Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-07-28
coprsrcH1 lSSi BY AIiKuIOes utw,nas Co

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went because know not what els,
60 do. was incapable ~ thinking
then, and had no power 10 oppose ia,
man lie led me very gently through
the store, and more than once ! wa
conscious Of a suppressed litter rs ",
passed the counters. My chccl,s burnct
with Indignation, and | was glad whcr
we reached the street. \ carriage cam,
IN a moment and was handed in. Mr.
BERNARD followed AMI took scat by
my side.
Now" he said, when we were going.
~ should like " know what has hap.
pcncd. win You tell mc?'
"Not now" replied. II must have
time 10 think"
~ think can guess somcthin'of it. 90
he continued, sccmilgly pnynn little
notice TO what sail II believe the
people at the store have been saying
something that has wounded YOU Am
j not rigbt?'
| assentcd by n nod NJ my head.
~ Thought So he remarked. II
guessed Il from the tttcring heard aq
we passed. ! knew there WIS mali
ciousncss nj the bottom ~ that gigrling
I'll give them something when | return
that will change their tune. Tell me
what they said to you and I'll settle
with them for it,
"Not now" said again.
"Well, when you feel inclined them"
he replied. ~ believe that Miss Per-
ltins Is at the bottom ~ the affair.
She's Il vicious, spitcful woman and
needs toning down occasionally. m
yet to the bottom of the affair and have
the whole matter gifted. and So rest rs.
sured that you will he riVhicd"
When we reached Mrs bonds went
directly to my room, leaving Mr. Der.
nard and Mrs. Bond IN the hall An
hour later Mrs. Bond came uI, and my
door being unlocked she walked In.
Sho was in an unpleasant humor and
before she had hardly seated herself She
broltc ont with.
well, Miss Owens, you seem Ia have
n wonderful lot Of tears, judging from
the amount YOU shed. | never see SO
much cryin in all my life rs you have
done since you come here
"Nou never saw anybody whose life
was So dark and miserable / replied
well that may bc," she answered
81 amt got uutliu' 10 say about that
But whose fault il it IT, Your life Is dark
aud miserable? You can't blum, any
body but yourself, for it's nobody but
YOU that makes 1t that way. You know
that well cuuugh,'
tA,l.nI az Iap Ia utpuyatnYnt nuul,I.
20 comprehend her meaning How was
responsible for all the misery | had
suffered from infancy mp? How was !
accountable for the life Of suffering 10
which had been born? What had !
10 do with my lone, fricndlcss condi-
tion? How could avoid the knots and
gnarls that saddcncd my life and made
mo the most wrctchcd creature ON
earth? How was to blame for my OK
istcncc being long series of troubles.
disuppontmcnts prosecutions and sor.
rows? Had / made IL so? Had the
power 10 make It otherwise?
you might as well dry your tears"
Mrs Bond went on, after q pause, "and
prepare 10 tall, sense, rs well rs listen
to IT, We've got have an understand
ing, and want II now"
81 do not understand YOU | said.
"Wcll, perhaps YOU will directly
She replied. 81 want an explanation Of
your conduct in connection with Bcr-
nard, and must have II, or else You
must leave this house. told Won once
before that could not afford to have
the reputation Of this house ruined, and
] won't I've kept still as long as | can
in justice TO myself, and won't keep
still any longer. won't have decent
people drove away on your account, and
] won't have any goings-on here that
makes people talk, Scandal Is some
thing that I'm not going to he mixed up
in and I'm not going to have my house
mixcd up in It,"
"Whnt?' cried, Are the people
here talking about me?"
Are they?' she replied, "Well,
should think they are. And II looks TO
me like they're not 10 he blamed for IT,
either. They have cause to tall,."
was angry now, and starting up, |
cried;
Mrs. Bond, that is false. have not
given you or anyone else cause to
Islander me. You know haven't"
Maybe do she answered, little
disdainfully. "Nlnybe hnyin married
man here to see You every few days, an
being closcted with him In your room
amt no cause for talk? Maybe huvin'
lhm sprucin' around You all the time
and treating you with ten times more
attention than he does his wife amt no
cause for talk? | say maybe these
things IRE right and proper In your es-
5imatt9n; hut they amt in mine, and
other people thml, MS do
Mrs. Bono said great deal more
nu 60 the saue rGor', then arose and
left me-, bearing hcrs,li with n cold
dignity and lofty dlsdain that chilled
mo Z" the core.
tvoe omppIctulr and UTTERLY vretchcd
PfIsr that ru no ru grossly pi.iudgcd
nud accused ~ ma otFcus0 gp hciuoue.
"n thc hca iee' blow thel had ever be
.~fI II n