Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1888-02-15
BY CHARLES ]. BELLAMY.

me like two carriages. will go out and
seen
Philip hurried to the window and raised it,
but it was pitch dark; he could see nothing.
Who could be in that second carriage? He
wanted to be called but no one came for him.
He hoard the doors open and shut, and indis-
tinguishable voices, but no one called him.
Then he made his way out into the hall in
vague terror. He thought Of his bride wait
ing up stairs, and set his teeth for thu worst.
No earthly power, no vileness Of calumny,
no shameful disclosures should move him,
His bride waited for him, ready to be his
when he called for her. Ali he would not
shame her, though all hell Kissed at her. But
how fanciful he was. lie could hear tho
mild hammered minister talking in his polite
tones. He caught his complacent laugh
Thap. God for it, Nothing could have hap
penad. lie walked along the hall. The voices
came from the dining room. There was the
ministers laugh again. He pushed open the
door and went III.
The minister rose, with tho especial defer
ence for wealth that marks many of the
priests Of God, end gave tho young mans
hand an affectionatc squeeze. mo doubt
Mr.. Breton is ready. 1t is the bridegrooms
who should always be impatient I believe I
arN right, am not, Mrs. Eilingsworth!'
Mrs Ellingsworth Philip started violently
and the color left his face. She had returned
in time then.
"Not always" she smiled strangely and
reached out her hand to Philip. It was but
q waman's hand, small aud velvety, but he
touched it as if there we're dagger in its
white palm. He knew by tho look of evil
triumph in her face that she had not been
away for nothing Could it DO there was
any thing worse than he had forgiven already
some page Ok Bertha's life SO black 10
depth Of love could cover ita A deadly faint
ness was upon him.
81 havo brought two visitors, V she went on;
showing the tips Of her white teeth In q
beautiful smile,
To be sure, there sat portly woman with
the slightly elevated chin of certain variety
of the sex when on its dignity. But Jane
said "t.yo'-wherc was the other' All, the
other III tho woman's lap. 1t was baby
Mr. Eliingsworth had very peculiar express
sion on his face tonight. as il his wife wero
disappointing him. 1t was rather danger
Gus look if Jane had understood it. She was
offending his elegant tastes extremely by
bringing to his house a vulgar, fussy Old
woman and her baby whom she, no doubt,
had picked up on the railroad cars. Philip
stood nervollsly tumbling his watch chain,
i,,,d waiting for a blow to fall on him, he did
,.ot know whence.
II was q little baby's hand that caught at
Philips arm. and no turned to look into it's
great star like blue eyes. He had seen that
same marvellous tint in checks before, and q
cold horror of recognition darted through
his soul lie tried to lift his spellbounq eyes,
and they rested instead o., the face of Jane
Eilingsworth, which was Lit up with fiend-
ish exultation as she held the child up to
ainl.
"$Vhat-not kiss tho babym she laughed
gayly. ''Such a pretty baby, too; why it
really has complexion and eyes like Bertha's."
She did not cease to look at his shrinking
face. ''But its mouth and chin Some
thing made him look at the ba5y's features
as she mentioned them, and then he shud-
>sered; it was too terrible, ''are moro Like
somebody else know Eier small, flashing
black ey>s seemed burning their way to his
very brain. '|Vho is it!" She bent toward
him SO that her rot lips seemed almost to kiss
his ear. "Curran," she whispered. Could
he not tear himself away from her poisonous
breath? mot SO strange, thought" She let
the baby put its chubby hands into his hair,
though she saw every touch was a thrust
through the quvering fibers 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 calleda
1t seemed SO, for he sat down, and they foist-
cd the pretty baby on him, and his face wore
q 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 for1' His face was
like marble for frmness, and it seemed az
dead.
Jane drew him quickly into the hall, "You
are not going to marry the mother Of
that
''Hush," and her womanS soul quailed at
the look he bent on her. eff you dare to
whisper word to Bertha, or SHOW her that
,hildn-
81 thought you would thank me-" wills
roered the false lips. She saw it was all in
yain--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 repulse and dis
| dam as the poor factory girl had suffered it
| i'll her very wedding dress For the sight
| Of this baby face would chill the most ardent
love that ever burned in a bridegroom'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 80 sublime, shame was
| ashamed before it.
His face had lighted up at her words. "Oh
| I will thank you a thou-a thousand times it
| you will send that woman aud the child
away"
He had taken her hands "Jane, for Gods
sake do it,"
| lie would have given her fortune, but
I she 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
aid at last, as she turned to go back into tho
| Dom He thought his prayers had moved
cr. But she knew her plot had failed; she
"a wrung his heart, but his will was un
,oved. She made virtue Of her necessity
;lip would be grateful to her forever, but
lore would be something, else, perhaps
lch hate as hers could not be turned aside
so feeble a thing as pity.
GLOW pale you are, Philip. Are vol
,raidy and Bertha smiled royalty on him al
ie took his arm, and they passed up thu
| AL.
II am the happiest man in the world" ano
he tried to smile as lis hand closed over bel
ks11 nyHS