The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-08-19
JEdwlld I1s22ard.
Copyright, 1893. by
the Author.1

OF honest, hard-working parents. For
several years she lived miserable life.
Her husbands infirmity proved source
OF constant shame to her. In the first
days of their union she discovered his
besetting sin and, in spite of the repul-
sion which it inspired, tried earnestly
to reform him. Her endeavors were SO
unsuccessful that after awhile she gave
them up in despair. Worn out by sor-
row and anxiety her health completely
gave way and she died, leaving behind
an imbecile son and little daughter
named Jane.
In her early youth the girl showed
symptoms of mental weakness, but
these disappeared as she grew older
and stronger. She went to the board
school and passed the various stand
ards creditably enough. Her home, as
may be imagined, was not a happy
one. Her father inspired Jane with a
mingled feeling of fear and loathing.
When he came reeling back from his
days work and the little kitchen of
their four-roomed cottage rang with
his blasphemous oaths, the poor child
would shrink into a corner, cover her
face with her hands, and murmur to
TO herself: "Ah! how very terrible.
Why-why does he go on like that?'
But sometimes, in spite of her repul-
sion and disgust, a secret conviction
would obtrude itself that she was too
nearly allied to him for the same wild
blood which flowed through his veins
not to flow also in hers. The tie of
consanguinity was strong, and it spoke
with powerful, if silent, voice with
IN her breast. And Jane was fright
ened. At. this period she was too
young, too ignorant to analyze her sem
sations. She only knew that while her
whole soul rose up in revolt against
her fathers drunkenness, there were
times when it possessed mysterious
fascination for her which she felt al
most unable to resist. 1t made her
dread, with palpitating dread, that
given the temptation she too might
succumb. She foresaw that in all
probability familiarity would accus-
tom her to the debasing and degrading
spectacle of strong man an abiect
slave to that awful curse-drink.
So, to keep herself pure and unstained.
1t came about that the girl fed from
home. Through the intervention of a
friend she obtained service with an
elderly spinster lady, living in a re-
mote, country village. Here her moral
atmosphere seemed to grow clearer. At
times, however, strange fancies fitted
through her brain, for which she wa.
at total loss to account Her en-
ployer, whose name was Miss Eliza Lor-
ton, quickly succeeded by her kindness
and gentleness in gaining James af-
fections. Mistress and maid lived
quiet, peaceful and uneventful life.
Jane performed her little round of daily
duties apparently to the old lady's salts
faction, and on either side feeling of
good will subsisted.
Thus several months passed. James
health was good on the whole, but her
slumbers were frequently disturbed by
uneasy dreams. Often they were SO
vivid that, during the day, she went
about almost entirely under their in
fiuence. She could not shake off the
impression they produced.
The winter season set in, and the
weather proved unusually severe.
Snow fell in large, ilrcg ular flakes, and
covered the ground to = depth OF sev.
. -. q b.