The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-11
WIFE'S CONSCIENCE.
rrances Marr Peard. in the queen.

E.aTlE one Qull OCLOOef Gay glrl came
Quickly along the lanes toward Marldon.
There had been much rain and little frost
that autumn, so that the country had not
quite lost its summer tinge of green, but
winds had blown necessarily and given
taefoliage a tattered, disconnected look.
Something of the same look, scared and
uneasy, was repeated in the girls face.
Every now and then she glanced behind
her with a swift, involuntary turn of the
head, as if she expected to hear footsteps
or call. Nothing came. The population
ia this country district was scanty, and
she only passed a cart driven by a man,
and two or three children, truants from
school, who were climbing the hedges in
search Of the few remaining black berries
As she saw them in the distance the IN
easy look in her eyes became more
marked, and she scurried by them on the
opposite side of the narrow, muddy lane
without a question, although she was
sure they could have told her what she
wanted to know.
Presently she came upon an outlying
whtewashed cottage, with a garden still
full of chrysanthemums and geraniums and
smoke nying lightly out chimney. She
mouth determinedly. NO" she said, 1,
won't III find the house somehow"
At last, seeing a man working in field,
she called TO him over the gate!
you needn't come no nearer, but wish
you'd tell me where the minister lives"
II amt coming no nearer" said the
man, surprised. See that little white
house by the big ellem2 Anybody'n show
you"
She went away in the direction he
pointed out. As she came near she heard
the cry of child on the other side of the
wall and slackened her pace. Hes
children, too, y she said to herself. 'Well,
its his place, he's got to come. and I was
told to fetch M She rang the bell and
asked for the minister.
Il don't know as you can see Mr.
Wood" said the girl who appeared in an
swer, but if you like to step in you can
leave a message with the missis.n
She hesitaJed. I'm stop here" she
said.
In a minute or two she heard light
football, and Mrs. Wood came into the
passage
You asked for my husband2" she said,
kindly. II don't know your face ); | think
you must be a stranger"
We haven't been here long. We'm
over to Arlington"
And do you wish to speak to him."
He wanted to our house. the girl
answered, in dull tone, as if she were
repeating a lesson. Johnny and Tom s
both dead, and mothers dying. Fathers
down too" she added.
The curate's wife turned white and
stepped back.
What is it," she said, family.
"Diptheery. EverybodYs that scared
Of us they won't come nigh the house.
The baker puts the bread inside the gar
den gate" She spoke StOlidlY, as if al
ready the cutting OF from human fellow
ship had become a matter of course, and
she dld not look at the shrinking figure of
the wife and mother who stood staring,
but as no answer came, she added, The
minister's wanted"
There was pause, and suddenly the
wife sprang outside and pulled the door
behind her. Her face, still white, had
grown hard and rcsolute, and the nervous
witch was painfully apparent. A shout
rose from the children in the garden.
Why did you come herel Arlington is
no. in this parish"
There's no use going to Mr.. James,"
"fo GU must try Go back and say my
husband can't come. "
The girl glanced at her with dreary ac-
ceptance before she made final attempt
Mothers awful bad. The doctor says
her can I last the night
The other stood stiffly, bracng herself
to her words.
It's terrible Mr. Wood would be very
sorry if he knew, but he can't come. He's
away she added. And taking out
purse as meager looking as herself, she
dropped a few shillings into the girl
hand. There, go, she said hurriedly,
land mind you don't speak to any one in
the village
u amt going to speak to no one" re-
turned the girl, with a touch of indigna-
ton in her voice. She held the money in
her limp hand without looking at it or
thanking the giyer her eyes meditatively
fixed upon the door, the handle of which
theminister's vile was gras. ing as though
fearful that she mi hit force an entrance
Once more she vaguely repeated, Her
won't last the night -
You'd better 60 back at once. "
they heard a child at that moment
call, Mother, mother!" The girl lifted
her heavy eyes and looked fun in the
wlie'S face.
Yes, I'll go, she said briefly Turn
ing away, she went along the road by
which she had come, and Mrs. Wood stood
ngldly watching her, still holding the
handle OF the door AS the last tiutter of
the faded lilac print was lost round
corner the tension failed, and she leaned
against the door with all her limbs tremb-
ling.
What have I done? What have I
zone" she murmured ''If John knew
mad they to send for John, when they're
none Of hislo She paused, her sense Of
Justice refusing to take shelter behind
mis- thought. Arlington was tiny ham
let, lying strictly within the borders of
another parish, where the vicar was very
Ola and infrm. buC the curate of Marldon
mad never shrunk from responding to any
CAL which came from the two or three
families irha biting the poor, low-lying.
camp, ouJ-Of-theway cottages Least of
all would he have refused now; and as
she felt in her own conscience what his
conscience would suffer for the act, she
S.ar.e, upright and turned to run and tell
nm. But she had one of those strong
wills which, from their very power over
lAetr poss1 ssors, are often unsupported,
ana IL rose up now like iron. No, - she
Is s"ia. he shall not go. His throat is
weak and he is so careless of infection that
RI newould let the children play about him, as
Iaey always do. If he had known that he
81 was wanted 1 would not have tried to
S.ol him; l wouldn't lay the sin of re-
l-a1- upon his shoulders; but if | take it
i}seI DOd cannot be angry with him.
VIII talk i'll do take it," She lifted
Ter gray face to the gray skies. Good
L9fl. She said SOlpmDlv t1reneU her :