Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-03-15

| of the deception they have practiced up
on your family, and to beg you will kind
lY make i, known TO any whom 1t may
concern"
"Deoeption!n
"Winfred's passing herself OF as wild
! ow. Sna is not married.
! "Not married then Mr. Morton"
SIS myth. Tue girls fancied, l be
lieve, that living alone they would have
more freedom il one of them were &
widow, and Winifred, being already in
mourning for my grandfather, whose re
cent death had left them homeless,
bought q widows cap, aad called herself
/ Mrs. Morton The false position once
| assumed was not easily abandoned, al
/ though it led them into more absolute
deceit than they had at all foressen.
/ They now wish to explain the matter TO
/ you as their chief friend in Longmede
and to ask your pardon for having de-
ceived YOU
"The deception has not affected us
much said my mother. "Hour sister
4 would have been quite as welcome here
under her true name. How did such
| plan enter youT head, Ninifred. What sug-
| gested it to your
|
| don that l thUaght of it, said Freda.
mabel and l weGt into jays TO buy hats
and while we were choosing them, saw
/ little widows bonnet on the table and l
| tried it on. II suited me exactly, and
! Mabel said: What pity you are not
really widow, Freda you look so nice
| in weeds, and if you were, we should both
| be far more independent taan we can be
I no IF a ft,sv
/ to be widow came into my mind then,
and thoubht it would bo good fun.
Mabel did not like it, but | made her
consent. We bought widows cap and
/ bonnet; we were already in mourning for
/ grandfather, and | determined to call
myself Morton. 1t really is my name
! Wlnifred Morton Heath. We talked so
much TO cash other about Mr. Morton
that we came half to believe in him, and
TO be rather fond of him. We did not
understand at first how difficult it would
be to keep up the pretense, or how many
lies we should have to tell. l was many
a time longing to tell you the truth, but
was afraid"
~ am sorry you did not, my dear" said
my. mother gravely. However; that
cannot be helped now, Did you expect
your brother"
''No, not at all. His coming was quite
a surprise. He walked suddenly into the
drawing room, and found me in a widows
CAPT she laughed somewhat hysteri-
cally.
"You must have been startled, MIR.
Health"
II was startled at first" he said, and
when l learned the truth l was shocked.
did not think either of my sisters would
have been capable OF such systematic
deceit. / was determined that | at least
would not be party TO it. This visit is
also TO say good bye, Mrs. LESLIE" he
added. "My sisters accompany me 20
London this evening. They will scarcely
find Longmede pleasant residence, once
the truth is known. l am remaining in
England for year, and for that time, az
least, they are better with me. [ cannot
understand" he added, "why you were 30
ready TO assume that | was-the late Mr.
Norton" with an expression that made
him for the moment like Freda.
ave saw You photograph said hest.
tatingly.
"Did she show me as MortonS" he ask
ed, his face darkening.
"Mabel did,
81 beg your pardon" said Mabel''
grave voice. "You assumed that the pOr
trait was that of Freda's husband, and
did not contradict you. You were much
struck by the photograph, l remember
and rather scandalized at Freda's having
survived her loss"
1t was now my turn to look confused
under the amused scrutiny of Mr. Heath {
brown eyes. The Heaths soon after went
away, leaving Hilda and me much sad
deEed, both by their departure and this
manner of it.
"Poor Edmund" / said, "what a pity
that he was in such hurry! | must write
and tell him the truth, Perhaps he has
not yet finally arranged to sail in thu
Venetia."
"My dear" said my mother very ener
RetIoally, 81 would rather a thousand
times that be sailed in the Yenetia thar
that he married that decietful girl He
conduct shows . want of honor and prin
ciple such as | should be sorry to see il
! Edmund's wife,"
Nevertheless, l thought il due II
Edmund to let him know the state of at
fairs. The only notice taken of the com
munioation was a postscript in the mex
letter to my mother; Tell Rose recely
ed hers of the 22d."
: We had heard nothing of the Heath
after they left Longmede. In the -,
4 prise and confusion &C N
had forgot - oar pat,ins !, y
I fOrr -" w ASK theh W Reop 70 =
! I'd Of tbsif movements, while the
probably felt ehary of writing uhder tn
u circumstances.
o At the end of a year Edmund can
e home, looking Older AID browner, h
y quiet, reserved manner suiting him bette
" low than IL did in his mcre boyish day
He had bought a practice in little tow
/ on the south coast and intended settln
{ there. The Yrst tins he aid we're Glon
G he asked if 2 knew anything OF th
Heaths. / was somewhat ashamed to col
fess that did not.
"YOu ana Hilda imagined yourselyG
! attached TO those girls, believe
80 we were but mother vas SO mue
/, annoyed at the deceit"
"a mere bit of childish masqueradin
: undertaken without considering the cor
! sequences. do not know how you ca
it by such hard name az deceit"