The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-06-19

desperately wicked. She learned pres
emily that il was Mr.. c.. one OF the
acknowledged leaders Of the New York
bar. who. trembling for his own laurels,
had organized the clique against Hal
stead. She had always admired this
mans wit and eloquence, and was heart
lily sorry to hear anything so bad about
him. Yet she doubted not that Hal
stead. with his indomitablc energy and
power OF speech. would in the end pre-
vail.
II was week OF miserable suspense
until she heard from her story. When
the manuscript was returned to her she
came near faInting. The editor wrote
her kind letter in which he told her
she had unquesiionable talent II she
would only turn il 10 right account. He
could not use such quiet stories: but il
she would write something sensational
with murders and other crimes. he
thought she could be of lHe To HIM.
She went 10 work at once She wrote
out one narrowing scene after another,
half frightened at her own terrible fan
cies. She wrote about polished and
yillainous dcceiycrs and brilliant inur-
dercrs. But through all the desperate
wickedness which she copiured up her
own innocent voice sounded. like that
Of a canary that was trying to initiate
thunder. Ii was she who was in the
wrong niche, being compelled 10 sacri-
flee her conscience for bread. But there
was no help for il; this contemplate
plot against Ralstead compelled her to
disregard her scruples temporarily at
least--until he should have conquered.
Everything depended upon his being
able TO keep his head above water until
he could get chance to appear in
court Her eyes swan and her head
was dizzy; strange pains shot through
her brain But she wrote on desperate
". heapng horror upon horror. When
she heard Halstead's step upon the
stairs she hid away the manuscript and
rose to meet him. But her feet suddenly
refused to support her; she reeled across
the floor, stumbled over a chair and
struck her head against the edge of the
door. As Halstead entered he found
her unconscious. Blood was flowing
from an ugly wound in her temple.
NOW, no capers, my deal" he
drawled. as he stopped over her. II
am too old bird TO be deceived by
those fainting tricks. 1t is what women
always resort to when they want to ex
cite sympathy"
She opened her eyes. after awhile,
YEARLY. Perhaps il would have been
better for her if she had never opened
them.
~.
The story about the wicked people
prosecuting innocence troubled Rose a
good deal after she had dispatched it to
the editor. And her conscience was
not soothed BY the fact that she received
thirty dollars for it. After q long strug-
gle with herself. she inclined to the
view that God could scarcely be hard
on her when He considered for what
purpose she had suspended her con-
science. A conscience was, after all. a
costly luxury which not everybody could
afford to entertain. Another bloc /
and-thundcr tale. more narrowing than
the first, was composed amid tears and
prayers to God for forgiveness. II seemed
des perately bad to Roses child-like
soul. though doubt il il contained
wickedness enough TO corrupt n kitten.
She sat up night after night scribbling
away for dear life. he dless OF the pains
which shot like needle-points through
her eyeball-. The thought that she
was thus enabling her husband to per.
, severe in his struggle against his enc.
mics, that she was helping him along
the road that would surely lead him e
. honor and glory. stimulated her fancy
, TO the boldest invention. and chased heI
hand feverishly over the paper Thi:
- -l -. -.
much encouragement. But such hor
ror seized her. a. she painfully dcc
! phered the editorial compliments. thai
She dared not be alone. but ran out into
, the streets, and claspcd her child con
] vulsively in her arms.
/ You will love mamma. even though
she is bad. won't you, babyP' sh,
/ whispered. huskily. as she Rugged tn,
r boy TO her breast.
. But you amt bad. mamma; you arr
. good mamma" said the boy, will
conviction.
She took him by the hand. and les
4 him into the sitting-room. which wa
also the kitchen. For long while sh'
K held him upon her lap. telling him tn
& most moral Of Sunday-school tales. hop
!. ing vaguely to accumulate somethin,
2 to her credit in the dreadful book Of thu
. Recording Angel. But the boy grew
4 FESTIVE after awhile. and begged to b
Q allowed to run out again. Then sh
a was again alone with the terrible
! thought: Was she selling her soul 70
! the hope Of earthly gloryP was she for
/ fciting her eternal salvation for he
L her husbands sakc? All no! God wa
e good; He would not condemn her
a knowing how she had worked an
T. struggled and suffered. She had onl
J. to make one effort more. 70 pcrscycrc
o little longer Then there would be y
Is more ncel of sacrifice. Then she coul