Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-20

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toned to such errands, to see about
the children. She returned soon, to
find her charge excited-not wholly de-
irious, but talking steadily, although
it was evident that every word caused
suffering.
II must confess before I de-" she
said. ''I want to tell something about
it. want to send for Bertha Lewis!
Do you think she could ever forgive
me?" looking into the sad dark eyes of
the nurse.
'sDid you wrong her?" Sister Agatha
asked in a grave steady voice.
Wrong her? Wrong her! I killed
her! Not-not her body, you know.
She did not die, but I killed her heart
her happiness! Oh, Bertha, you
loved me once, and l loved you, till
Harry Huntingdon came to ruin your
life and mine. Hush! Never tell it!
Listen! We were cousins, and lived
with Uncle James Warren, but Bertha
did not know her father died in prison
"a forger and thief! Uncle James
took her home, and she was SO little
she never knew. Then Harry Hunt
ingdon came! He was so handsome,
SO tender, so loving. 1 loved him!
And he had no eyes for any one but
Bertha. He sang with Bertha, He
walked with Bertha. 1t was always
Bertha that he looked for, no matter
who else was sick for want of a kind
word from him."
Mrs. Huntingdon, you are doing
yourself great HARM" the nurse said,
putting cool hand on the fevered
forehead; pray be calm, and try to
rest"
81 must tell you'll must tell you
ALL was mad with love and ieal-
ousy, and Bertha was like ice! She
knew nothing about love! She was as
calm when Harry was near her as if he
had been her grandfather. How could
| know she loved him? But [ found
out one day about her father; found
some letters in an old desk Uncle
James let me use. I had no right to
read them, for they were her fathers
letters to Uncle James, his wife's
brother, imploring him to care for his
wife and child, and begging his crime
might be kept secret from Bertha. /
knew Harry Huntingdon's pride. I
knew that he would tear his love cat
of his heart rather than marry a wife
with such a legacy of shame, and my
heart eXulted that [ was a Warren,
and no relation to this forger who had
taken his own life in prison, as the
last letter of all, written by the chap
lain, told me-"
''Mrs. Huntingdon" the nurse beg
ged again, ''you must try to forget all
these painful memories; you are injur-
ing yourself"
But still the weak voice went on,
the words coming with more difficulty
every moment, and breathing growing
more and more oppressed.
81 took the letters as [ had found
them, and writing note in disguised
hand | sent them all to Harry. What
he wrote to Bertha [ never knew, but
he did not come again to see us, and
his letter nearly killed her. Who
could have believed her cold heart
could suffer SOL She grew ill-the
doctors said dangerouslyill- Uncle
James took her abroad. [ would not
90. knew Harry Huntingdon would
never come where Bertha was, and
Uncle James was furious about his
treachery. Uncle James worshipped
Bertha, and Harry had asked him to
let him marry her. He never told
Harry about her father, and he was in
q hot rage when the letter came to
Bertha that broke the engagement.
They went abroad, and l stayed at
home. [ contrived to let Harry know
that was alone there, and he came to
see me till [ won him. We were mar
ried, and I had my fathers money.
And then my punishment began. Har-
ry Huntingdon was scamp, gambler,
a man utterly without principle OF
virtue. We sank lower and lower.
My children were sickly, puny babies,
and died, all but these last ones. Fiji
teen years! Fifteen years of misery!
Down, always lower and lower. Harry
drank, and | ate opium to try and for
get my wretchedness.
" All my money went long ago
and Uncle James never forgave me
for marrying Harry. He wrote to me
once, and told me that my husband
had ruined Bertha's life-taken away
all her happiness. l knew that it
was ! who had destroyed her life, that
my had hand grasped happiness to find
only misery; for very soon after we
were married, | knew that Bertha
still held my husbands heart in her
hand. He never loved me. He
would have made something of his life
if he had had Il noble true woman like
Bertha to help him forward. How
often he told me that! It was cruel
cruel! for I loved him. | tried TO be
good wife to him until he told me over
and over that he loved Bertha. and had
been a fool to care about her father.
He never knew who sent him the let
tiers. | think if he had found that out
he would have killed me. But even
without knowing that he constantly
told me l had not won his love, and so
too, grew reckless. Then Uncle
James died, and left all his money to
Bertha. We had Thoughts ourselves
certain of half, for Uncle James was
my fathers brother; but he never for
gave me. Harry was furious"
''Pray-pray try to rest" pleaded
the nurse.
presently [ shall rest soon! Did
/ tell you Harry died? They said his
foot slipped as he crossed the plank to
a ferry-boat, but l know he did not
slip. He had lost everything, and he
was tired of living. l had not the
courage to follow him. and then Daisy
was only two months old and Harry
not three years-the only babies that
lived. Poor children! See, she is not
two years old now, and [ have been
here since yesterday"
She tried again to rise, and with the
effort blood poured from between her