St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-04

the hour of his meeting with Mrs. Cuth-
bert Hope, his fortunes began to change.
His pledge to her was faithfully kept.
She became an attendant on the Church
of Grace; its social circle made ready
entrance for her seeming wealth, her
beauty and her devotion to works Of
piety. If some few, suspicious of her
sudden popularity and apparent good
breeding, limited that it might be we'll to
examine her past, look up her anteced-
ents, they were frowned down and so
ciety. especially the masculine portion
of it, received her with open arms.
AS her position became more secure,
Mr.. Bedell found her growing cold to-
ward him. Their meetings became less
frequent. She no longer made a pre-
tence OF loving him, but laughed at his
weaknesses and made merry over his
course of deceit. To make matters
worse, one or two in his congregation
with whom he had never been friendly,
began to circulate rumors they had
heard as to his character for truthful
ness. Little by little things crept out
that greatly exercised his friends and
made him tremble: Those who believed
IN him StOutly defended his honor. A
majority of the church were with him.
but the gOssips would not cease. One
night when a great many ugly stories
had reached his ears, Mr.. Bedell called
ON Mrs. Hope.
This is your work." he said to her,
lit is to you that | owe all this scandal.
DO you know, woman, that they-they
say that you are my --''
Mrs. Hope rose slowly from her chair
She crossed the room to where he STOOD
and lifting her hand, struck him in the
face.
"They say" she said. "They say.
Well, tell them that when you told ME
what they said that l slapped your face
and showed you my door,"
That was the last meeting between
Mr.. bedeli and Mrs. Hope. She cleared
her skirts of him and kept On her way.
She lives to-day, not so handsome as
she was, but still scheming, still en-
sharing mems souls; still Lamia.
though Lamia's grace and beauty can
never come back.
Mr.. Bedell returned to his home from
his call on Mrs. Hope, stunned and fear
stricken. Without knowing the quarter
to expect it from he felt that blow was
being prepared for him, that if struck
would dash him from his social and
clerical position. He had scarcely
entered his home when a caller was an
nounced. 1t was young Mr.. Fellows, a
warm friend of MIR. Bedell's and a
wOrshiper at his church. He grasped
the clergyman's hand warmly, and then
sQuaring himself in a chair blurted out:
cit is horrible, Dir. Bedell, horrible"
"What is horrible?'
Gossip, SANDER, lies; all the false
hoods that envy sets afloat. Something
must be done-dOne at Once-no time to
wai-at-horrible.
''Well, you leave me in the dark vet.
Who is envious, and of what and who
has been slandered?''
''I'll tell you it ALL Mr.. Bedell, Just as
l heard it; never so astounded-per-
fectly -at-Stunned. Was call
ing on Mrs. Hope-Cuthbert Hope last
evening; get her to sing next Sunday;
began Shattlng-SpOke of yOu-ah-yOu.
She admired your serm0nS-fine speak
er-ah.
s'She said it was a shame-very shame
full that so good man as you should be
maligned; slandered by few, few
Jealous persons-iealous, ah--in the
church. L said nothing; too surprised.
''She laughed queerly-funny laugh
she has-Said she didn't believe what
they said; said that the story that you
helped poor woman find her son,-Son.
ah-raised purse for her by borrowing
money and never paying-paying it
back-and then, acknowledging
ing yourself to this poor-poor woman