San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-18

sure II would sink. but IL caught,-the
black and grey shawl Caught-On some
hooks that had been driven into the
outer woodwork Of the pier; it caught
and hung there. the shawl moving to
and fro with every breath Of wind and
every wave"
Without a word or cry she fell with
her face in the grass. Oh. Heaven, be
pitiful to all who are stricken and gull
tyl went on quickly
"A bOatman found il, and the bundle
contained little drowned child-a fair
waxen babe. beautiful even though it
had lain in the salt, bitter waters of the
green sea all night. Now comes the
horror, Mrs. Fleming. When the man
who saw the scene went. after some
years, to visit the friend whom he loved
so dearly, he recognized in that friends
wife the woman who threw the child
into the sea
Again came the sound that was like
nothing human.
what was that man to dOp" /
asked. "He could not be silent: the
friend who loved and trusted him must
have been most basely deceived-he
could not hide a murder yet the woman
was so lovely, so lOvable she was SEEM
ingly so good, so charitable, so devoted
to her husband, that he was puzzled,
tortured; at last he resolved upon tell
ing her. | have told yOu.
Then silence. deep and awful, fell
over us; it lasted until | saw that |
must break it. She lay mOtiOnlesS on
the ground, her face buried in the
grass.
"What should yOU have done in that
mans place, Mrs. Fleming?' | asked.
Then she raised her face; it was
whittier, more despairing, more CHASTITY
than had seen it on the pier.
II knew it must come" she walled.
"Oh! Heaven, how often have dreaded
this-I knew from the first"
Then it tCdS your" said.
1T was me-" she replied. ~ need
not try to hide it any longer, why
should 1? Every leaf on every tree,
every raindrOp that has fallen, every
wind that has whispered has told it
aloud ever since. If hide it from you
someone else will start up and tell. If
deny it, then the very stones in the
street will cry it out. Yes, it was me
wretched, miserable me, the most mis-
cradle, the most guilty woman alive-it
was me"
My heart went out to her in fulness
of pity-pOOr unhappy woman! sObbing
one ever wept before. l wished that
Heaven had made anyone else her judge
than me. Then she sat up facing me,
and wondered what the judge must
think when the sentence of death pass
es his lips. | knew that this was the
sentence of death for this woman.
"I on never knew what passed after,
did your" | asked.
"NO-nOt ut all, " was the half sullen
reply-"nOt at all"
Did you never purchase Brighton
paper, or look into a London paper to
see?o
NO." she replied.
"Then | will tell you" said, and l
told her all that had passed. How the
people had stood round the little baby,
and the men cursed the cruel hands
that had drowned the little babe.
did they curse my hands?" she
asked, and | saw her looking at them in
wonder.
Yes; the men said hard words, but
the women were pitiful and kind; one
kissed the little face, dried it, and
kissed it with tears in her eyes. Was it
your own child2'
There was long pause, long ST.
lence, terrible few minutes, and then
she answered:
Yes, it was my child"
Her voice was full of despair: she
folded her hands and laid them on her
lap.
Il knew it must come" she said.
NOW let me try to think what | must
do. | meet now that which | have
dreaded so long. Oh, Lance. my love
Lancet my love Lance. You will not
tell him?' she cried, turning to me
with impasSiOned appeal. You will
notl-yOu could not break his heart and
mine!-yOu could not kill me! Oh, for
Heavens sake, say you will not tell
him?"
Then | found her on her knees at my
feet, sObbng with passionate cries-I
must not tell him, il would kill him.
She would 90 away, if said she must;
she would go from the heart and the
home where she had nestled in safety so
long; she would die: she would do any
thing if only | would not tell him. lie
had loved and trusted her sO-She loved
him SO dearly. | must not tell. If |
liked, she would go to the river and
throw herself in. She would give her
life freely, gladly-if only l would not
tell him.
So sat holding. as it were, the pas
sionate, aching heart in my hand.
You must calm YOURSELF" | said.
LET us talk reasonably. We cannot
talk while you are like this"
She beat her white hands together,
and could not still her cries; they were
all for al .ancei''-''her love I,ancelD