Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-10-03
HARDY'S REVENGE.

! pink as wild roses ana clustering golden
locks-a little enhancing vision all suffi-
Cient 90 turn the head Of every swain In her
yicinage. James Hardy, dark, handsome
and graceful, fell at once IA victim TO her Co
| Guettish wilCs. And then, all, sad the day
| and hourl John, too, was thrown In her
way being likewise enamored Of her fas-
einatiOns.
Susan Joyce, finding herself supplanted,
made no murmur of her pain, silently bear
ing AZ well the torturing jlbes Of her re-
! lontlcss lister, who had never had a lover
| and lost no chance TO deride the weak ness
I Of those that yielded TO the folly Of trust
| ing perildiOuS man. Between the brothers
| there never had been anything like real af-
| feCtion, though 10 all intents and purposes
| agreeing upon questions concerning their
| mutual welfare. The siren ut first smiled
| equally upon them, driving both TO the
| verge Of madness with doubt and passion.
James announced one morning TO John,
~ they loosened the oxen from the sled at
the meadow bars, that he had won the
| promise of The blond beauty 10 be his wife.
John turned pale with rage and jealousy
and said nothing, but he went without de-
| lay 10 question her about the truth of the
story Learning the fact from her own
| lips, he denounced her trihing as despio-
able, like many another man forgetting
his own Infamous betrayal of innocent love,
and concludiug
II doubt not you will have AL the happi-
ness you deserve. My revenge can wait,
but remember that it will come when It is
least expected and hardest TO bear"
Then he bade bis mother farewell, assur>
ing her he would return a rich man. A
settlement between the brothers had re-
Ted i'm fle kunxyla1a,a that Tohp xx,nnlA
become entire owner of the property at his
mothers death, but James was allowed the
use Of the place rent free, with the solemn
promise exacted that the mother should be
well cared for until the 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 ncighbOrhOcd ear after, told
how poor John Ialdy had died at Black
Cat canyon and was buried under great
rock n. 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 80 was bought
at fancy price, exclusive Of the little cot
tage, and James Hardy was thereby en-
abled TO build a handsome house for his
stylish wife and furnish il to her satisfac-
tion.
But the aged and feeble mother was left
I'm rho old hntna al fnr
the naughty Josephine had no desire to in
clude the queer old woman who had al
ready proved such burden on her hands
in the new plans, ana James seeing only
through his wile's eyes, agreed In the con-
clusion that the place where she he'd lived
so 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 ex-
treme but for the answering devotion Of
Susan Joyce and few kind neighbors who
had known her III 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. 1t
was not new TO her, but always pathetic.
The slight, sway'ug figure in the unsteady
armchair, croor. mournfully TO the baby
on her breast rag baby that she always
sung to SLEEP in the twilight and placed
In her bed at Llght.
There seemed to be such real comfort in
the care of the rag manikin that Susan
| Joyce had not the heart to undeceive her
even II it had been possible to do so.
John is asleep" she would say. smiling
yacantly.
| ,,Vas - aI,-,,-, a,.,,..rol S,,.a.. .ls-lt
| Of that lonely grave under the great rock in
Black Cat canyon.
One balmy afternoon in June death,
stalking abroad, found James Hardy In the
full flush of r.anly vigor and straightway
summoned him to the final bar of account.
Heart trouble" they called it, but no
matter for the cause or name of his of
taking, Josephine and the twin boys were
suddenly left alone.
| Fate seemed 10 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 wanderer's prosperity.
Mother" said j Ohm Hardy, now rich and
portly, II have come back To YOU" kissing
her withered cheeks.
Perhaps her poor dazcd 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 II
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 q
bastard, Susan, quite as cowardly 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
4 John of flesh and blood, her best beloved,
had come back to her, and yet the little
sld woman croOued less dolorously as she
q 'ocked in her easy chair in the pretty bow
Window playing with ber rag baby on her
breast
, Susan Joyce was "A foolish woman per.
, baps TO so easily condone John Hardy's sin,
but she had always loved him. he was re-
pOntant, and Sister Judith's tongue was
] ,o osharpi-Exchauge
| His Signs MisunIg