The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-01
BURGLAR JIM.
CHAPTER Il.

grating eastward. From Chelsea he had
gone to Hampstead, from Hampstead to
Hackney. from Hackney to Hoxton, and
now he was not far from the purlieus of
Whitechapel. At every successive mi
grafton his heart. and what was infinite
ly more TO him, his wife's heart, had
been wounded more deeply by the iron
heel of misery
Till he was twenty Bertrod had lived
near Stockport, in Cheshire. His father
was one of the cotton lords of that dtngy,
dirty town, and had risen from coun-
cillor to alderman. from alderman TO
magistrate, from magistrate to mayor
His cotton mill was the largest in that
town of cotton mills; his wealth sur
passed that of his brother-spinners.
IAN obstinate man." his friends and fell
low-citizens caleld him; but his enemies
used a harsher word. once the mill
workers went out on strike, and he had
sbeen the leader of the masters, the Bit
terest and most unyielding Of all. The
work people triumphed in the end, be-
cause the other masters were not so
firm as he He was reported to have
said that his work-people should 'eat
Dirt before he would have yielded, if he
had been fighting for himself.
His words were passed from lip to lip,
and the hunger-bitten operatives for a
time Kissed him in the streets. But hav-
ing won. they were nragnanimous; and
as he-seeing he had gone too far
judlciously spent a few hundreds in
charities that brought him prominently
before the workers. the matter dropped.
When next he stood for the town coun-
sro lya mir
out of his words; but the attempt failed,
and he was elected by a large majority.
He had three chiIdren-Bertrod and two
girls. On Bertrod his ambition was CEN
tered. and he tod him, when but boy of
fifteen that 1t would be his own fault If
he did not wear a. corOnet, and then sent
him to Eton and oxford
II was during the summer vacation that
the festivities on his coming Of age took
place. He developed a great liking for
the mill that summer and ii was whis-
pered that he was fond of visiting the
pOrter's lodge where a pretty girl, RhOda
Brighton, worked at roller-coverlng.
Rhoda was only factory girl OF mid
die hight, shape-y and graceful, with
face that would have challenged admira-
ton at a drawing room. was what she
was to the outward eye. Bertrod soon
found that she was refined as well. she
had had but a natural school education,
but she had made GOOD use Of her uppbi-
tunities. The best commentary on her
was that Of the ruder and vulgar factory
girls who stigmatized her stuck up,
the worst possible sin in their eyes.
Her father had been a mechanic, who
by intelligence had risen to be foreman
OF an engineering firm. He had saved
few hundreds and invested them in
building society. The society was de-
frauded ana became bankrupt, and his
heart broke with it. The week after the
first and final dividend of siXpence he
was dead His wife had nothing, and
Rhoda. who was looking forward to
high school education at fifteen, was sent
10 earn her bread. BY great good for
tune she got engaged as roller-coverer
one OF the most genteel of cotton factory
emplOyments.
Bertrod was often in the lodge on vari-
Gus pretexts. but in reality to talk TO
pretty RhOda. His father was not
Puritan. and BertrOd had some tran
silent dreams at first of making Rhoda
a shame But few days conversation
with her made him hate himself for his
half-conceived thought; and gradually
there grew in his heart a hope that she
might be his jewel, not his plaything.
He gave no heed to the fact that he
was a masters son and rich, and she
only a factory girl, and that the world
would look upon such a union as debas-
ing TO him. He knew his grandfather
had been but an operative himself, and
his Immature intellect could not perceive
any difference in rank True, Rhoda
was not so educated as he would wish
his wife to be, but that could soon be
reinedied-
II he looked forward with delight to
his daily visit TO the mill, Rhoda's heart
had also begun TO beat and her cheek 10
flush when she heard him coming. One
morning ne went down TO the mill and
said straightforwardly "Rhoda, l love
you
Rhoda blanched to the lips. "Oh. Mr.
BertrOd, shamet'
Yes; shame TO make sport of me so.''
"Rhoda." he cried in a tone there was
no mistaking. by my life and honor, 1
swear that you mistake me. l love you
love you with my whole heart If you
will be my wife 1 shall be happy; If not
cursed. You viii not curse me.
RhOda -
She flushed, then paled again. "Oh.
Mr.. Bertrod. it cannot be. How can 1,
a poor"
truth
"oh please, do not ask me. 1t can
not"
I don't want to know what can or
cannot be-" he said angrily. Il want to
know if YOU love me. Speak out hon
estly, in Heavens name"
RhOda was in dire straits. Visions Of
delight flashed across her brain, mingled
with visions the revers of JOY.
"RhOda, as you are a true girl, answer
me yes or no."
Eyes. 1 do" she said, summoning up
courage to articulate the words and to
look him fully in the face. But 1t can
not be; It is impossible"
He clasped her in his arms and kissed
her trembling lips. There are no i'm
possibilities in love, my darling, you
see. You love me, and you are mine,
possible or impossible"
Rhoda's eyes were alight with love
fires. but there was doubt in them, too.
How can /, poor factory girl? What
will your father, what will the world,
say?''
Let them say what they will. What
can they say when you are hOnOring
me above all men. giving me what j
most crave fOr2' He kissed her again.
The manager was coming straight to
the lodge. so ne whispered: Meet me
in Didsbury Fields this evening at nine.
Promise"
When the manager came in, he found
his young master arguing with Rhoda
as TO the best way of covering a roller
and was appealed to by Bertrod He
pronounced against BertrOd who an
peared TO be much chagrined ther-at
Didsbury Fields were a little bit of
Paradise that evening. BertrOd spoke
frankly and to the point. He wanted
Rhoda educated, because that was all
that was necessary 70 make her an ideal
wife. You have the instinct of refine
ment and culture now, my darling; all
you want is the polish. If you love me,
ia Ring xyou mill 70 no I