Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1891-11-11
THE LETTER WAS NOT FROM HER rArHr,

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THE LETTER WAS NOT FROM HER FATHER.
who wrote with more zeal than discre
ton. portion of it was as follows:
Your father is well and apparentlv con.
tented His wife is all he can desire / sun.
pose. since he bows to her will In all things.
she has her way in the home and the business
ana she needs but to hint wish to have IL graf.
ihed She has brought her sisters chill.
dren, three in number to live with
her, and OF course your father supports
them. The two youngest. girls he keeps
IN college, while the other, young man grown
ne mas taken into the bank with him. making
him partner In the business. Your father and
bis wife are active members OF Reverend
Wheedler's church. and she Is one OF the most
devout members OF the congregation The
young man whom your father has connected
with him In the bank is somewhat rakish, and
think very unprincipled. He spends money
lavishly, and OF course IL is your fathers
money, for he has none OF his own
lie mas Just returned from a stay OF several
months in the west. and has married the
uhughter OF merchant here. It's my opinion
though, that he did not marry for love but for
money. think from what have learned that
ne met some ono out west whom he loves Your
rather made q great dinner on the occasion of
the wedding, inviting all his wife's relatives
WheeQler ha
minister pronounced II most ENJOYABLE meet
ing. and wondered IL he noted your absence
or remembered that you were n stranger 10
your father for no good cause / told this min.
lister afterwards that could not understand
how your father could so far forget his own
flesh and blood and take to his bosom those
VINO were nothing to him. / told him that I'm
my opinion no parent could be a good
christian while he was unrelenting He re
pied that sometimes children tried their
tan man might be IL was not In his nature
TO forget some things. He thought Brother
bIatchford was more forglving than the ma
lority OF men. and as for Sister Blatchford she
was deserving OF much sympathy, for hers was
trying situation. and no doubt her heart often
bled for her husbands wrongs Mrs Blatch
ford has brother, Joseph Spickler whom your
lh'ner mas set up In business several times
Joseph doesn't seem 10 be of any great conse
quehce In business way, and about all he
seems TO have any success at Is falling He
mas failed enough already to make your father
several thousand dollars poorer He Is not tho
only one OF Mrs. Blatchford's relatives who
have had your fathers assistance for nearly
All OF them have gone TO him for money to tide
over hard places. Old Mrs SpiclSlor Mrs
Blatchford's mother has como to live with
your father. and intends remaining there all
her HE hope the day will come when your
father will see and understand his duty and I
think IL will"
When Mary Green finished the letter
she sat for long time with her hands
clasped in mute despair, too deeply
troubled to utter n sound Then turn
ing her sad face to Heaven she moaned
in anguish. and in her soul cried out:
My God. what have done to merit
this? What crime, what sin have I
committed to call down on my head
, such punishment? Was it so wrong TO
marry the good, honest man my heart
loved? Oh! God. If Thou be Just, how
canst Thou permit such things to be?"
For an hour Mary sat there heart
broken and disconsolate, pouring out
the sorrow of her soul in tears and
means. Oh! who can picture the misery
OF that hour? Christ in the garden OF
Gethsemane wept tears of blood. He
knew what it was to be poor, friendless
and alone. He felt the bitter grief of n
torsaken soul. He wept and He prayed
Yet He knew that God was with Him
ana that lie was only TO pass through
the shadow of night and come into a
brighter and better life. Mary wept.
All about her there was darkness.
There was no future hope 70 buoy her
soul-no beacon light 10 guide her on.
She was penniless and friendless. and
In few short days she and her child
would be alone on the great plain with
no one near TO offer aid or speak a con-
soling word.
Inc agony of that hour was too great
for her, and her feeble frame SAINT
under it. The dread disease that had
long been stealing into her system and
undermining her constitution, the ter
rible malaria OF the west. made itself
master OF its victim, and when John re-
turned homo he found his wife burning
with fever. while her eyes roamcd
about deliriously.
doctor was summoned Immediately
and when he came and examined his
patient. he shook his head ominouslv.
1t IS a bad case he said. "a very
bad case. The disease has been grow.
ing in her system for months. and she
Is thoroughly impregnatcd with t. Il
viii take a long time 20 eradicate IL
and II may be several months before
she Is able 90 go about. am afraid
she has suffered q great deal mentally.
for her mind appears 20 be broken
down. IL IS q bad case at any rate, and
She ought 20 have the best Of care. and
! good nursing"
John sat long time with his face
buried in bis hands before nc made any
/ reply. Then, looking up. hc said:
/ Great God, doctor! What Is IL Won
I say? Is IL possible have BROUGHT the
/ best and noDlcst Of women 10 tlds2 Oh.
! It can't be 50 bad. She carno. be in
such danger! You canl you must save
her"
lTo HE coSrfSUED.
I CHoLLIE--"Oh. it was vewy c.scitinal
quite lost me head" Kitty Klaw,s-
And did Won miss i.2f- Uro,.f,l.. 4 e..