Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-04-26

had picked up on the railroad cars. Philip
stood nervously fumbling his watch chain,
and waiting for a blow to fall on him, he did
not know whence
1t was little babys hand that caught at
Philips arm, and he turned TO look into its
great star like blue eyes, He had seen that
same marvellous tint in checks before, and
cold horror Of recognition darted through
his soul He tried TO lift his spellbound eyes,
and they rested instead on the tsne of Jaao
Ellingsworth, which was Lit up With a fiend-
ish exultation as she held the child up to
him.
"What-not kiss the babyT" she laughed
gayly. "Such q pretty baby, too; why 10
really has complexion and eyes like Berthas."
She did not cease to look at his shrinking
face. "But its mouth and CHM Some
thing made him look at the babys features
as she mentioned them, and then he shud-
dered; it was too terrible, "are more like
somebody else know" Her small, flashing
black eyes seemed burning their way to his
very brain. "Who is itm She bent toward
him SO that her hot lips seemed almost to kiss
his ear. "Curran," she whispered Could
he not tear himself away from her poisonous
breathi "Not so strange, thought" She let
the baby put its chubby hands into his hair,
though she saw every touch was thrust
through the quivering fbers of his heart.
She fancied he did not understand, he was so
still and silent. mot strange that child
should look like its-father."
Had the young bridegroom forgotten all
about his wedding and the beautiful woman
up stairs wondering why she was not called!
1t seemed SO, for he sat down, and they foist-
ed the pretty baby on him, and his face wore
CHASTITY smile as he looked at it. Once, at
an expression in the little face, he caught it
to his lips, but as suddenly he thrust the
child into the nurses lap and rose to his feet.
"What are we waiting for?' His face was
like marble for firmness, and it seemed as
dead
Jane drew him qui, ,kly into the hall. "You
are not going - marry the mother of
that
"Hush," and hci woman's soul quailed at
the look he bent IN her "f you dare to
whisper word to Bertha, or show her that
child
II thought you would thank me- whis-
pered the false lips. She saw it was all in
vain-her journey to Vineboro She had fol-
lowed Bertha's tracks like bloodhound, and
had found her fatherless child in strangers
home, learning to forget its high bred mother.
Now surely she must suffer rcpulse and dis
dain as the poor factory girl had suffered it
in her very wedding dress. For the sight
of this baby face would chill the most ardent
love that ever burned in abridegroom's heart.
But no. This mans love was deeper than the
sentiment and vanity that commonly makes
the chief part of what is absurdly called pas
sion. His faith was SO sublime, shame was
ashamed before il.
His face had lighted up at her words "Oh
l will thank you thou-a thousand times if
you will send that woman and the child
away"
He had taken her hands "Jane, for Gods
sake do it"
He would have given her a fortune, but
ihe had sold herself once, and her price was
enough. He could only pray to her in all
the phrases of entreaty the agonies of life
have taught mankind.
"They shall leave the house at once," she
said at last. as she turned to go back into the
room. He thought his prayers had moved
her. But she knew her plot had failed; she
had wr,lng his heart, but his will was un-
moved She made virtue of her necessity.
Philip ould be grateful to her forever, but
there would be something else, perhaps.
Such hate as hers could not be turned aside
by so feet thing as pity.
"How pale you are, Philip. Are you
afraidT and Bertha smiled royalty on him as
she took his arm, and they passed up the
hall.
II am the happiest man in the world, and
| he tried to smile as his hand closed over her
fingers like an iron wise, it was SO cold and
| strong.
But how sad he was, as if an exquisite
piece of sculpture that he loved had fallen
from great height and been shivered into a
thousand fragments. The hope and joy Of
his life seemed slipping away from him.
That little childs face hung between him
and the bride who was promising to be faith
fulfil she only had been faithful to him;
its baby hands seemed to shield her bosom
from him, its quavering cries to reproach
| him for daring to kiss its mother. So small
and SWEET a baby but its face seemed threat
ening him, its infant form linked indissolu-
bly, past he had hoped he might forget with
q present and future he had foolishly thought
had great store of happiness for him.
The minister had taken his seat. Was he
really married to the golden haired woman
whose hand he held to tightly? Was this the
moment he had dreamed of as marking his
entrance into new ideal lifes Had he said
everything correctly9 He could not remem-
ber, but lie did not want any mistake made
about this at least. Oh yes, it was now he
was to kiss his wife. He held her to his heart
M instant. This was his wife, but joy was
I'D uehind his dry, fevcrish lips, and his
smile, meant to cheer her, was as il some
terrible pain was gnawing every moment at
his heart. But Bertha appeared to notice
nothing wrong.
The train which bore away the bridal pair
had not Travelled a great many mikes when
something caused Philip to look in the seat
behind them. There sat the portly woman
with her chin at last depressed in slumber
and the baby wit Bertha's eyes and Curran't
mouth. One of Bertha's coils of hair haG
become loosened, and braid Of golden hail
hung over the back of the seat as she let hel
head rest on her husbands shoulder. Ber
thas eyes were closed drowsily, the nurse il
the seat behind nodded in her dreams, but
the child reached out its baby hands to play
with its mothers golden tresses. The young
husband watched the child's lips forming
,gain and AGAIN one word, mamma" tn
wife fell asleep and dreamed she was the hap
piest woman in the world, while beneath hel
bead every throb of the mans heart was al
ache.
fro BE coNT1NUED.l