Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-12-25

asJonlsned 70 near voIces-Une one Iouu anu
| angry the other soft and pleading. When I
entered the kitchen my amazement increased
tenfold
An elderly lady-none other, indeed, than
old Mrs. Redruth George Redruths widowed
| m0ther-was standing in the middle of the
room, while my cousin Annie, crying bitter
ly, was actually on her knees before her!
Mrs Redruth had two characteristics. her
confirmed ill-health and her iron VIII. Her
power in the village was great; but she was
feared, rather than beloved. Indeed. it was
| ayerred by many that every hard deed COM
nitted by either her husband or her son
might have been traced to her influence For
the rest, she was tall, thin woman, with
powerful aquiline features and face Of
CHASTITY pallor.
Amazed at her presence there, l entered
unceremonously, but both were so intent
upon themselves that they were actually un-
aware of my approach.
| The old woman was speaking,
Your tears don't deceive me-" she said.
81 am not a man and fool. | am a mother,
! and / know when danger threatens my child,
and / say that you are doing your best TO en-
tangle my son. But take care. George Red
ruth shall not be sacrificed; sooner than that
! will ruin you-do you Heartburn your'
! ooh, my LADY," sobbed Annie; twill you
, listen"'
No." she returned, Z will not! Listen
, to yOu-when every word you utter must be
lie! L have seen you with my son. Cease
! to follow him. or | will expose you before
every soul IN the ylllagev'
| she turned to leave the cottage, and came
| face to face with ne. She paused abruptly,
! opened her lips, as if about to speak; then
! she changed her mind, and without uttering
a word passed out.
! AS for myself, have been too much stupe-
fed to say word, and | stood now like a
/ great bear, looking at my cousin, who sob
bing pteously, had sunk into chair. Then,
! suddenly, while gazing at her thus, it SEEM
, ed to me that the time had come for me to
! speak. | went up to her, raised her from
the chair, and folded her in my arms.
Annie" l said, 'Annie, my dear, let there
be an end to this. Give me the right to pro-
! tect you from all this trouble that has come
upon you lately. Become my wife,"
| She started, and stared at me like fright
ened child.
Your wife, Hugh?" she said. "Your
! wife?"
Eyes, Annie, answered. MY wife-that
! is, it you care for me enough, my. dear "
! At this, she fell to crying afresh, and chung
| to me tenderly.
''Ah, Hugh, dear Hugh p' she sobbe6. "You
are the kindeSt and best man in all tho world,
and it is your kindness which make, you ask
me this now, for you don't IOUe N :, Hugh"
! Her words cut me to the heart for l felt
! their truth.
! Perhaps" ] said 81 don't romance as
! some young fellows might, but shall make
! DC bnC T HOY oil
of you, Annie, ever since that night, years
ago. when 1 first came here an 1 you gave me
a welcome. We have ever been excellent
| friends, haven't we?-and now tell me if we
shall be more than friends?'
| mo, Hugh; be what you have always been
my own dear brother"
| 'IS it because you think l don't care for
! you, Annie?'
''Ah, mop she replied. Don't think it is
that So much the better for you, dear, that
you don't love me; for even if it were other
wise, we two could never be man and wife"
looked into her eyes, and l thought |
read their meaning. Annie did not care for
me- her heart was with another man, and
! that man far above her.
think [ see those who read these lines
smiling at my ignorance or my folly, and
! asking, was it possible that all | had seen or
| heard awakened in my mind no suspicion Of
any darker wrong lurking in my little cOuS-
| ms path? Yes; it was quite possible. Grown
man as | was, L had no experience whatever
of the world. L would have trusted Annie
in my company, or in any place, and [ never
dreamed for moment that there could be
| any danger to one so good.
As my thought travels back to that time, [
reprOach myself again and again for my own
! blindness. What worlds Of sorrow it would
have saved if [ had been less unsuspicious-
if l had only loved poor Annie moreI