San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-22
Continues from Yesterday.


ment, rage, and fear.
Il do not See," she muttered sullenly,
s'why you should blame me! / am no
worse than other women!
No worse! no worSe! | cried.
"Shame, shame upon you that thus out
rage your sex! Learn for once what men
think of unfaithful wiveS,-for maybe
you are ignorant The novels you have
read in your luxurious, idle hours have
perhaps told you that inidelity is no sin,
merely little social error easily con-
doned, or set right by the Divorce Court
Yes! modern books and
and modern plays teach you so;
in them the world swerves upside
down, and vice looks like virtue.
But / will tell you what will seem
to you a strange and wonderful thing!
There is no mean animal, no loathe
some object, no horrible deformity of
nature so utterly repulsive to a true
man as faithless wife! The cowardly
murderer who lies in wait for his victim
behind some dark door, and stabs him in
the back as he passes by unarmed,
l say, is more to be pardoned than the
woman who takes husbands name,
honour, position, and reputation among
LIS ltllOWS, anu SLGlJtl III hCl SUI WIN
these, passes her beauty promiscuously
about like some coarse article OF com
merce, that goes to the highest bidder!
Aye, let your French novels and books
of their type say what they will-inh-
deity is crime, a low, brutal crime, as
bad if not worse than murder, and de-
serves as stern a SENTENCED"
A sudden spirit of defiant inSoence
and her level brows knitted in dark
frowD.
Sentenced" she exclaimed imperi-
ouslI. How dare you judge me?
What harm have | done? If am beau
tiful, is that my fault? If men are fools
can l help it? You loved me-GuidO
loved me-could | prevent it? l cared
nothing for him, end less for your
~ know it," / said bitterly. Love
was never part Of your nature! Our
lives were but cups Of wine for your
false lips to drain; once the favour
pleased You, but nOw-nOw, think you
not the dregs taste somewhat cold?'
She shrank at my glance,
her head dropped, and draw
ing near a projecting stone in the wall,
she sat down upon it, pressing one hand
TO her heart.
''No heart, no conscience, no memory
! cried. Great Heaven! that such a
thing should live and call itself woman!
The lowest beast of the field has more
compassion for its kind! Listen: before
Guido died he knew me, even as my
child, neglected by you, in her last agony
knew her father. She being innocent,
passed in peace; but he!-imagine if you
can, the wrenChing torture in which he
persisted knowing all! How his parted
spirit must curse your
She raised her hands to her head and
pushed away the light curls from her
brow. There was starving, hunted,
almost furious look in her eyes, but she
fixed them steadily on me.
See" went On-"hcre are more
proofs of the truth of my story. These
things were buried with me-" and
threw into her lap as she sat before me
the locket and chain, the card case and
purse she herself had given me. "Iou
will no doubt recognize them This, 5"
, and showed her the monks csaciRx, -
this was laid on my breast in the collin.
1t may be useful to you-you can pray
TO it presentlyn'
She interrupted ne with a gesture OF
her hand; she spoke as though in .
dream.
"You escaped from this vault!" she
said in low tone, looking from right u
left with searching eagerness. Tell me
how-and -where?"
| laughed scornfully. guessing her
thoughts.
at matters little" replied. The
passage discovered is now closed and
fas: cemented. have seen to that my
self! No other living creature left here
can escape as did. Escape is imposSi-
ble~
A stifed cry broke from her; she
threw herself at my feet, letting the
things had given her as proofs of my
existence fall heedlcSsly on the floor.
'Eabio! FaOiOm Sue cried, save me-
pity me! Take me out to the light-the
air-let me live! Drag me through Ma
Piles, all the crowd see me dishon.
CURED, brand me with the worst of
names, make of me a common outcast,
only let me feel the warm life
throbbing in my veins! | will do any
thing, be anything,-only let me live!
loathe the cold and darkness-the hor
rible :. horrible ways OF death!'
She shuddered violently and chung to M
afresh. L ~ am so young! and after all
am so vIIe? There are women VIII
count their lovers by the score, and ye
they are not blamed; why should suffe
more than they?" H
why, why?" 1 echoed fiercely. "BC
cause for once a husband takes the LAY
into his own hands-for once
wronged man insists on justice-fo
once he dares to punish the PREACHER
that blackens his honour! Were Their
more like me there would be less lik
you! A score of lovers! IT'S not Won