Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-02


10 name Che father OF her chlld She viii not [
and is led to prison. TIA stranger In the !
settlement enters the prison ass phs Stefan
re ls Roger thiuinEMofth, "a Wandefef Wnon
Hester bad married years before in Lngnnl.
She agrees go keep his identity secret. n ana
N.-tlcster leaves ilc prison ami lives ih re-
lirement with her child.
But Hester could not resolve the
query, being herself in dismal labyrinth
of doubt She remenibered-be twixt n
smile and a shudder-the talk of the
neighboring townspeopla who, seeking
vainly elsewhere for the child's pater
nifty, and observing some of her odd
attributes, had given out that poor little
Pearl was a demon offspring
Hester Prynne went one day
.'tu fhe mansion of Governor BellinghGa
Syith pair of gloves, which she had
flinged and embroidered to his order,
and which were to be worn on some
great occasion Of state, for, though the
chances Of a popular election had caused
this former ruler to descend a step or
two from the highest rank. he still held
an honorable and influential place among
the colonial magistracy
Another and far more important
reason than the delivery Of pair Of en-
brodcred gloves impoiled Hester at this
time TO seek an interview with q per-
sonage of so much power and activity in
the affairs of the settlement. It had
reached her cars that there was a design
fn the part Of some Of the leading in
habitants cherishing the more rigid
order of principles in religion and gov
orumont TO deprive her Of her child.
On the suppoStion that Pearl, as al
ready limited, was of demon origin, these
good people not unreasonably argued
that q Christian interest in the mothers
soul required them to remove such
stumbling block from her path. If the
child, on tde other hand, were really
capable of moral and religious growth,
and possessed the elements Of ultimate
salvation, then surely it would enjoy
all the fairer prospect of these advan-
tages 10y being transferred to wiser
and better guardianship than Hester
Prynne's Among those who promoted
the design Governor Bellingham was
said TO be one of the most busy.
Full Of concern, therefore, but so con-
scious Of her own right that it seemed
scarcely an unequal match between the
public on the one side and a lonely wo-
man. backed by the sympathies Of ma
ture, on the other, Hester Prynne set
forth from her solitary cottage. Little
Pearl. of course, was her companion.
She was now Of an age to run lightly
along by her mothers side, and con-
stantly in motion from morn till sunset
could have accomplished n much longer
Journey than that before her. Often,
nevertheless, more from caprice than
necessity, she demanded to be taken up
in arms; but was soon as impeIious TO
be set down again, and frisked onward
before Hester on the grassy pathway
with many harmless trip and tumble,
We have spoken Of PEARLS rich and
luxuriaut beauty; beauty that shone
with deep and vivid tints; a bright com
plexiou, eyes possessing intensity both OF
depth and glow, and hair already Of a
deep, glossy brown, and which in after
years would be nearly akin to black
There was fire in her and throughout
her; she seemed the unprecedented off
shoot Of a passionate moment. Hcl
mother, in conuiving the child's garb
had allowed the gorgeous tendencies o.
her imagination their full play, aITayinl
her ia a crimson velvet tunic of pecul
lar cut. abundantly embroidered witt
fantasies and fiourishes Of gold thread
So much strength of coloring, whicl
must have given q wan and palhd aspec
to cheeks of q fainter bloom, was admir-
ably adapted to PEARLS beauty, ant
made her the very brightest little jet O
flame that ever danced upon the earth
But it was a remarkable attribute O
this garb, and, indeed, of the child
whole appearance, that it irresistibl
and inevitably reminded tho beholder @
Che token which Hester Prynne wa
doomed TO wear upon her bosom.
WIS the scarlet letter in another form
.roahe scarlet letter endowed with lil'
l5tshe mother horself-as If the red il
.linOminy were so deeply scorched int
ler brain that all her conceptions a
.ia sumcd its form-had carefully wrougl
out the simihtude; lavishing many hou
OF morbid ingenuity to createan analog
between the object of her affection an
the emblem of her guilt and tortur
But in truth Pearl was the one as we
MS tho other, and only in consequence
that identity had Hester contrived {
perfectly to represent the scarlet lett
in her appearance.
As the two wayfarers came within Il
precincts Of the town the children
the Puritans looked mp from their pla
or what passed for play with those Sol
Der little urchins, and spake gravely OF
10 another
behold. verify, there is the womf
of the scarlet letter; and Of trut
moreover, there is the likeness Of Il
scarlet letter running along by her sid
Come. therefore, and let us fling mud
them.
But Pearl who was a dauntless chill
after frowuing, stamping her foot al
Shaking her little hand with varie
Of threatening gestures, suddenly ma
rush at the knot Of her enemies al
nnt them an to fight. She resemble
in her fierce pursuit of them, an infa
pestilence- the scarlet fever or SOY
such half neagcd angel Of Judgment
whose mission was 70 punish the sins