The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-22
ADYING CONFESSION.

Inc GIN VINO was weeping bitterly, lifted
tne WHITE head of her adopted mother and
glanced beneath it; then with a tender
hahd wiped the terrible dew of near cons
ing death from the ashen face.
=, meant to keep my secret, Margaret, "
the woman said, family; Il meant that
you should grieve for me when | am gone;
out power which is greater than |
c"mpels my confession. VIII you curse
my memory-yOu, who have called me
mother?"
Mamma, do not thus excite yourself"
the girl sobbed, kissing her tenderly.
DO not doubt my love for you, mamma.
now, when you are leaving mel Mam
ma, with burst of wild sobbing imam.
ma, darling. what will do without vou?o
My cordial" the invalid said weakly,
and when the draught was held to her
lips, she swallowed it, thirstily; then she
spoke again, her voice clear and full of n
bitterness inexpressible
Margaret she said, Il have suffered
much-much! and never in humilityl ney
ef' Margaret Oh God! how deeply the
blood stain sinks into the soull Is there
on earth form of penance by which it
can be erased? | have sought IN nv
memories, which have made on earth n
place Of torture, and yeti have sinnedl
How dare I die?n
Mammal the girl cried, thinking this
all delirium; Mamma, try to sleep.
10 sleen?" the sufferer echoed, scot
hnglY. Where is there sleep for the
blood stained? Margaret, they found your
mother dead at your side, stabbed to the
heart! 1t was by my handp'
God of heaven Margaret cried,
shrinking from the touch; then finging
herself on her knees beside it, she fas-
tened her eyes on the ashen face among
the pillows, waiting for what was to fol-
low
You no nothing of my YOUTH" the
woman went on, while the gray shadow
deepened on her face; "vou do not know
that she was my rival-my rival in all
things as in love-but in all else | far
surpassed her-aye, in love-for time.
There was warm southern blood in nv
veins, and | loved as southern natures
love, with unreasoning devotion and ieal>
Gus exactingness; with heart and mind
and soul, wholly and madly. So learnt
to love your father
The girl uttered low, broken cry, bnt
that was all. Her young face looked as
If 1t too was smtten with death.
He was my fathers ward" the weak
voice went on. I'VE were expected to
love each other-it had all been planned
by our parents-and | loved him from my
first girlhood, never thinking he might
love elsewhere.
Your mother was fair, pale Girl,
dainty and dreamy looking, with only Il
| childish beauty. | never dreamed she
could win heart from me, for l was very
beautiful. We had been schoolmatcs
and were friends; neighbors also. My
fathers acres were almost numberless;
hers were few. did not fear her, for l
had won all honors so easily at school |
did not think would fail in anything
| am dying! dying, Margaret
The voice broke, and agony surgrd
pitilesSly over the woman's form, and her
hands wrung themselves together. Mar
garet sprang to her feet and again held
the Strengthening portion to the lips of
the sufferer. The liquid seemed to revive
her, for she soon spoke again, while Mar
garet knelt to listen, with her face covered
by her hands.
Child, try to think of me charitably,
the dying woman pleaded Remember
my years of loving care God allow them
to wash out the crime of an unhOly hour?
Oh, how l have prayed for His mercy,
His pardon,
Margaret. have not time for detail |
never knew he loved her; did not dream
of it until it burst across my life soaring
flame! He was bcthrothed to me, and
vet, while | was miles from my nome
visiting friend, they were married. They
sent me no word and the knowledge,
meeting me at my fathers threshold,
struck everything that was worthy from
my life.
Il did not die, although | fell beneath
the blow and lay for hours unconscious;
they won me back to life, to pain, to brood
constantly and silently upon-revenge!
Not to him-CvGn yet | loved too well
to wish to injurc him-but upon the
woman I had opened my whole heart to,
ami who had so want only crushed it,
for | had told her of my love-our plight
Oh, Margaret rememberl she did not
wrong me blindlyl'
Months went, and my father saw the
only living tic be had to earth dropping
al d pining He closed the old house and
took me far from the scenes of my child
hood In all shis time | heard no word
from your mother NY father had given
to the youth who had so forgotten honor,
an old mans curse, and we heard nothing
| from him either.
"a year went by and we wandered still,
always by my desire, and then we came to
a stop in France, mingling for a brief
period with the gay and courtly of that
fair nation. Cold as q statue. satlrlcal,
naughty, bound up in my own broodings,
they called me there the frozen queen,
and vet nv calm exterior was the mask
OK fiercer passions than had ever inhab-
tied the breasts of those about me.
"Once, oppressed by the magniticence
of our rooms, and burning with fierce un-
rest, | flung thick veil over my face
and, in the early evening, went forth
alone to Paris. Dressed darkly, l at
tractcd no observation, and was returning
when a low voice Just ahead, in conver'
sation with French woman, made the
blood about my heart turn to ice. 1t was
the low voice of your mother!
"Obeying wild impulse, | followed
her, she parted with the French woman al
the door of an elegant little residence, and
heard her low, light laugh. The sound
stung me to madness. In whole long
year my own had been silent!
She left the door ajar. | pushed il
open and followed her, flinging off my
veil as did So The lamps were lighted
in the wide hail. and their radiance tel
on the hit of silver danger that lay
upon table. How it had come there
do not know, but my hand had caught /
ND without moments hesitation. Tho
sight of it had whispered death to my
wild heart, and the word was sweet to me
| ~