The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-08-26
II ain her saother Take me to her at

Though Sally had been fortified with a
dozen scruples, they would have been help
lessly swept away by the pcrcmptorine5s of
this command
aShe's just where Mrs. Mead left her,
ma'am. This way, please" AMI she went to
the parlor door and threw it open, saying:
"Here be thy mother, mistress.
Jenny was standing at tic window over
looking the green space of garden at the back
of the house. With stupcfied face OH her
she turned and 4 cry left her lips, and sho
stepped back 4 pace when her mother rushed
to her Then, like Il flash of night at the
sight of the beloved face, al impulse of love
and JOY leapei up in her; and i'll close, sob
bing embrace we're they lockei rs Sally,
looking away from the sacred sight, closed
the door upon them.
"Oh, Jenny, why are you here: why didst
thee leave me:' cried Mrs Str;tngiic!d, re-
linquishing her daughter to gaze ct her,
with eyes in which rapture and sorrow were
strangely blended "Never was mothers
heart wrung as mine was when this morn
ing beheld your bed untouched, aud you
were not near to answer to my call"
u could not stay. Father. would have
taken me to London to-day; and see what q
mad journey it would have been, and how
cruel my ignorance would make him" the
girl said, pushing back her hair, aad stand
ing in half defiant, half dropping posture
before her mother.
"Thy father! Oh, Jenny! not only is it
my love for thee that has brought me hero in
mad haste-thy father is dying! Ay, he
may be dead before we can return to himl"
"Dying!- Mother, what do you say?"
said Jenny, taking, SO to speak, firrner hold
of the floor with her feet. and frowning,
while sickly hue Of pallcr overspread her
face.
"Oh, Jenny! for the sake of God who hath
brought me to thee, put on your hat and come
with me quickly. I tell you your father is
dying-he fell to the ground when DR.. Shaw
brought him proof of your marriage with
Cuthbert Dostnot thee know that the doctor
has proved thee Lis sons wife: Ah my poor
heart, how should she know.-and that the
cause of thy husban Is Missing. Is the doctor
believes, is that he was St i" I; by the press
gang and carried away to sd! Down thy
father fell, ana we bore him to his room, and
the surgeon fears for his life; and all tho
while he lies groaning and crying upon thy
name. Bring Jenny to me! bring Jenny to
mel he moans My pretty, come quickly,
or you'll see him no more in this world"
The girl stood. transhxed and overwhelmed
by her mothers news. Then you could have
seen her battling with the rush and surge OF
t,lmultuous emotions q whole minute ere she
spoke.
"Do You tell me that my darling is
carried away to sea?' she said, in febrie
whisper.
"'Tis what his father believes"
"And that Dr.. Shaw hath proved me his
sons wife to my father"
YES, indeed He camo with paper, and
tho sight Of it hath killed thy father. Hls
hear is broken for the wrong he has done
his only one!' walled the mother. "Oh,
Jenny, do not delay! There is coach ct
the doo" Make haste to put on your hat.
You would not let him be moaning for theo
in dying sorrow and not come"
She looked at her mother with wonder
full ex preston of troubled amazement and
incredu!ous horror in her eyes, then took up
her hat, AM in few minutes was ready to
depart As sho left the room she met Mrs.
Walker, into whose hand she slipped
guine;., giving her sweet, strange smilc as
she did SC, but quite powerlcss to speak.
The woman, much affected by Jenny's
n:uniticrnce, put tho little trunk into the
coach, and low and numerous were the
courtesies she dropped as it drove Off
The rattle of wheel and window, if not
prohibition to speech, was decided obstacle
to the hearing. But Mrs. Strangfield had
too much to say to hold her peace. With her
child's hand locked in hers she poured her
heart into Jcnnys eur, and all the story OF
DR.. Shaw's visit told her, and the medical
mans Judgment on Michaers condition, with
whatever else that her head was giddy with
sometimes reproaching and sometimes
breaking into passionate oxclamatlons or
rapture which thoughts of her husband
would inevitably choke; silent scarcely ever,
and of tho matter of her volubility leaving
Jenny, amid the roar Of the coach, in pos
session of but very small fragments.
And the girl.
Her father knew at last that she was honest,
and for brief while had cxultation, of the
kind that infamcs the madman's eye, swelled
until it hal sickcned her heart with the force
and fuliness OF il. But the emotion died
under the heavy droop of humiliatcd honor.
She had won back her name but what hnd
the victory cost her: Her husband was gone,
her father was dying, her heart was wounded
and bleeding badly.
Tho bitter passion of shame that had
driven her from Greystone revisited her
again when the coach entered tho High
street, and she leaned back and involuntarlly
drew her veil over her face. The mother
stopped the coach at the corner of the street,
that the jar of the wheels might not pene-
trate the resonant wooden house, and
alighted with her daughter, and both OF
them went quickly in.
"Mother," whispered Jenny, standing IN
the passage ds n stranger might, Il Will
stay here till youha seen him."
"In the parlor, then, dearest, and rest thee
Oh, Jenny, pray God to spare him! he Is
thy father"
Softly the poor woman climbed the stairs,
and Jenny went into the little room which,
in all her life, she hud vowed never again to
enter Specializing she stood, wondering
how it had befallen that her mother had
come so speedily.
Then through the doorway came whis-
pr-"Jcnnyp
She went out, and on the stairs she saw
1, ,1n.,