Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-16

naIs teBaru Inem no more Iudn etepS
in the street-her door-bell rang. She
rose astonished. : At the door stood q
lady whom she knew not; lady beau
tifully dressed in silk with . thick
veil.
Are you Emma Helmer?? asked her
visitor. 'Yes2 You are alone? Then
1 will comein
She stepped inside and looked
around curiously. Then she looked
at the girl. You are Emma Helmer.'
she said again, with q strange con-
straint in her voice. you are work
girl. Your father-where is he? And
your brothers2' She lifted her veil.
do you know who I ami?
MY father is at his Office Emma
answered all the questions. My
brothers are at their work. / do not
know you, madame. Have you bust
ness with me2'
Your father drlnks-I believe
and your elder brother, Einar, follows
his example,
The girl hung her head. 'Alasl
madame she said, these things are
too we'll known. l cannot deny them.
Are you come only to tell me this?
No--no-you-Emms Helmer-
tell me-are,you happy2 Do you want
anythingf'
Not now. At last have all that
want.
'Here2 In this poor placer With
your father and your brothers always
in you sight?'
Il have all 1 want, madame.
In heavens name what do you
want2'
The girl looked around and made
answer slowly: 4 want to be taken
away from a town where I am shamed
for my brothers sake and pitied for
my fathers. That is all I want; but
God has given me more She aided
the last words in low voice.
Your mother - shamed, by your
motherl Do you remember her? Have
you seen her?' ao-l uaag. q
NO. madame; l pray that / may
never know her. She is the cause of
all our troubles. 1t is shameful
thing to be ashamed of your own
mother, it is a most miserable thing
not TO be able even to think of her
for fear of bad and revengeful
thoughts
| III your mother were to seek you
out, child, what would you say to her?'
Il should run away lest should say
something wicked. But who are
you, madame, and why do you come
hereY a.a as@as7 s.I4..,.. .a
Il was sent, child, sent by your
nother--none other - to see you.
Since you have all that you want, and
since you think about her in this way,
| I will not stay. | will go away-I
will 60 away She turned and
seemed as if she was going, yet she
Fingered Nay she said, with a
strange look in her eyes, of course,
you speak as you are told to speak.
You do not know the truth. Your
mother is great leader. Futu,e ages
| will speak of her as among the first of
those who liberated woman from the
yoke laid upon her by all the ages.
| You cannot know. Child, your moth.
er makes you, through me, an offer.
Come to her. I will take you. Live
with her. Be her daughter and her
lpupil. She will teach you to become
even as she is herself-free in thought
and free in life
'Ohl' The girl shuddered and
trembled. If Nils should hearl Live
with her? Give up my lover and my
hopes2 Oh, you are vile and wicked
womanl You are as vile and wicked
as my unhappy mother herself. Go
quickly! Leave me--lest I say some
thing worse +''
Her mysterious visitor obeyed. She
turned and walked away.
II.
| The girl sat down to her work
again; but her hands trembled, the
work went slowly, and she sang no
more. The joy had gone out of her
heart. Her mother--her mother who
had shamed her! Oh! unto the third
and fourth generation. Never since
; she began to understand at all had she
; ceased to feel those dreadful words
unto the third and fourth generation.
! She tried to think of her lover-brave
and strong and true-but she could
not. She was again in the ruined
home, cursed by the sins of her par
ents. The work went more slowly;
the tears gathered in her eyes and
rolled down her cheeks-unto the
third sAd fourth generation. Alas!
yet she knew nor the trouble that was
, to fall upon her. .g5a
Presently she recovered little and
went on more steadily with her work.
j But another step came up the stairs
step that she knew--and stopped be-
[ fore the door.
5 1t was her younger brother. He
: was perfectly white; he trembled and
, shook; he looked about the room.
Emma he cried, help me. I must
run away. Give me all the money