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


ashamed as Eve herself; and horriblt
doubts held her sleepless and wretch
cd all the night. She would 60 away
at once. She would go to Paris, tc
London---anywhere.
On the way to the station, where
the street leads up from the port,
the driver stopped. Blocking her
way there was passing slowly q little
procession.
They are carrying something, mad
anne, said the driver. I'VE cannot 60
on directly
Norah leaned forward with natural
curiosity. Four men were carrying
something. What? They were sur.
sounded by 20 or 80 people pressing
in to see. All were talking eagerly.
Then she head the name Of her hus-
band mentioned.
'Torvald Helner--;go and call Tor
valid Helmer. He must be told. Go,
some one, aud tell Torvald Helmer.
He is drinking at the Black Eagle
They put down their burden In
front of the carriage.
Drive on, said Norsh. Cannot you
get around there?' '
There is no hurry. madame, said
the driver. They will go on directly.
/ think it is someone who Is drowned.
Norah lay back. A dreadful pre-
sentiment of evil seized her; she was
afraid; for 20 years she had not felt
the least touch of repentance or of
fear; now, she was afraid, and she
knew not why.
She heard them talking: Here
comes Torvald Helmer- --her is Elmer.
Oh, shameful; They are both drunk.
And at such a momentT
She sat up again and saw her hus-
band, and he was staggering along,
drunk. Behind him, also drunk, q
young man, tall and handsome, Was
this her eldest boy? was this Einer1
A lady in the crowd saw her and
came out to speak with her; 1t was
Christine Krogsrad.
'Norah, she said, 'for Gods sake
drive on quickly ... ...-
What does it mean2' she asked.
why are they calling Torvald Hell
mer?' u eos as
DO not ask---do not seek to know.
Drive on quickly Christine was
deeply moved. "A dreadful thing has
happened
.as i shall not move until learn what
1t is .%
Then -.oh! wretched woman know
that the ruin is complete
what ruin? a.
The ruin wrought by your own
hand. They are bearing home the
body of your daughter. She has
drowned herself. For her mother Z
sake---she has been robbed of hei
lover, and she is dead
sAhP Norah sank back in her car.
riage. But she recovered herself with
an effort. 7a saa... n
Just then her husband, who was
stupidity gazing at his daughter
corpse, looked up and, drunk as he
was, recognized her. He beloved ar
execration and would have run at her,
but the others held him back. They
knew by this time who was in The
carriage, and the crowd parted, right
and left, as if to suffer the woman
who had deserted her children and hel
husband, to gaze upon the dead face
of her daughter. But no one re-
preached her, save with looks. EN-.
ma lay upon bier formed by tn,
coats of the fishermen who had found
her. Some one had arranged her long
fair hair across her bosom; her hand
were lifted as if iu prayer; her cheel
was white and waxen, in no way in
jured by the water; her eyes wer,
closed, the long lashes lying on th'
cheek; her face was at rest and for
ever.
AS the mother looked, her colo
came and went; the tears rose in he
eyes but che repressed them; she reelec
and trembled, but she steadied her
self; she parted her lips twice to speak
but twice she refralned. In word
Norah Helmer, the apostle Of the nev
and better creed, was threatened will
some of the weakness of the ordinsr,
woman; for moment, she was almos
capable of weeping over her daughter
But she was mistress of herself; she
rose to the occasion; she became per-
fectly cold and Indifferent.
tWhat have I to do, she asked
with strange man and his deat
child7' vt} at1
'Norah, said Christine, you vii
never ;never-never forget this scene
Go--you will be haunted forever wit
the destruction Of your own childre
by your own hand.' b. 4
They are going on, madame salt
the driver, turning in his seat. 4
seems that it is q poor girl who ha
drowned herself for shame. She ha
bad mother and bad father. v 1t
sad. Madame will catch her train
!. 1.-THE END. .l,i.
II D