Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-06

TO frOWn. rs 1t possible" she asked
sternly, ''that you are still fond enough OF
that man to care about what he writes tc
you" Mrs. Linley held out her hand fol
the letter. Her wise mother found it desir
able to try persuasion next. ''If you really
won't give way, my dear, humor me for cnce
Will you let me read it to you?"
Eyes, if you promise to read every word Of
it."
Mrs. Presty promised with mental res
revation), and opened the letter.
At the two first words she stopped and be-
gan to clean her spectacles. Had her owl
eyes deceived her, or had Herbert Liniey
actually addressed her daughter, after hay
ing been guilty of the cruelest wrong that q
husband can fnfict on wife, as Dear Cath
erine"? Yes, there were the words, when
she put her spectacleS on again. Was he in
his right senses, or had he written in state
of intoXication?
Mrs. Linley waited, with preoccupieC
mind; she showed no signs OF impotence o.
surprise. AS it presently appeared, she was
not thinking of the letter addressed to her by
Herbert but of the letter written by Randall.
Il want to look at it again" With that
brief explanation she turned atonce to the
closing lines which had offended her when
she first read them.
Mrs. Presty hazarded guess at what was
going on in her daughters mind. Nov
your husband has written to you," she said,
''are you beginning to think that Randal's
opinion may be worth considering again?'
With her eyes still on Randal'S letter, Mrs.
Linley merely answered: why don't you
begin?' Mrs. PreSty began as follows leav-
foD itu IF in loN q
address to his wife:
Il hope and trust you will forgive me for
venturing to write to you, in consideration of
the subject of my letter. | have something
to say concerning our child. Although
have deserved the worst you can think of me
believe you will not deny that even your
love for our little Kitty (while we were liv-
ing together) was not truer love than mine.
Bad as [ am, my heart has that tender place
left in it still. l cannot endure separation
from my child"
Mrs. Linley rose to her feet. The first
vague anticipations of future atonement and
reconciliation, suggested by her brOther-in-
law, no longer existed in her mind. She fore
saw but too plainly what was to come. ''Read
faster" she said, ''Or let me read it for my
self"
Mrs. Presty went on: ''There is no wish
on my part to pain you by any needless alltt-
sion to my claims as father. My one de
sire is to enter into an arrangement which
shall be as just toward you as it is toward
me. l propose that Kitty shall live with her
father One-half of the year, and shall return
to her mothers care for the other half. If
there is any valid objection to this / confess
/ fail to see it."
Mrs Linley could remain silent no longer
docs he see no difference" she broke out,
between his position and mine? What con-
SOlatiOn-in Gods name what consolation is
left to me for the rest of my life but my
child? And he threatens to separate us for
six months in every year! And he takes
credit to himself for an act of exalted Justice
on his part! Is there no such feeling as
shame in the hearts of men?''
Under ordinary circumstances her mother
would have tried to cam her. But Mrs.
Presty had turned to the next page of the let
ter at that moment when her daughter spoke.
What she found written on that other side
produced a startling effect on her. She
crumpled the letter up in her hand and threw
it into the fireplace 1t fell under the CRATE
instead Of into the CRATE. With amazing
activity for a woman of her age, she ran
across the room to burn it. Younger and
quicker, Mrs. Linley got to the fireplace first
and seized the letter. There is something
mOrer' she exclaimed. ''And you are afraid
of my knowing what it is"
Don't read it ~ Mrs Presty called out
There was but one sentence left to read:
elf your maternal anxiety suggests any mis-
giving, let me add that wOman's loving care
will watch over our little girl while she is
under my roof. You will remember how
fond Miss Westerfield was of Kitty, and you
will believe me when | tell you that she is as
truly devoted to the child as ever''
II tried to prevent you from reading it."
said Mrs Presty.
Mrs. Linley looked at her mother with a
strange, unnatural smile.
II wouldn't have missed this for any
thing!' she said. 1.-THE crueIest of all sepa-
ratiOns is proposed to me-and am expected
to submit to it because my husbands mis-
tress is fond Of my childI' She threw the
letter from her with a frantic gesture of con-
tempt and burst into a fit of hysterlcaI laugh
ter.
The old mothers inStinct-not the old
mothers reaSOn-told her what to do. She
drew her daughter to- the open window and
called to Kitty to come in. The child (stil
amusing herself by fishing in the lake, laid
down her rod. Mrs. Linley saw her running
lightly along the little pier on her way to
the house. That influence effected what no
other influence could have achieved. The
outraged wife controlled herself for the sake
Of her child. Mrs. Presty led her out to meet
Kitty in the garden, waited until she saw
them together, and returned to the breakfast
room.
Herbert Linley's letter lay on the floor; his
discreet motherin-law picked it up. 1t could
do no more harm now, and there might be
reasons for keeping the husbands proposal.
"UnlesS L am very much mistaken" Mrs.
PreSty concluded, I'VE shall hear more from
the lawyer before long" She locked Gp the
letter, and wondered what her daughter
would do next
In half an hour Mrs. Linlcy returned
pale, silent, self-cOntained.
She seated herself at her desk, wrote lit
orally one line, signed it without an instant's
hesitation, and folded the paper. Before it
was secured in the envelope, Mrs. Presty in
terfered with characteristic request. You
are writing to Mr.. Linley, of course she
said. May | see to"