Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-02-22


who can cure that"
"And he will assuredly not do so,"
reJoined her husband, still smiling.
How" gasped she, paiing, .'how do
you know of whom L spoke7"
"Come, my dear, +" said he soothingly,
81 know to whom you allude. Confide
all to me. and this terrible incubus
shall be forever removed
''Oh, God, has he dared to tell
you" She interrupted herself at
this point, and buried her face in her
hands.
"No, Elinor." said he, she knows
better than to kill the goose that lays
the golden eggs.''
"a faint shrek from her followed
these words, then the woman's dignity
and self-esteem asserted itself. Said
she:
81 see that he has betrayed me, for
| wrote those words in letter to him
to-day. Is it not SOP" asked she, In
stern tones.
'Mr Helmbold was about to explain
the true state of affairs-how the letter
was obtained-when / hastened to pre-
vent it. Quickly approaching him, so
that Mrs Helmbold could not see my
face, did some vigorous winking as l
said:
''Show your lady the letter she sent
him this morning."
He produced it. One glance was
sufficient; she would not read it, but
said:
81 know It's contents too well: they
are imprinted in indellIble characters
on my memory. and since he has gwen
you cause TO suspect terrible things of
your wife, L shall, in justice to myself,
tell all-that is, all that has been told
me, for know nothing more than that,
since 1t took place when L was babe
if It is the TRUTH
''She then made the following state
ment:
'Some six months ago she was ac-
costed by Corney, who pretended to be
startled at beholding her, then asked
her if her name was Louise Simmons.
She informed him of his mistake, when
he smiled and said:
"What a Ounce 1 am, to be sure.
How should you know the name you
bore in your infancy, when it was
changed for another when you were a
year old? Your name is Elinor Hard
Ing. is 1t notI" then asked he
''She said that was her maiden name,
but now she was called Mrs. Helmbold.
Not the wife OF Joseph Helmbold,
the wealthy retired merchant?n asked
he.
1.-THE same" was her reply.
"a prolonged whistle escaped the
mans lips as he eyed her curiously,
filling her mind with an underlined fear
that she was about to hear something
dreadful.
MADAM, =" said he, In a most respect
full tone, "I am sorry to hear that you
are married to so worthy a man, for
your true name is Louise Simmons, and
your mother Is still living, and resides
not six blocks from here.''
''She told him her mother died in her
presence. but he gazed at her commits
erateiy and said:
she whom you always took for your
mother Is dead, grant, but your real
mother is living and in this city, long
ing TO see her child"
"Then he told her how Mrs. Hard
ing's child had died, and she subse-
quently adopted that of Mrs. Simmons,
and by his specious pleadings Mrs.
Hslmbold was persuaded that he was
speaking the truth. She took Mrs.
simmons address, and promised to call
ON her the following evening.
''She went 10 the house, mean
frame shanty-and saw the woman who
claimed to call her daughter. The
first sight of her filed her with loath-
Ing, and when she spoke her disgust of
the woman was extreme. She was a
tall and muscular woman of about fifty,
and yery-slovenly looken. Her language
betrayed her coarse nature, and Mrs.
Helmbold could have shrieked out like
mad woman when she thought of
this woman as her mother.
"After telling the unhappy young lady
the same story Corney had told her,
Mrs Simmons observed:
"On course, now as you are fine
lady you don't keer to have your poor
mother round you. You'd be ashamed
of me, but children should never forget
their mothers, and Pm poor creetur,
and money is awfully skeerce with me,
so as you wouldn't keer to see me
callin' at you're fine house I'll expect
you to call on me once in while and
not forfeit to bring money with you"
Poor Mrs. Helmbold gladly prom
ised anything so that this creature
would not come to the house and pro-
claim herself as her mother. The bare
thought of such a possibility was mis-
cry.
"She gave Mrs. Simmons what money
she had about her, and promised TO call
on her frequently.
"She called the next day and made
the woman take an oath on the Bible
never TO let Mr.. Helmbold know that
she (Elinor) was other than the daugh-
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Harding.
The woman took the required oath
after Mrs. Helmbeld gave her her
sacred promise to give her ten dollars
per week while she lived.
.This / would not have minded SO
much - said Mrs. Helmbold, in conclu-
| sion, although / placed myself In
very questionable positioD-robbing my
| husband to purchase her silence, but
another calamity came upon me. This
monster, Corley, stopped me on the
street one da and began in round
about way tsIiing me that Mrs. Sim
mons was a very dIsreputable person,
| having served several terms in prison,
and her presence in California was
owing to some crime she had committed
in Boston. mot a very desirable
mother-in-Iaw for Mr.. Helmbold, /
should thinkl" he added, with a mali
cious laugh. He then said that he
needed money occasionally - pretty
large sums-and IL 1 valued his silence
at the estimate he put on it she might
trust to his honor 10 keep her unpleas-
ant family secret from Mr.. Helmbold.
He has written five or six letters al
ready, demanding more money with
each letter, and in the last one l Te-
ceived he demanded two hundred dol
lars. I sent him ifty- L expect he
will rave at this and send me a threat
ening letter. But L have broken the
chain be had thrown around mel
have told You all, my poor, wTonged
husband, and now defy him, no mat
| ter what your decision may be-"
my decision, my dear little woman,
| Is lust this" said her husband, as be
tenderly took her hand and pressed it
to bis lips, ''you should have told me
| of this at once and saved yourself much
| unhappiness and me deal OF painful
perplexIty. This is Mr.. Conrad CARRIER,
;he detective" he added. "who will, as
[ have remarked, relieve you by attend
| ing to this Walter Corney."