New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-20
MIN MY dearest" and who signed herself
Always your Portia."
And it was perfectly plain tina. salome loved

1
at this wonderful complications it also sweued
somewhat with pride at the conviction which now
suddenly came to her that her Nelly must have
known something; her Nelly must have been able
| to keep a secret
Nelly, with skirts heavily wet up 20 her knee.
was sitting in a chair and leaning her head
! against the wall AT first she had placed her
self where she could Salomc as she sat by the
| bed in the next room But Immediately there
| came over her sense that il was something like
sacrilegc for her to watch Salomc.
| She wondered how her mother could talk She
wondered how her father could lie there and sleep
To her the whole air was electrical
| Mrs. Gerry, standing upright, not thinking of
| sitting, her eyes on Salomes dropped head was
| aware that some one was touching her
She turned enough TO see her hostess standing
| close to her. Mrs. Scudder nodded toward the
| girl sitting by the bed.
Does she know he's engaged ?" she whispered
| loudly.
| There was no reply and no movement from Mrs
| Gerry.
Il seen letter." went on Mrs Scudder, quite
carried away by the romantic interest of her sub
ject, and by the possibilities and complications
OF IT. The doctor took IL out OF his pocket.
There It's OH the stand by the lamp. 1 Jest
looked at il. You know the doctor had to find
out something bout him, so to telegraph round.
Oh, my" here Mrs. Scuddcr's prominent eyes
bulged out still more. It's a regular love letter
| didn't know there was such love-letters only in
novels. / hope Nelly won't see it. s'pose some
folks take such notions as that bout love 1t
was put together real pretty n nterestin'. too :;
twas real bright in some places. The doctor
he's sent for that woman
Here there was very slight movement on
Mrs. Gcrrys part.
4 spose you know all abOnt that woman? ~
II saw her in Florida"
Mrs Gerry's effort in speaking was so visible
that Nelly who at first had paid no attention s
and pulled her mothers skirt.
DO stop, mother she exclaimed.
Here Mrs. Gerry. who was really unable 20 stand
thinking that she had believed Mrs. Scudder 10
be very kind-hcarted; now She had savage
wish IL. do, an injury to woman who could
60 N change your clo'cs this minntc,' eN-
claimed Mrs, Scudder to Nelly. you'll git your
death er cold -"
Tho speaker WIS provoked that she had been
interrupted The agitations Of the evening were
having the appearance of PUTTING the casy-goin-
nature ont Of temper. Mrs. Scrddcr was seriously
band later that she didn't know that Mis- Gerry
was so kind of mfcoln': Int Mis- Gerry was
always one Of them cam kind.
The time crept until il was midnight. As
the clock struck. Mrs Scuddcr, who had been
doing in her rocker. havinr suddenly d"s!st'El
from any attempt 10 talk with Mrs Gerry, ros"
and dcclprd That she heard wheels.
Then Mrs. Gerry. who he'd not been doing
answered that she anosrci IT tho wind in
the chimney. Mrs. Souddor. now extremely ir
rtalle. resented this rcpark. md responded that
she guessed sh" knew what wind AMI what
wheels. Then shc nut her head back OF
the chair. aud rlm"d'tclv wont f. sl""" acrn
Mrs Gerry had drawn her chair nc1r tho door
Of tho bedroom. For the last hour She had been
virtually alone with her daughter. for N"lr h"l NJ
lost gone unstairs ovorpowcr"d in sp,t" Of all by
It was chilly now in thcs" rooms, tn" sultrv
NIGHT had changed The wind was hlowing from
the north. and the sky was clear ana Stcoi-hluc
The Insects Of the summer night were silent. s1vc
that now and then lravcr stronger lltt"
crco.nrc cave = email. ehrill ripc.
Mrs. Gerry sat th"rn, Sometimes r"hcll,onf
ro>r IN he. mind 3u' 49, felt :ha' ~ucl question:
ING was WICKED II he'd como, Should ~" PIX
why God dill anv'''in,'' surely Go' w., tIy,n
might t,y her torture her if He would only spare
Salomo
Pnt Immediately she supprcssod that PRAYER.
She must rather. plead that God wonld "nabl"
Salome 70 bear her troubles in way that w0nId
he for her eternal good.
Eternal good. That phras" took MS pace IN
II was all there was. If she could only bring
Salome to think Of it also Salome was k"cnly,
so nassonatelv alive 10 the present ~, oo.,.
Once overborno by her anxiety. Mrs. ,'",iV
went 10 S;lomr who was still sitting win her
arms resting on the side Of the bed where Moore
lay. ,,
The girl said Yes" without moving from her
position. 90 4, A.: ,oo
ton Salome looked mp at her mother.
I'm not thinking about God, she ahSw"r NV,
Rnt now, when you are suffering So said
Mrs. Gerry.
u am thinking Of my love. -, =,
She extended her hand and touched win IN"
tips Of her fingers the lock Of hair on MooreS
forehead
God is nothing to me- she said ,..,n,
close 10 her daughter. her eyes strained aS '"cN
ca7ed at her her lips pressed Glossy '"G',n'i.
Then she walked silently away ana SAT u""" III
her old place. ,... Zoo cana
good purpose God sometimes purified by i'rc.
Such sentences Mrs Gerry repeated 10 hr-'l,'
struggling in dumb agony 70 max" ne w9rus
alive with a comforting meaning. ra'h'r '''"'i
mere dead husks with no life in them
Sometimes as she sat there her eyes r'~trn on
chat snuorc fiat white object upon III" stand
That was Portia Nunally's letter 20 hcr ioNI'
And her lover was the man whom >alon,' "c,,
Whether he lived or died. Saomc must sullcr.
And Salomc could suffer so murh Ana sh' wa
not one who would submit, and he recohcii'd'
and perhaps consoled. ~ T. o,
There was the sound Of wheels OF 'aSt II wa
3 o'clock. That must De Doctor '"'"' 'o''''7
Ev this time Mrs. Scudder in her rhair was ~
eoundly slccping as her husband was upon H'S
lounge Neither Of them stirred .,. T.,
Ms Gerry went TO tho door ana opened u. IN
sr,n of ali her strength of nerve she pcrc"ptiby
sPranl, hack when Miss NunaW stepped WITHIN
Miss Xunally was very pale and her Ups w'f"
very red. There was nnrninG pr par ,yoli ~.
nnct which made her prcsenc' lnd"scrIpapN 'l
fcctive to the plain Puritan woman VINO iooN'u
a' "''' ITO Pc Continucd)