All, bahp cried Mr.. Locke, lit
is folly to expect one woman to show
another mercy. And yet" he added
his voice tremulous with some tender
memory, 81 have known one woman to
warrant such confidence"
Mrs French looked up.
Would that woman have done what
YOU ask me to dor" she demanded, GER
tain grievance in her tone.
Mr.. Locke smiled to himself at that lit
tie touch of cumulative jealousy, tendin.
as it did to confirm his suspicion thai
Mrs. Freneh's pride had suffered, rather
than her affection, in the rupture with
her lover six months before. He mus
have been more than man, if he had fail
ed 10 perceive that her interest in him
self was deeper than was strictly con
sistent VITA hopes quite blasted. i
would have been abnormal, too, had h'
failed to take advantage of that weak
ness for the fuItheraIce of his wishes.
There was no selfish taint in he
whole nature. She would have aided Il
, the utmost what l thought right"
, Mrs. French rose and looked into hi
face with eyes full of infinite enthusiasm
and yearning pity, well nigh divine.
when will she be here-that dear
old, lonely mother Oh, we will be 81
good to her, will we not? And YOU
you really believed in my heartlessness
you know you did! What right hav
YOU to think me Pharisee? For sham
George Locke! l thought yon knew mt
, better"
an the nick of time" thought tn
man, following helplessly as she move'
, to answer the knock announcing the
, weary pilgrims coming. And he wa
, not the first man-nor yet the last-cOn
strained to own that, as compared to tn
: nimble wi.es of women, mems artfulnes
is but clumsy and transparent effort.
And so it was that twenty-four hour
later, Mary French, with diplomatic, de
4 ferential interest, sat listening to tn
g disclosure on spiritualism, into whicl
s she had skillfully led her guest. 1t wa
. not difficult to understand how all tn
f more mystical and poetic phases of tha
: doctrine had taken hold in this gentle
v unphilosophic mind, of antiquated sim
n plicity.
t 81 do not doubt that our dear ones re
{ turn" she said "but We do not percelv
. them often, for our senses are dulled b
:, the worlds gross usage. have trie
j strenuously to comply with the condi
e tions, in order that might receive tn
materialized presence. l have some
f times thought that if my daughter
t She stopped short with little fair
e cry. A woman's form stood in windo'
| giving upon the long, front gallery I;
1 figure graceful, small, of perfect mol,
s compassed about with filmy, misty cloud
{ of vaporous white the little head ws
t banded round with bands of wavin
golden hair; the great blue eyes wei
a full of mournful resignation, the swee
9 faultless lips were sad, the whole fac
i was the face of suffering angel. Sh
!. held one lovely hand toward the twai
a within the room, and the sweet, sad lil
= spoke. -.
u Mother-returnP
e Then swiftly and silently the yisio
d was gone.
e Jack Daniel did not tarry with th
pseudo news he bore. The mother ha
e not spoken when he came in. The d.
). tails of his story had been skillfully d,
8 vised. Smallpox had broken out
d Flintville the week OF the teachers az
s vent there. She had contracted tn
scourge, and sudden chill had drive
|" it in with swift congestion. Death ma
come very soon, and immediate inte
e ment had been needful. She had die
:? with her mothers name upon her lip
l. Watching the mother carefully, tt
Young man was going on with tentatl'
= platitudes of sympathy, and the regre
y of those who knew the dead girl. II
4, old lady covered her dim eyes with n
(, hand, her delicate lips wrung piteousl
1t "You are very kind" she said, stl
A. with precision, "but-will YOU leave me
D solitude with nv sorrow? Dear youI