The Osceola times., 1884-09-20

warrant such confidence"
Mrs. French looked up.
Would that woman bave done what
you ask me to do?" she demanded GER
tain grievance in her tone.
Mr.. Locke smiled to himself at that lit
tie touch of cumulative jealousy, tending
as it did to confirm his suspicion that
| Mrs. Freneh's pride had suffered, rather
than her affection, in the rupture with
her lover six months before. He must
have been more than man, if he had fail
ed TO perceive that her interest in him
self was deeper than was strictly con-
sistent VITA hopes quite blasted. 1t
would have been abnormal, too, had he
| failed to take advantage of that weak
ness for the furtherance of his wishes.
There was no selfish taint in her
whole nature. She would have aided to
the utmost what thought right"
| Mrs. French rose and looked into his
| 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 so
good to her, will we not? And you
you really believed in my heartlessness,
You know you did. What right have
you to think me Pharisee? For shame
feorge Lockel thought you knew me
better"
"In the nick of time" thought the
man, following helplessly as she moved
to answer the knock announcing the
weary pilgrims coming. And he was
not the first man-nor yet the last-con-
strained to own that, as compared to the
nimble wiles of women, mems artfulness
is but a clumsy and transparent effort.
And so It was that twenty-four hours
later, Mary French, with diplomatic, de
ferential interest, sat listening to the
disclosure on spiritualism, into which
she had skillfully led her guest. 1t was
not difficult to understand how all the
more mystical and poetic phases of that
doctrine had taken hold in this gentle,
unphilosophic mind, of antiquated sim
plicity.
al do not doubt that our dear ones re-
turn" she said "but we do not perceive
them often, for our senses are dulled by
the worlds gross usage. | have tried
strenuously TO comply with the condi-
tions, in order that might receive the
materialized presence. | have some
times thought that if my daughter -"
She stopped short with a little faint
cry. A womans form stood in window
giving upon the long, front gallery a
figure graceful, small, of perfect mold,
compassed about with filmy, misty clouds
of vaporous white the little head was
banded round with bands of waving
golden hair; the great blue eyes were
| full of mournful resignation, the sweet.
faultless lips were sad, the whole face
was the face of suffering angel. She
held one lovely hand toward the twain
within the room, and the sweet, sad lips
spoke.
Mother-returnW
Then swiftly and silently the vision
was gone.
Jack Daniel did not tarry with the
pseudo news he bore. The mother had
not spoken when he came in The de.
tails of his story had been skillfuly de.
vised Smallpox had broken out in
Flintvile the week of the teachers adj
vent there She had contracted the
scourge, and sudden chill had driven
il in with swift congestion. Death had
come very soon, and immediate inter.
ment had been needful. She had died
| with her mothers name upon her lips
Watching the mother carefully, the
| NouIlp 1lldi WIZ pOlDE oh Win ttUldllNt
platitudes of sympathy, and the regrets
of those who knew the dead girl. The
old lady covered her dim eyes with her
hand, her delicate lips wrung piteously
"You are very kind" she said, still
with precision, "but-will you leave me in
solitude with my sorrow? Dear young
lady, will you come to me later on? To-
morrow--f will leave you"
Al.
Jack Daniel went softly TO the room
where George Locke was watching be-
side the Aylmer. She covered like
-ome stricken creature, still veled by
7the foamy masses of clinging tule, that
had made her appearance at the window
ghost-like. The Creole touched their
hostess, bending down humid eyes.
"Say something to her" he said, pitt
fully. 81 think her mothers suffering
hurts her less than her position with
you. She would not stay in here with
Daniel, but made him 90 and leave me
with her."
That argument was an unwise one. II
was not enough. then, that her old lover
stood here with his face downcast, in
conscious shame for his relations with
this fallen creature! She must ply her
nefarious acts upon the other man, trad
ing on his chivalry. Mrs. French's face
hardened as her heart grew bard again.
The crouching woman lifted her tear
stained visage, and came to stand be-
fore the other, with pleading written on
every line of her bearing.
81 have no right to even thank you,
she said, "and yet would lay down my
life for your pleasure. Don't think 90
not feel my shanle-I even recognize the
mockery OF my being wrapped in this
she bent her lips gratefully and rever-
emily to the airy gauze about her. 1t
was Mary French's bridal veil that she
had brought out hastily when their pro-
ject had been found to lack such an ac-
cessory. "Oh, there is nothing like a
woman's kindness to woman The
love OF man, at best is only a selfish pas
sion. In all the greatest crises of wo-
mans life, she wants womans minis
tering. | have been so long shut out
from that sweet consolation-oh for my
very souls sake, speak to me, and help
mer
But Mrs. French stepped back and
answered codly:
81 am sorry for your distress think
your unfortunate mother will be needing
me. My parior is at your service, as
anything you may require to ,ecover
your composure. Mr.. Locke, my hospit-
alty is in your hands"
A fire at their corral disabled the stage
company's rolling stock, so that the out
going coach was not in readiness to leave
1 Al L. Ill ,.xs