The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-01-30
HER VENGEANCE.


twenty-five years ago, with its primi-
tivc-looking pulpit and high-backed
pews, and the slight giriish figure con-
fronting alone the tribunal of grim
deacons and rigid church members,
chamber to a spectator.
A church meeting bad convened to
deal with Sylvia Graham, who had
been accused of tresspass, and whose
fair, fresh face contrasted in the dim
light of the chandelier with the rather
stolid. care-lined ones around her She
had come among them stranger six
months ago, bringing a letter of dis
missal from the church in her English
home to one of the same faith in Hoad-
", Canada, and had been formally ad-
mitted o'membership.
She was a Young wife. She had
married Philip Graham. captain of the
Echo, upon a weeks acquaintance, to
escape from an uncongenial home
where a stepmother reigned, and had
sailed with him for Hoadly a week
later.
The quiet home he provided for her
in the city seemed lonely enough
in his absence. She had hoped to find
friends among the church members,
but With few exceptions they held
aloof from her with narrowneSs. "She
had too pretty a face for her own
good the older. women declared.
'She was too fond of dress, too full of
mirth and Jest and laughter for Il
church member. There had been an
irreverent smile on her face, even,
when she had stood up to receive the
right hand of fellowship. A woman
whose husband was absent could not
be too discreet"
Therefore, when a charge was
brought against her by male member
and sustained by his wife, who had been
one of her few friends, it received
ready credence.
There was no mirth in her face now
rs she listened to the testimony of her
accuser, Il man in the prime of life,
with a dark, sensual face which his
long Christian profession had failed to
refine.
He told that she had called at his
house III his wife,s absence; had con-
Quoted herself wantonly; that he had
felt called upon TO rebuke her and send
her home and that she had left him
with SCOTS and ridicule. His wife testi-
fed to meeting her on the door-steps
with strangely bright eyes and flushed
cheeks when she had returned home;
that she had shamefaced, suspicious
look, and had hurried down the street
with scarcely Il word of greeting.
Sylvia sat with her eyes upon the
mans face and dim wonder III her
soul, why. if there was God, he did
not strike the man dead as he did
Ananias and Sapphira. She looked
round upon the unsympathetic faces
with the defiance of brave, wild
creature trapped in the woods, who
sees the monster coming rs she felt the
shadow of disgrace closing darkly
about her.
'.She had that hardened look when
we went to see her" one of the COM
mittee of women who, according to
church rules, had visited her previously,
whispered to her neighbor. when
Sarah Ann Knowles wanted to kneel
and pray with her she laughed in her
face and told her to spend her prayers
for Felix Eynch; said he insulted her,
as if we'd take her word against his
who's been constant member twenty
odd years.
With the untamed, undisciplined
force of her nature all in arms, Sylvia
told how she had called at Mrs.
Lynch's house: how the husband had
met her at the door, told her his wife
was away and persuaded her to 90 in
and wait; how his insulting words and
h.l ,nraxai-AI hoy tn atal al %
since she thoroughly disliked him and
had only tolerated him on his wife's ac-
count, and how he had followed her to
the door with the threat: You shall
pay for this. my lady
But her story carried no weight in the
ewes of the church, and her defiant at
titude when she should have humbled
herself in the dust was against her.
When the vote for expulsion was taken
it was found to be unanimous.
She was on her feet the next moment.
You shall paw for this when the hus-
band returns" she cried That man
is n liar. | hate him. | hate you all.''
The meeting broke up, and Sylvia
Graham walked home with 4 blackened
reputation
The Echo was due in three days. To
Sylvia it seemed three centuries to
wait She was confident that the mas
terful captain would make them repent
OF their deed in dust and ashes, for she
knew he had little sympathy with
slanderers. and his anger, the infre-
quent anger of a strong self-centred
nature, was terrible. She was very
fond and proud OF him. The hasty
marriage had proved love match.
She recalled his last words when he
had kissed her goodbye. You are
too pretty to be left here alone, Sylvia.
l must take you with me the next voy-
age, and her laughing answer, ''Oh,
! the church will take care of me.
! No one went near her in those days,
| but she did not care. She would soon