New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-05-27


Agnes, who waited up for them, had
expected. Il
1t was her turn now to aid her un-
happy friend in her distress; and
when Tom had been reassured-for,
poor lad, he had been in terrible
highland had taken his departure,
and little. Ida, having heard her
mothers voice once more, had gone
off into a deep sleep, the girl sat by
the bed where the woman lay, utterly
FRUSTRATED, by the memory of the
terrible vision, that had sent the
blood back to her heart, like sum-
mons from the dead. " s-
Eyes, it was him." she faltered, cit
must have been sent to warn mech!
had no business there was no
place indeed for me, with such grief as
mine, with such fault to atone for
oh! it was a fearful warning-I shall
! never cease to see it, never!'
Her friend, in the possession of her
clearer reason, attempted to reason
with her; but Mrs. Franklen repulsed
the arguments the other urged. '-
"My husband was not lost at sea-"
she said, shudderingly, che was MUIR
dered- murdered, cruelty and by a
horrible man; he could not have been
| saved, as you say; you don't know,
Agnes, you don't know. OH" she
moaned, Il shall never cease to see it,
neverp'
But the younger woman full well
knew the Importance Of at once dis
persing if possible, this phantom of
the brain, as she believed it, ere it had
taken too firm hold upon the mind.
She persevered.
'Did the face seem to look at you?'
asked she; "do speak, dear, and tell
me all; it will ease you, 1 am sure, and
everything seems so much worse with
brooding over. Was what you saw
like living everyday man, and did
he look at your"
"No," said Nelly, fearfully, her voice
sinking to a whisper, mo, it's eyes
were looking far above my head, up
to the sky, its face was turned to-
wards me, but it would not look at
me. Oh, let me pray, Agnes let me
pray" and she slid trenlb-
ling down upon her knees by
the bedside; II have not prayed
enough, [ had no business in that
place, God forgi We me!''
Then she poured out the fervent pc.
tltlon for forgiveness and strength to
bear her punishment, which had be-
come familiar to her lips. and the girl,
with bent head and reverent ears,
listened to the strange, urgent, pas
sionate words, and from her heart re-
sponded.
II ought not to spare myself" she
said, when they had sat some little
time together; II did not tell you ALL"
And she related the whole OF her his
tory--f from the first error of her
maiden days to it's fatal result-omit-
ting only the finding Of that gastly
witness; she could not bring herself to
speak of what seemed ever a. dread
secret confded only to herself.
It was we'll indeed for the little Ida
that Tom Grejous, from that night
henceforth transferring his attention
by the altitude Of two flights of stairs,
became by degrees the constant visitor
OF the third floor back, which Nelly
and her child inhabited.
The fact is, in spite of Toms devo-
ton to his first friends, he had been
so constantly met by objections and
resistance on the part OF Agnes, her
independence had so frequently CALLED
him, even in the accepting of his servi-
ces, that the transfer of his friendship
was by no means the difficult matter
r. might otherwise have been.
Nelly had achieved the purpose so
long looked forward to, had emanci-
pated the pledged ring, and felt once
more as if she had some hold upon the
better portion of her life by this frail
link.
She answered Ida's pretty chatter,
and gave her opinion on q variety Of
subjects, chiefly relating to Tom, and
books, and book-making, in amanner
very satisfactory to the little one, till
she prattled herself off to sleep, and
the mother was left to her own
thoughts, to her prayers, and to the
sad luxury OF revisiting those vigilant-
ly-hoarded relies of mystery, and OF
she scarcely knew what crime and
horror.
AS she laid the old-fashioned ring
beside the skeleton hand of which it
seemed almost to form a part, she
vowed within herself that nothing
should ever part them while she lived.
| It might be some ten days after this,
when, sitting with her child beside her
in the waning twilight, she was startled
by a knocking at the door, and, all
most ere she could answer, by bidding
| the visitor "come in," man entered,
apparently aged and slightly bent; by
that uncertain light he seemed clearly
but very poorly dressed, and his white
hair somewhat profusely hung almost
| upon his shoulders from beneath the
| hat, which heremOved, as he advanced
into the room with hasty and some
| what uncertain steps.
| "Pardon me, dear Mrs. Franklen,"
! he began. ''forgive me if Iseem agitated;
you are Mrs. Franklen?'
Nelly, in surprise assented.
| II heard it, I was told so. Oh,
dear, the surprise has taken away the
little strength I have; oh, to find it at
last, my long-lost treasure. my poor,
poor mother, my shipwrecked father"
| Mo- al I, ~,