The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-04-18
She sprung up at the sound of their

force OF motherhood to do her Will, the
governor, calling jailer, himself con-
Quoted her to the cell where the con-
demned woman lay. Outside the thres-
hold she paused. Il must go in Alone"
she said; and as the jailer drew the door
to with clang, he saw her standing
just within, looking toward huddled-
up heap, scarcely visible by the Lighter
the evening sky. For a moment the
man without fingered, holding his
breath; but all was still; then through
the prison wall pierced an awful cry
and condemnation, all in one.
The prisoner had crouched away at
the approach of footsteps; her hands
pressed against her ears, her face buried
in her knees; but at the sound of that
voice, conclusive movement shook
her from head to foot.
1T was my child" cried the new
conner, advancinga step. and then, with
both arms lifted and held before her
eyes, the condemned woman fell on her
knees, and dragged herself painfully
along the tagged stones, reached the
feet of her visitor, and lay huddled
there.
''Mistressl' she said, in a voice that
was nothing like human, ''mistress!"
For moment the mother stood mo-
tionless, looking down on the sordid
outline at her feet; then swift, ungov-
ernable impulse of hatred seized and
tossed her on it's waves. 1hiS,-thiS
poor contemplate thing had found
power to rob her of that treasure more
dear to her than life, for which her
heart panied night and day like a Sob
bling sick child in its deserted cradle.
Kill me. MISTRESS" said Janet, half
looking up, and seeing that terrible face
above her, those uplifted hands clinch-
ed as in act to strike.
Kill you'll" cried the mother,-"One
short, fierce pang, and all over; and for
me-for me-God may forgive you"
she broke out, with that old, deathless
cry of the brOkenhearted, "but L never
will"
The woman at her feet trembled I'M
der the sound of that voice, even more
terrible i'm reality than in her dreams
then her hand went up to what looked
like a string of dull-colored knotted rags
round her throat, and clutched them
fast.
''If you'd come five minutes later"
she said slowly, "I'd ha' been past your
forgiveness,-they're tired of watching
me, and left me alone half an hour-I
was tying the ends o. this to the bed
when L heard steps. I'd ha' faced death
willing rather than ha' faced you.
P'raps if you'd found me dead, you'd ha'
found q word of pity to say In ears as
couldn't hear"
There's no pity in my heart" said
her mistress, in dull, hard tone. you
had none when you killed Tiny little
baby"
''Mistress!" cried Janet, in anguish.
''why wasn't that in your voice when l
put the baby in your arms first. You
thrust it away, and said you hated it,
because it looked at you with its fathers
eyes; and il you ever took it to your
breast in love, twas when l was not by
to see; an when asked you to let me
take it to my own people you never said
to me nay, but let it go wi'out kiss or
a look; when it was gone you missed it,
an its little ways came back Onyou like
an old tune, an you wanted the baby
home agen-mistress! mistress!"
She dared to look up, but the mothers
face was hidden; she stretched her hand
and touched her robe, but from that
light contact the other recoiled-"the
hand that killed my child" she mutter-
ed. shuddering in every limb.
NO said Janet, sadly, Il didn't kill
the wee thing; but l am as guilty as If l
did, and that's why pleaded guilty
that, and because twas easier to die
than look you in the face agen."
You did not kill it'll" repeated the
mother, seizing Janet's arm in grasp
of steel.
NO" said Janet. Mistress, if you'll
sit down beside me, I'll try to tell you"
She CROPPED her way to the edge Of the
pallet, and with uncertain steps the
the mother crossed the cell, and sat
down beside her.
The moment had come when they
must look in each others face, and
slowly in the fading light their eyes
met.
"Tell me-" said the mother, scarcely
above her breath.
"When 1 asked you to let me take the
baby away" said Janet, looking on the
ground, "I'd wild thought to lay it at
its fathers door-its father that throw
ed you aside to be happy VII his new
love, an though you'd never told me
his name, in the fever you dropped
word here an there, an one day found
something by chance, an afterward l
took the baby away by your leave, but
didn't 60 to my own people. I'd got
two names in my mind. and one was the
Red Hall, and the other was Lovel.
When my money was all gone; begged
my way, but always the child lay warm
agen me, and wanted nothing, an so, at
last, got here; but twas mistake.
An old man liv'd up at the Hall, and
the young lord were away VII his regi-
ment in foreign parts; so I'd nothing to
do but just 60 back to you VII that as
you hated so bitter, an wished dead an
out o. sight-or so l thought then, as l
sat down by the pool to rest, well-nigh
clemmed WI hunger, an stiff wi cold"
She shivered. then, half covering
away, tried to pierce the gloom that was
gradually shutting out from her the
motionless figure by her side.
ut was but bit of pool-I'd never
have guessed 'twere deep enough to
hide anything-and more than one pass
ed by while / sat beside tan all at
once the thought came to me that I'd
lay the baby down beside it, and leave
it there-some one 'ud find it, and care
for it, an I'd go back an tell you it had
died; an you'd be happy, an pr'aps
your life 'ud not be spoiled after all.
II kissed the little thing. an laid it
down beside the pool, an ! hid behind
the trees to watch; but no one came,
and l were just battling it out IL I'd
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