Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-22

auettish wiles. And then, uh, sad the day
and hourl John, too, was thrown in her
way. being likewise enamored OF her fas-
cinations.
Susan Joyce. finding herself supplanted,
made no murmur OF her pain, silently bear
ing as we'll the torturing jibes Of her re-
lentless sister, who had never had a lover
and lost.no chance to deride the weakness
of those that yielded to the folly Of trust
ing periidious man. Between the brothers
there never had been anything like real af-
feetion, though to all intents and purposes
agreeing upon questions concerning their
mutual welfare. The siren at first smiled
equally upon them, driving both TO the
verge Of madness with doubt and passion.
james announced one morning TO John,
as they loosened the oxen from the sled ut
the meadow bars, that he had won the
promise Of the blond beauty TO be his wife.
John turned pale with rage and Jealousy
and said nothing, but he went without de-
lay to question her about the truth of the
story Learning the faot from her own
lips, he denounced her trihing as despic-
able, like many another man forgetting
his own infamous betrayal OF innocent love,
and conclndingi
II doubt not you will havo all the happi-
ness, you deserve. My revenge can wait,
but remember TINT It will come when it Is
least expected and hardest to bear.n
Then he bade his mother farewell, assur-
ing her he would return rich man. A
settlement between the brothers had re-
suited in the knowledge that John would
become entire owner Of the property at his
mothers death, but James was allowed tho
use Of the place rent free with the solemn
promise eXncted that the mother should be
well cared for until tho formers return.
Then John Hardy set his face toward the
new Eldorado Of the west and was heard
OF no more until Mark Madison, in passing
through the neighborhood year after, told
how poor John Hardy had died at Black
Cat canyon and was buried under great
rock at the mouth Of the mine"
And now as Susan Joyce, 10 years later,
came through the dewy meadow she saw
smoke curling lazily upward from the
chimney Of James Hardy's kitchen where
she doubted not goodly supper was in
course OF preparation, for Josephine was a
notable housekeeper, though the neigh
bors called her proud and extravagant be.
sides.
When the great railway was surveyed
through the little farm its situation proved
a key to adjacent land, and 50 was bought
at fancy price, exclusive of the little cot
tage, and James Hardy was thereby en-
Ablcd to build a handsome house for his
stylish wife and furnish it to her satislac-
tion.
But the aged and feeble mother was left
In the old home, now almost Il wreck, for
the naughty Josephine had nc desire to In
clude the queer old woman who had al.
reudy proved such a burden on her hands
in tho new plans, and James, seeing only
through his wifes eyes, agreed in the con.
clusion that the place where she had lived
50 long would be the happiest spot for her
declining years
Left TO the half careless attention of a
servant OF the house, her condition, Incl.
dent TO bodily intirmity and weakened
mind, would have been pitiable in the cx-
IRENE but for the answering devotion oil
Susan Joyce and few kind nelghbors who
had known her in her happier days Susan
Joyce came through the garden gate that
hung on one rusty hinge and stopped again
when she heard that dolorous chant. II
was not new to her but always pathetic.
The slight, swaying figure in the unsteady
armchair, grooming mournfully to the baby
on her breast-a rag baby that she always
sung to sleep" in the twilight and placed
In her bed at night.
There seemed to be such real comfort In
the care OF the rag manikin that Susan
Joyce had not the heart to undeceiye her
even IL II had been possible to do so.
John Ia asleep" she would say, smiling
vucautly.
YES always answered Susan, thinking
of that lonely grave under the great rock in
Black Cat canyon.
One halmy afternoon in June death,
stalking abroad, found James Hardy In the
fun flush OF manly vigor and straightway
summoned him TO the final bar of account.
Heart trouble" they called H. but no
matter for the cause or name of his off
taking, Josephine and the twin boys were
suddenly left alone.
Fate seemed to have pooled with John
Hardy to furnish the revenge he had wished
and prophesied. He had not died at all in the
canyon, as Mark Madison had said that
mendacious friend withholding the fact OF
the wanderers prosperity.
Mother" said John Hardy, now rich and
portly, II have come back to YOU kissing
her withered cheeks.
Perhaps her poor dazed brain might have
been better able TO understand the quality
Of her good fortune had he been more con
siderate in years past OF her happiness. Il
have never forgotten my promise to see you
at some future day" he said to Josephine.
TRY your luck at happiness In the cookery,
where my cowardly brother and you con
signed our old and feeble mother. was a
bastard, Susan, quite as cowarily as my
brother, but want you now. have truly
repented of my infamy. Come with moth
er and me, and we will try to pull along to-
gether in the pretty house that my brother
generously provided for us"
Never quite did the knowledge come to
the mind Of the half imbecile mother that
John Of flesh and blood, her best beloved.
had come back to her, and yet the little
old woman crooned less dolorously as she
rocked in her easy chair in the pretty bow
window playing with her rag baby on her
breast.
Susan Joyce was n foolish woman per.
haps to so easily condone John Hardy's sin,
but she had nlways loved him, he was re.
pentant, and Sister Judith's tongue was
SO shnrpl-Exchange.
His sigrs Misunderstood.
~ would not have broken my PLEDGE
said a hacGslidiuQ timber racentlv SIM,