Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-23

most broken by his baseness. True, he
was your welded husband, and held you
| by bond stronger than that of parents;
but their silence was cruel, and | cannot
forgive them for it"
You do not know how / tried tn
love. Ny father warned me against
man, my mother told me of his falseho
and wickedness. and deceived them both.
Oh I was guilty of such subterfuges, 1t
seemed as if demon had entered into me,
and | was no longer my old self! What
ever they said only increased my obstinacy,
and made me more infatuated with the OBJ
ject of their censure. Besides, you must re-
member my father had reason TO think |
robbed him the night of my departure,
though the theft was committed without
my knowledge, and by the wretch into
whose hands l had trusted my honor and
happiness. That / could have been SO
blinded to his real character seems impos-
sible now but he had winning, plaus-
ible manner, and | was vain and foolish,
fond of fiattery and admiration
=" You fed to America at once, did you
not, and wrote home from there?"
- Yes Ny husbands villainy was first
revealed to me on board of the ship which
took US over |. accidentally came across
the money he had stolen from father, and
recognized the purse that held it as one
had knitted myself | asked for an ex-
PLANTATION and he gave it boldly. 1t was
then | found out that there had been g
feud of long standing between him and my
father, and that it was for this he had mar
ried me, and thus struck his enemy to the
heart"
Though the villain is 3ead. it makes
my blood boil to think of him, Kate. But
did you not mention all this in your letters
the plot, the stolen money"
Yes and more, too. ] told of my desc
late condition in New York, alone and
friendless, for as soon as we landed | fled
from the wretch whom the law had made
my husband. He followed me, prosecuted
me- and oh the terrible life that led
those two years that he lived. 1t is dread
full to say it, but his death was actually a
relief"
"And they never answered your letters =
said her husband, Indignantly :" | cannot
understand such vindictiveness."
THE first one was returned unopened
she answered " of the others | never had
any tidings. But ] am sure they would
have forgiven me had they known all Ii
may be that the letters were intercepted.
| The suspicion has occurred to me lately
that they fell into my husbands bands, and
that he remailed and stamped the first one
to deceive me and prevent my writing 9TH
ers."
Don't call that man your husband
Kate. 1t makes me shiver. He was capable
of anything, and | have no doubt your sus-
pici0n IS correct. But surely you wrote
after his death?'
Il did not" she replied. 81 was so ut
terly heart-broken by all that had occurred
as to believe myself an outcast from love
and kindness forever more You know
what | suffered, and how | went from place
to place. All can l ever forget from what
a life YOU rescued me?'
But, remember, you said il was from
love. not gratitude, that you became my
wife. For | am old enough to be your
father, Kate, and had you refused me, |
would have adopted you as my daughter
''Old in years but young in heart" she
answered. ''If my first marriage was a
wretched mistake, my second was indeed
blest, and crowned with such happiness as
| never hoped to enjoy"
The carriage had reached the suburbs
of the city by this time, and now stopped
before large house, with an old-fashioned,
hOspitable aspect, very inviting.
Home at last ~ said the gentleman,
jumping out as nimbly as if he had been
younger. Come Kate"
She followed and leaning on his arm
went up the steps and into the house No
further ailusion was made by either to the
subject OF their conversation during the
drive. But the thoughts of one kept con-
tinually recurring to the child she had
seen in front of the confectoners and
when Kate Hilliard closed her eyes to
sleep that night it was with the firm re-
solve to see Norahs father early the next
day, and find out who he was and whence
he came. For Norah's words. Norahs
l)oks, seemed like an echo from the past,
and had in them something of the spirit
she remembered.
Norah's thoughts were as full of her as
hers of Norah. such lovely lady,"
unused the child, as she hurried home. "
don't think papa would have minded my
taking the money, if he could have heard
all she said and seen exactly how she
looked. 1t is New Years eve, and what if
she were not a real lady at all, but Just
some fairy going around doing good
saw nice old gentleman inside her car
riage, though, and live coachman on top.
| guess she's flesh and blood like the rest,
only kinder and more thoughtful
1t was toward wretched quarter of the
city that Norah bent her steps, and the ten
ement where she stopped was old and di.
lapidated, and crowded with human beings.
She assembled the stairs and found her way
to room dimly lighted by a talow candle
The door stood open, and she entered
softly. Then, shading her eyes with her
hand, she looked around. There was a
bed in one corner, and upon that lay man
asleep.
Poor papa" she thought" he's tired
out. The doctor says he ought not to
work, but he will, and / can't help il.
almost wish I'd taken the money | would
have bought a chicken, and | could have
made him some broth tomorrow But he
wouldn't have eaten it if he knew how |
got it. Oh, dear! Oh, dear 1t is 50 hard
to he poor and have a sick father
She hustled about a little. setting the
rooms to rights, and tried to look cheerful,
though she had felt down-hearted But
the tears came in spite of her when she
went to the cupboard and looked in to see
what there was for breakfast Only a few
dry crusts and a small piece of bacon. If
it had not been New Years eve their
poverty would not have seemed 50 bitter.
She had gone hungry before, and never
complained but now, looking at her pale,
worn father, and remembering the sad
Christmas they had spent her hear, re-
belled. Then her mothers sweet face rose
up before her as if IN reproach. and she
folded her hands together and breathed
prayer for health and comfort Poor
Norah. child i'll years, but weighed
down with a woman's cares, old in trouble
and the wisdom born of it, it was well that
she had early learned where to look for
guidance when sore distressed and buffeted
by the world.
Her father did not awake, and she finally
took the bit of candle and retired TO an
inner room, hardly larger than a closet.
Its only furniture was little cot-bed.
Into that she crept, and soon fell asleep.
She dreamed of an angel with the face of
her mother, and of the beautiful lady,
who, in some magical way, had been
changed into fairy, all gold spangles
and lace.
The sun was nearly an hour high when
she awoke the next morning, though her
room was still dark, for it had but one
little window high up, that opened on
brick wall. But she rubbed her eyes and
looked around as if bewidered, for surely
someone bent over her and whispered
softly, Little sister little sister, She
sat up in bed, and then felt two arms clasp
her close, and warm kisses rain down on
brow, lips and cheeks. She was not afraid
only wondered what it all meant and
whether she was really in her own room,
or in fairyland, or in heaven.
Dress quickly, dear said the voice she
had heard first. There is gentleman
waiting to see you"