The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-22

Lld- uh1 until now. " no was Mafdhs
he puzzled over it for hours. She had
spoken so calmly, and seemed in such clear
possession Of her faculties. Yes, it must
Dc she was wandering he thought. An
well, the tragedy of that early folly was
over now, and she whose life he had
wrecked had died in saving his. Strange
to relate, hers was the only life lost in that
frightful accident Limbs were broken,
serious injuries received, but she alone
s1eiled the ranks Of death.
On the following day, which was Christ
mas, Bocca came back, in state, even as
her old mother had believed TO the last she
would come like grand lady" into her
old home. Luke gazsd IN the face Of the
dead woman stolidly, aud shook his head
when they told him it was Becca. He did
not believe them, and he went about his
WORK indifereatly.
Sitting beside his miraculousIy rescued
wife and child that night, Roger related the
days tragic occurrences in detail TO his
aunt. When Becca was dying she spoke
the name of Marahn he said. ~ wonder
60 whom she referred-and il it is TO any
one 20 whom we ought to send word of her
sad fate.n
Likely as not she means that little Hub
bard waif,n replied Aunt Stevens. "You
know we've always thought she was Bacca's
child. Roger did not speak for moment.
But his face was very white and grave and
his voice sounded strangely when presently
he said: 81 did not know there was child
over at Hubbards. Tell me about it." SO
his aunt told him the story of little Marah
After he had heard it through the room
seemed TO stitie him He got up and walked
out in the open air. ''My God, a child.
and never knew it. never dreamed Of it,n
he half sobbed. Poor girl, poor dead
Becca. what suffering have caused you
| ., the folly of IL all-and the wickedness Of
the folly. But did not know, l did not
| drea of this child"
He longed to see the child's face. He
! walked down past the gate where he had
| mot Becca fourteen years ago. It all rushed
back over him, the loneliness he had felt
with Lydia gone and only her tantalizing
| conquettish letters abougt foreign admirers
/ TO help him bear her absence; the strange
infatuation he had found in Becca's eyes
| the reckless resolve TO enjoy her love come
what would, and all the misery that had
| ensued. How bitterly how bitterly, he
had regretted it all-how endless must be
his regret.
o how much useless remorse in mature
life little restraint in youth would savel
| lie went back TO the house and passed
sleepless night In the morning he arose
early and walked down by the shop where
| he use1 TO sit and listen t. Luke's fun and
| laughter. Some one was coming out of the
shop--a man with a bowed head and slow
step. lie carried hammer in his hand
IL was Luke on his way to mend a broken
picket in the garden fence. Roger stopped
| MIN. "D1nt you remember ma, Luke"
he said. Don't you remember Roger
Bulkley"
Luke looked up. Just then the door of
the house opened, and a young girl stepped
outside.
Lukes dull eyes rested upon Roger for a
moment with no expression. Thea n sud
den spark of light seemed TO shoot into
them, and the spark grow until both eyes
were like the crbs of an enraged cat or dog.
Then something horrible occurred. No one
saw it but the young girl on the doorstep.
She saw her uncle lift his hammer In the
air and saw it descend with swift and ter
rible stroke square upon Rogers head
And then she saw Luke fall writing on the
ground, with foam on his lips.
Just a crazy fit people said. Luke
didn't know what he was doing"
He was out of his head, and had been for
years.
Roger never spoke after the blow fell
but as he lay on the ground he opened hi
eyes once and looked up into a sweet child's
face bending over him with great fright
ened eyes, and a smile came into his a
they glazed in death.
They buried Luke beside his mother and
/ sister, aud Widow Stevens took Marah
home. But ere many months rolled by
fair woman in widows weeds came dow
from the great city and took the young
girl back with her. 1t was Lydia.
Did she know whose child she was adopt
ing as her own? Who can tels
Wifehood and motherhood and the loss o
, her baby girl few years previous haC
done much to change the character Of
Lydia. From n worldly, frivolous glrl SHE
had developed into an earnest, sweet woman
as some fruits ripen only after they hav
been touched by frost.
) Perhaps the memory Of her own past sell
fishuess toward her lover made her lenien
to the errors that would never have occur
red otherwise. But at all events, she tool
} the little waif to her heart and home, anc
} they dwelt together happy in each othert
+ affection, while the summer suns shine, and
, the Christmas SHOWS drift over Roger
5 grave in Greenwood aud Becca's in Berlin