The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-02-18
"NIabel di6.s

MABEL Olu.
81 beg your PARDON" said N.h,s
grave voice. "You assumed thss 81
portrait was that of Freda's bnsh.s
and did not contradict you. You
so much struck by the photoorarS
remember, and rather scandslizaS !
Freda's having survived her loss.
At the end of o year Edmund -
home, looking older and browner ii,
quiet, reserved manner suiting him -
ter now than it did in his boyisb ~
He had bought q practice in little tos
on the south coast and intended settl;,s
there. The first time he and i ~
! alone he asked if I knew anytb;nr :
the Heaths. was somewhat asb,n
to confess that 1 did not.
1t was now my turn to looked 49,
fused under the amused scrutiny Of W.
Heath's brown eyes.
The Heath's soon after went MN.
leaving Hilda and me much saddarss'
both by their departure and the msS
her of it. -'au'
"Poor Edmund" I said, "vbs,
pity that he was in such a hurvi
must write and tell him the truth D..
haps he has not yet finally arranged to
sail in the Venetia."
"My dear, said my mother very ene,.
getically, 81 would rather THOUSAND
times that he sailed in the Venetia Than
that he married that deceitful girl. r.,
conduct shows want of honor ana
principle such as 1 should be sorrv ~
see in Edmunds wife"
Nevertheless, thought it due 10 "A.
mund to let him know the state Of n.
fairs. The only notice taken of tbs
communication was q postscript in thu
next letter to my mother: "Tell Rose
received hers of the I'D"
We had heard nothing of the Heath.
after they left Longmede. In the sun.
prise and confusion of our parting wa
had forgotten to ask them to keep us in.
formed of their movements, while thew
probably felt chary of writing under the
! circumstances.
"You and Hilds imagined yourselves
attached to those girls, 1 believe"
$50 we were, but mother was 50 much
annoyed at the deceit"
"a mere bit of childish masquersdinr
undertaken without considering the con.
sequences. do not know how you call
it by such hard name as deceit"
81 have often felt sorry since that We
did not ask their address. Do you think
you could find it out, Edmundr'
81 have found it out. l met Australian
friends of Heath's on board ship, who
gave it to me.
"Have you seen theml"
"Not vet / came first to my mother"
"Give me the address and / will wrih
to Freda."
."As you did without news of them f0
SO long, you can exist without it ittk
longer. You shall have the address
soOn."
Edmund went away in day or two
on business, and about a week latei
there came letter announcing his en-
/ gagement to Miss Heath. Poor mother
was in great trouble at the news, and We
had considerable trouble in persuading
her to look upon the former escapade as
mere childishness, and not as sign Of
innate depravity.
! A little before the wedding, went to
stay with the Heaths at kensington
Freda was looking pale and thin, but
very happy. /.
"Rosie," she said, as soon as she had
/ got me into a corner 10y ourselves y
have been punished for my deceit ID
through the past year.
''Punishedi'
81 have been so unhappy. 1 thought
he was as Disguised with me as the res
of you, and that should never see him
again"
Then you loved him all the timer"
"Yes. l used to think 1 should neya
care for any one as much as / did to-
Richard, and now Mabel is going viii
Richard and 1 am staying behind.
"My mother did not go to Edmundt
wedding; but she was very kind an(
affectionate to Freda when the yount
people came to stay at Longmcde. Sh
contided to me, however, that she coult
never look at her daughter-in-law with
out remembering the widows cap q
which she had first seen her" j.
at seems to me an Omen,' she sna
That was many years ago, however
and no shadow of the widows cap b
fallen on Freda's golden head. Ihl
gold is still undimmed, l believe, 30
this I only know from hearsay, not has
ing seen my sister-in-law since the a.!
on which +, Rose Heath, sailed iron
southampton with Mabel and Dc
brother.-CdsseWs MAGAZINE.