Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-26


What were her feelings wncu the truth
first came home 10 her, When she knew she
could cheat herself nolongcri When no imag.
mary ailmcnt wU, al account for her condi-
tioni When In plain words the fact that she
was To tear tho burden common TO woman
hood was forced upon 4cr' Then Beatrice
prayed that she might die!
Even then she would not 20 10 hcr friends
and tell them all. still those long unccr-
tan years stretched out before her. IL she
could only conceal this new trouble as she
hnd concealed her marriage, there was peace
peace for years. Sarah was told what she
already guessed, and uIon hearing her mis-
tress wishes simply set about executing
them.
Tho child was born, and none savo the
mother and her maid knew the truth. Hard
as was the task, IL wns no harder TO Beatrice
than to others who, W uiout the ail and
faithful service Mt her command. hnNe
concealed whnt II revealed meant ruin.
The elder woman arranged all. She left
her mistress ms servant leaves; she
prepared n place, and when the time came
Beatrice found her grief lightcned by all
loving woman can do for another in such
plight Of course there was deceit deceit
seemed to have forced itself into the girls
lifcl There was long visit to pay some.
where visit from which Beatrice returned
shadow of her former self. But none
knew, none even guessed the Gauss.
Until tho child was born Bcatricc's prayer
was that both she and it might die. Can
saddcr, more pitiful prayer bc framed by a
womant The truth could then bo told TO all.
The early death would be the full expiation
of hcr folly. The few who loved her would
For MI 70 hsr - bnr
unanswerod--doath never oven threatened
mother or babe.
The child was born, the tiny head nestled
on the mothers breast and "A strange new
feeling awoko within her-thc overpowcring
instinct OF maternal love- Her thoughts
which Ind once been, In case tho child lived,
TO hate 1t for the fathers sake, turned to pure,
sweet affection for the innocent, helpless
little being SO far from wishing 1t dead,
she would not now have wished IL unborn.
When she returned TO her home she left II
with many tears in Sarahs charge.
For years she raw Il by stealth, saw 1t
grow more and more the picture Of perfect
childhood: loved Il and worshiIsd Il more
each time she saw II, and at last, when she
returned to her fathers house, and felt that
her visits to her treasure would now per
force he less and less frequent, wild crav.
ing to have 1t with her always, to sec it
every day, every hour, awoke In her passion
ntc heart.
Then camc the second quarrel, and the
new home. And even as she settled to go
down to her uncles' the nucleus Of the daring
scheme FOR rcgaIning hor boy framed itself
in her brain, and was eventually shaped into
form and acted upon with perfect success.
But tho five years were passing, passing
At the end uf them stood what Beatrice
shrank from picturing, convict who would
come and clalm his wife, Beatrice had, iu-
deed, expected that when first arrested no
would find some way Of proclaining his
marriage, II only iu fulhllmcnt Of his threat
OF dragging her name into the dirt
Yet he made no sign. He was crafty and
calculating The term of the sentence was
not to him an eternity. When It ended he
knew that by keeping the secret he should be
In more advantageous position to turn
matters to his own benefit Beatrice would
be well past twcnty -one, and In command OF
q large income He meant to be thoroughly
revengod for the obstiuacy she had displayed
In refusing to perjure herself, and - find
him means to buy up the forged bills, but he
meant to have money also
This is the story of the life Of the last five
years upon which Beatrice looked back that
afternoon. These arc tho pictures Of the
man and the woman-ths husband and wife
who wero to meet ON the morrow like foes in
= deadly duel.
And over and above all this, there was
another matter over present in tho girls
mind-another namo which cam0 TO her lips
not in accents Of hutc, but love. She had at
tempted to deceive him, but not herself. In
fact, it seemed part of her punishmenl-thc
hardest part of all that she loved Frank
Carruthers. She had sobbei cut the secret
on the faithful Sarah's breast. She had wcpt
through the weary hours OF many night as
she thought Of the utter hopolcssuess Of love
between thCm. His coming 10 Onkhury hal
doubled her grief. SHe had not only to
lament "wint has hcan,' but to regret "what
might have hCon."
Blame her if you must! Forgive her if you
can! At least pity hor!