The record-union., 1892-09-10

Call her Ermintrude. 1t was my moth
er's name Kiss me now, dear, l am
| very weary"
Choking with sobs I press my mouth
to her cold, blue lips. Then someone
laid soft, warm bundle in my arms.
Twas you, my Ermintrude.
VIII not linger over the next few
years. After my lady's death her hus-
band went abroad. Letters came occa-
slonally from foreign parts whilst the
uneyentfuI years flew by, until we re-
celved news of his death.
The estate fell to distant relative very
unjustly. The female heirs of Feather
stone did not inherit. My beloved was
lett an ample allowance.
We lived, nay kind old father, the
rector, Ermintrude and myself, in our
pretty. cosy cottage.
The hall remained unclaimed and neg
lected for six years, the weeds growing
rank and high, and the ivy spreading and
entangllng the flowers and trees, when,
suddenly, the heir appeared
All! the burning tears are rushing to
my dim. old eyes. I must pause mo-
ment. The drops fall and blot these
pages as | write, for woe and bitterest
misery followed.
On! Efmintrude, why could you not
resist the base, vile love of man? MANS
| love" L groan aloud, ''tis nauCht but
|
What use to linger over his arrival.
we met him idly sauntering down the
gfaSS-groWn road. lie stopped and
DOING his hat, bowed low to Ermin-
trude, who blushed and smiled
As L glanced at him my heart grew
! light as II were gazing upon something
| divine, SO beautiful was this man.
thus the beginning
They loved.
Ills WE'LL" l said. 'sFeatherstone
Hall shall be her home"
1t was brief, passionate wooing, when
the larches and lindens were coated with
their brightest green, Basel teatherstone
and my Ermintrude We're wed.
Then, for the first time she left me
the first time since l held her, a day old
infant, in my arms.
They went to France and returned a
month later. / hardly knew my dear.
Happiness had lent new and wonderful
charm 10 her beauty
must pause moment. These mem
cries of the past are fraIpht with rriet
ana pam. The sun has completely set.
| w nlte ana deSolate the long road CLEANS
! before me, nearer the dark blotch has
drawn. 1t is swiftly approaching. The
sound OF wheels falls on my ear.
draw the blind, light my candle and
| resume: Ermlntrude was Supremely hap
Ply, loving her handsome husband with a
love bordering upon idolatry. Swiftly
the months flew by. one morning she
came to me, her pretty face blushinC and
dlmplIng. Throwing her arms around
my neck she whispered the sweet secret.
IL was about this time we heard of a
new conner at the village inn, A won
derfully beautiful, dark foreign woman.
accompanied by two children-both girls.
she inquired, in broken English. eagerly
about the hall, it's master in particular.
l was spending the forenoon with En-
mIntrude, whose husband was absent in
the distant city. We were busily en-
ployed sewing upon and shaping various
Tiny garments, when the stra.. ger woman
confronted us.
There was little to be told. Her story
was simple one the proofs convinc1nG
which revealed Basel Featherstone a vii
| lain Of the deepest dye. This woman was
has wlfe-he, the father Of her two chill
dren. Eight years previous he married
her in Lisbon, whence, with the slight
clue she possessed, she followed him
hiUher.
L shall never forget my darling's face.
| with outstretched arms she turned pit
eously toward me- but ere | could reach
her side, she swayed and fell like a muir
dered thing at the woman's feet, who, |
think, was touched, for a soft shade OF
pity crossed, Tor moment, her hitherto
hard, defiant face. | bent down and
caught her to my breast. [ carried her
senseless form and laid it upon a soft,
low couch. Frantically l ran for restora-
1yes. When / returned she lay quiet,
pale ana dry-eyed-a strange, unnatu-
raj look upon her white, calm face.
| What became of the strange woman
never knew.
Toward evening 1 was obliged to leave
the hall for a few minutes. Upon nv
return my child was gone-all trace OF
her lost. ] have not seen nor heard OF
! 81 Nlxy y.-it
ease my breaking heart. Hush! The
carriage wheels are drawing nearer,
nearer. Stay. They pause outside.
Shall l unlatch the door? Yes, kind
heaven, tits Ermintrude.
Again 1 stand at the marble fountain
and dreamily watch the sparkling water.
| once more the pale, white roses tiinu
their buds and blossoms over the balco-
ny. a few snowy petals flutter in the
soft, sweet breeze to watt hither into the
| shallow basin TO dance and float upon the
| ripping surface. Again L gaze upon the
| short, green sward and trim. fragrant
| HoWer beds of Featherstone Hall. which.
| by almost miraculous swittness, has as
| oumed its former imposing magnifi-
| cence.
L left you rather abruptly, dear reader,
| when my child returned-returned after
| Il seven years absence.
| Ian LIctuNlShSI w I'LL SIl6l her husband
| met her wandering aimIessiy across the
opposite hills. He Immediately returned
| with her to the city. For months the
most eminent physicians watched over
her until, aided by their professional
skill, she eventually regained her rea-
son.
The woman's visit was easily ex-
| planned. She had COMPOUNDED Ermin-
| trude's father, to whom she was secretly
married, with the young heir, they being
| of the same name.
My CHILD wrote to me, but, unfortu-
nately, the letter was miscarried. We
old folks must not be too exacting. Why
should she think of me with handsome.
adoring young husband constantly by
her side?
See, they come toward me now. How
fair and sweet she is. Her husbands
arm around her waist as, with head bent
low, LOOKS tenderly into the pure, sweet
eye appraised SO trustingly to his.
Then children's footsteps sound upon
the graveled walks; merry voices fall
upon my ear; chubby hands tug and pull
my gown; little fingers clasp my hands;
baby voices ring across the lawn; Joyous
| laughter echoes from the distant hills,
ana, as my life is so soon to sink behind
the shadowing hills of time, in blissful
content L say farewell, farewell!
|
| WOMAN'S CHANGING FASHIONS.