The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-10-28
ss ii y was trying TO get mas medicine IN the
l .1k Lo chi1d.

said the child. - ,xhe, sbe
uI The Doctor was lifting his wife when sne
ING ~ head sank upon his breast. He
s ~ 1t sneak a word. Silently Miss Sally
~ H. To him and helped him raise MRS.
y" norel and carry her to the bed. Inc Doc
eo uWhere's Temper" said Miss Sally, who
.,oI averything with a sort OF weary com.
nos,reI make no doubt she had Deen
Through scores OF as strange scenes e"'
asleep ~again?" .w;,, ,vh;+e face
.uL;oh she had hidden in her arms from tne
uonment, her husband touched her..
81 sent her to fetch me some co1ee' sne
,,swered: "you know she Thought cou,o
not Get out OF bed, and she didn't leI oany
in. she came through the outer door herseh'
and II asked her h,
There was something touching In the nu-
o,ility of her speech and her enorC "
remembered the story OF the colt, a lump
90 me- into my throat-well, from hrst TO
,nat 7 confess I could not be hard on Mrs.
Ravenel. ,,c.. c.uv an.
swered. .but now tell us one thing" Dld
Won keep it in that desk? Show US where.
At a gesture from Miss Sally the Doceor
brought the desk to the bedside. his inis,
cradle wife, not lifting her eyes, streCIHea
| ont her manu- AuU, AuIupAAh6
o ri the ornaments, touched a concealed
snring. We heard the click OF a falling
shelf: we could see nothing, since the Doctor
and Miss Sally were before the desk.
THAT'S all" said Miss Sally, NOW,
Cousin Raoui, I'll leave you and 90 TO
Sally" ~
to sob. "No, no, don't leave me. On
Sally. the second time; he will never Tor
IIa ooi1 want hit to be O.
mother-oh, God, he was right.
"Hush, my poor child" said the Doctor.
{. Are YOU afraid of me, Ro? Have | been
harsh to you?"
The unhappy woman clasped her cousins
neck more tightly. III he would only re-
proach me-" she moaned, but ne only
looks at me. That was the way ne looked
nearly killed Sally. And l was trying to
do better!" .,
The Doctor, with a face like death, tried
very gently to take one of her n mo!
no." she screamed, "you're kind to me.
but YOU don't love me. You can't help me!
oh, my poor little drowned baby! my poor
little Raoul!"
"Td better co." said the Doctor sadly,
!, "she's better with you. Stay. Sally,
please" Grace opened the door for him:
He stopped to make her a pathetic bow OF
recognition, saying, "Sally will thank you,
IL can't" His voice broke. l think l
pitied him as much as Grace, as he limped
. away. All this while Mrs. Ravenel was
scolding and Miss Sally trying to soothe
her. They told us afterwards that Miss
Sally could quiet her whenever her husband q
efforts had failed, only exciting her to d
frenzy of remorse, but now Miss Sally her.
self was powerless; she saw the storm must
> nave it's way, so she sat in sad composure
| and waited.
e Mrs. Ravenel flung her arms above her
head. "Look at me" she shrieked "you
liked me, Miss Lawrence; that day l was
e in your room you kissed me; now you
know what a wicked woman am. had
/ the kindest husband in the world and the
Il kindest, truest friend. Ant had two lovely
t children. One I killed, and the other
Oh, don't you see how wicked l am. But
t you don't know. you can't know how I've
fought against it"
o Her voice sank to a wall; with wild ges
o lures, wringing her hands and shifting hel
II brow, with a vehemence and an utter
abandonment to her passion Incompetent
sible to Il Northern nature, she went through
n her pitiful story.
.Night after night, no help from nan OF
o God. Struggle and pray in vain! Yes
IS pray, too! I've prayed all night. Lord
o help me conquer it, or strike me dead
Like that over and over till l don't know
le whether 1 tainted or fell asleep, l was 81
N weak. And l tell you when the mornin!
it my misery, SO l would. My prayers ar
u cursed-like me, like mel"
De 1t was horrible to see her and hear her
x and to see her, when the frantic word
10 were swept into means and sobs, GOVERN
Il and hiding her face within her %convulse'
arms.
IN Come, Ro," said Miss Sally, softly
COME, uearle," and IlrUlng Jne 1orlorn, dis
v. heveled head she laid it on her kind bosom
= and hid it's ruined beauty there.
g. We went away. No matter what trage
dies desolate a household there are Away
ne the meals to be eaten. The dinner be-
i'll rang promptly. Miss Sally did not ap
u pear, but at tea she was in her usua
H. place. Actually her face was less haggar,
ag than Grace's. The Doctor did not com
down..
e. That night l slept i'll. The wind risin
- among the distant pines swept over tn
Il. city. Swelling and subsidlng in wailin
gusts it made long drawn, dismal SCUM,
IS that recalled Mrs. Ravenel's voice. Doubt
t. less it was merely a sign OF unstrung nerve
1T that continually through the night | shout!
seem to hear sObs and cries from the hall
Sc 1 would sit up in bed and listen only to fin,
le that the sound was the moan of the win,
or the chatter OF the loose window sash o
the creaking Of the great bough against tn
window. At last, my pity and excitemen
,g wore themselves out and let me 60 to sleep
l woke suddenly, completely, and foun,
myself sitting upright, in the gray dawn @
t morning, listening to a low knocking a
re the door.
IT "Miss Lawrence. Miss Lawrence" a voic
S. was repeating outside. l opened the doc
to Miss Sally. l think l knew then wha
sr she had come to tell me as well as when sh
-, tnlH IF Shn w0ro TIM 1880
night before, her hair was r~oughened-Mis
is Sally's beautiful, smooth hair-and he
eye!ids Redeemed with weeping.
le What is the matter?" demanded Grace
awake in her turn II beg pardon, Mis-
d Sally, is Mrs. Ravenel worse?h
Mrs. Ravenel is dead" said Miss SALLY
Grace uttered an exclamation, but l hae
felt it all along.
~ wanted to tell you," said Miss Sallv
with a quivering lip; you were so good te
her." WV
= Mrs. Ravenel had taken poison-oninm
" She must have had it concealed about tn,
!. ped 1or some time, since she had no new an
portunlty OF getting it. After our depar
lure she had grown quieter. For a lon,
8 "hlle the two women talked. "She kepi
i speaking about the time we were young to-
8 gether,' said Miss Sally. "She spoke q
v onlhss ! mad clean forgotten. little no-ac
40 bOA OLC lUT UCr. and wa
q SO sweet and loving l had to cry. Bv and
1 oy Coulsln Raoul came in, and he said right
t on, why, honey, you're looking better.
e aana ne lald some roses on the pillow beside
e her and kissed her. Oh, Pm glad he did fo,
my poor girl used to torment herself th;nI..
1ng-thinking he had ceased to care,
v me tears came too fast for speaking now
put put with the same practical composure /
e nad noticed the day before she wiped them
o away and went on telling the rest. Mrs. Rava'
nels gentle mood lasted through the even.
e ing; She begged to lave Sally with her fnr
an nonr' and before she came had Temne
White ba ner mar mar and give her the pretty
; mas git to wrap about her shoulders. 49,
held the child in her arms and kissed b bae
many times before she would let her ppool l
! turned nnaed h Ses 6 a gone" said Miss Sally, "Ro
got worried she was so still, and SPOKE 70
TO me: You and Raoul have been H. "na
| t no mo Il MI I5,~ AAAS 0u>