Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-02-05

wounded love, though now nv loyefor
him had turned into dislike. Since, he
belonged to her he was hateful in nv
sight. \.
But when I was alone with her I
could not refrain sometimes from dis
agreeable and cutting speeches, which I
knew hurt and wounded her. She was
too noble to resent them, or to reply,
but she shrank from me more and
more. They were little, worthless re-
marks; yet a philosopher will feel the
prick of a pin or the bite of mos
quito. insignificant as the pin and the
mosquito are. In return she had al
ways some pleasant speech or sweet
word OF praise to give mo. Idonot re-
member that she ever said an unkind
word to me. Often I hated and de-
spised myself for my feelings toward
her; yet they had gone down so deep
in my soul l could not root them out,
and every day more and more grew
to think Of her as an interloper-one
who had trust herself into the place
which belonged to me. More and
more 1 brooded over the thought. IF
she were not here-if only all this were
minen'
BY and by a new cause of misery to
me was added. There was to be ere
many months passed another tie to
bind her to Sinclair and Colonel Mon
roe.
When / realized this I felt g. madden
ing fury take possession of me.
Little by little, unconsciously yet
surely by the force OF her own worth
and many virtues, she had crowded me
out OF the place had grown to think
was my own.
My stepfather worshiped her; Sinclair
loved her to idolatry; and even the
servants and neighboring people could
talk OF nothing but "sweet Lady Mill.
cent | was thrust aside, sighted,
forgotten. Yet it was my own fault.
Nobody can help loving a sweet, smil-
ing, unselfsh and amiable person in
preference TO g. black-browed, frown.
ing, cold, selfish being. HAD not made
myself worthy OF love, and Ihated her
because she had; and now she was to
bestow a last priceless blessing upon
the race which I had been denied the
right OF bestowing.
1t would be her child, not mine, who
bore the family name, who inherited
the family estate.
How often I had in fancy seen my
children playing on those noble lawns.
Such terrible rage filled my soul that
! was almost like one mad
And yet was not mad. I do not
lay amy claim to that excuse. 1t was
only the insanity OF a jealous brain,
and a selfish, envious heart.
One evening just in the cleaning ]
walked down the garden toward q rus.
tic seat near a large rose tree. In or.
der to reach the seat | had to descend
several steps. They were fat steps
cut from quarry stone, and brought
and laid there. AS placed my foot
on the second stair it tottered and
tipped under my weight. There had
been severe storm recently, and tie
earth had washed away, leaving no
foundation for the slab to rest upon.
l fell as the step gave way beneath me
and bruised my knee.
II must tell John about this to-
night" l thought; land he must at
tend to it tomorrow. It's a danger
GUS place.
| sat down on the rustic bench.
had scarcely seated myself when saw
Milicent approaching with her basket
and scissors, she WAS coming to gath
er roses to decorate the house.
AS she neared the steps I was on
the point OF calling out to her to be
careful, when the devil in my heart
babe me be silent.
- Let her look out for herself" he
whispered.
1T is none OF your business. II
you had not come down here YOU
would not be responsible for what
happened her, and she cannot expect
you to follow her about to guard her
from danger
While the evil spirit whispered it all
happened.
She stood upon the treacherousst stone,
it tipped under her weight and pre-.
cipitated her forward upon her face.
I IAN to assist her to her feet. now
thoroughly frightened and Mortified at
my own wickedness, but she did not
seem badly hurt, only slightly bruised.
''This IS d dangerous place." she
said. "John must attend to it to.
morrow"
Even then at that moment it made
me angry to hear her speak in such a
tone OF command concerning the prem,
isis and the servants.
That night the household was
alarmed by the sudden illness OF Lady
Millicent. At dawn, in spite OF the
best medical skill, she lay dead, with
her tiny dead infant upon her breast.
I was Mortified at the result of nv
wicked silence. Yet the full punish.
ment came later in the day.
= During the afternoon the sharp re.
port OF a pistol sounded through the
pines. It came from the room where
Lady NIilicent and her babela robed
for burial. Rushing tIlither we saw
Sinclair, lying over the casket which
contained the two silent forms. The
pistol which had taken his life was still
smoking in his hand.
Colonel Monroe followed them all tc
the grave before two years passed. By
his will WAS left heiress OF all thes,
fine domains OF both estates and O.
the Pines. My avarice was gratifed
There was no other woman left t.
awaken my Jealous feelings, or to mock
me with her happiness.
And yet, | say again, no prison holdt
so Wretched a. creature AS [ am anc
ever must be. The burden ofmy crims
grows heavier and heavier as the years
60 by.
No living being suspects my guilt, but
the dead know it, ard often in tn night
they come close about me, accusing IN,
OF my sin. .+<
l abhor life, vet I dread death, fol
then Unjust meet them face to face, with
no veil between. g.:
IT. would havo hao,, a 1ccs c,.,,ol my,