Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-09-01
CHAPTER XIII.

that was kept SO heavily.
CHAPTER XIII.
| The best of rest is sleep.
| And that thou oft proyOk'St; yet grossly fear
| Thy death which is no more.
Excitement ran high in Lovel on the
| evening before the day fixed for the exc
| cutiOn. 1t was known that Colonel
| Busby had returned from town unsuc-
| ceSSful, and that Lord L0vel had de-
| parted on the same mission the previous
| afternoon. But When il was bruiJetl
| about that Mr.. Eyre had unexpectedly
| returned. but spoken no word OF q re-
| prieye, all hope WIS considered to be
over; and on the two women who sat
| side by SIDE within the jail had fallen
pectation Was past. and the c0nSunma-
| ton OF the morrow as inevitably fixed
as the rising OF the sun.
Janet'8 impending fate was too awful,
| and too near, to permit ResCer's mind
| to dwell Oh any thought of self: She saw
! bur the black outline OF the sCaff0.d
| rearing Itself against the Say, &eari but
the cruet shout Of the crowd Us S..5 -
pe&rel by Jdmet'S side lei. .l1G o IN life
WrenCheu violently ron H1. body IS
| she beheld it jertlpd ouG Of J&reJ'S. Il-.;
passed With JaneL's sou through tn0sa
awful panss Of diSsuIu ion she knew mol
whittier.
Across the blac'lnes5 now and again
a child's face fitted-dimpled, lovely.
with warm loving lips that pressed her
oWn-a thrill of joy shot through her;
a moment she looked beyond that dread
tomorrow, and tasted a rapture for
which her heart so long had thr8ted:
then she thrust the thought aW y, and
took Janet'S cold hand between both
her own, and held it fast.
Mistress" said Janet, softly, don
fret; if it weren't for you I'd rather 90;
t'Other death in life ud be worse. an
I'd be as much cut off from you as if [
was dead-an' if only you'd bide away,
I'd have no fear"
Pm stay with you till the last" said
Hester; : It's | that should be hanging,
not you"
Janet shook her head.
The baby's death lies at my door, :"
''but I've thought Of something as'll
made it less lonely for you when I'm
gone; that child you told me Of last
night-steal it,
'Janet!'' cried Hester, drawing back
from the woman in horror.
"Ay," said Janet, laWless in every
thing that concerned her mistress's
welfare; ''she'S got another, she can
well spare him; let her suffer bit, an
when they as we knows on, sees her
look as white and whisht as [ see you,
he'll know better what he's done than
he knows now"
"She called me sister," said Hester.
slow tears rolling down her cheeks, ''she
kissed me. I'll not harm her any more
hon, 81, T l><N1
her, but I'll never forget it, how good
she's been to me. I'd like to show her
that bad woman can sometimes be as
generous as a good one-if only I might
see the child sometimes-she said that
| might love him. and that he would
love me, but that was before"
Then bide here, MISTRESS" said
Janet, eagerly, knowing that the worst
of death would be over if she could leave
| her mistress with some interest in life
| that would draw her out OF herself. and
| keep her from thought. ~ ou've got
| a bit of money, an can live where you
| please; just pity her, and love the child
| to your hearts content, an after awhile
| you'll forget the other; and you don't
love him now?"
No" said Hester, in a whisper;
somehow mothers love seems to Swal-
low up all other love; from the moment
| my child was born | put him second. If
he'd loved me it might have been differ
| ent; but there was shame betw him
| and me, but none toward the baby: and
| III always think that the woman who S
missed motherhood, having the moth
erS's heart, has missed the purest, in
| tensest joy God ever gave, and the most
| lasting; it's made me better woman
| than I'd ever have been without"
Then if you can bear to see him, y
said Janet, slowly, you'll stay; you
won't harm her?"
No" said Hester, in whisper; 81
promised Lord Lowell I'd go away, but
I'd live on crust if | might see the
| child sometimes. | feel his arms around
| my neck now, and hear his little voice
calling me-"
Then feel them in flesh an blood
tomorrow" cried Janet; Ego to him,
mistress; sure there's none 'ud have the
heart to come between you, an you'll
| forget about mean after bit know
ing Pm at rest, you II give over fretting
for the little baby"
The gathering darkness almost hid
the women from each others eyes, as
by sudden impulse they turned and
chung together. - janet MiStreSs:'
and in the darkness d kiss was eXehang-
ed that spoke the perfect reconciliation
and peace that lay between these two
miserable. faithful hearts.
A great crowd had gradually assem-
bled without the prison gates, but it
was quiet and conversed little. All eyes
Were turned in a certain direction: all
ears were strained to discover the first
sound of carriage-wheels from the di-
rection OF the station. for the last train
was now due, by which, if Lord Lowell
did not arrive with the reprieve, the
last chance would be over.
At nine O'Clock low hum rose, and
swelled gradually to roar, as a car
rage was heard annroaching. and there