Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-11-11
HER ONE ERROR.
OR
THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE.
OR
CHAPTER TX.
HUMID AND IDA.

THE weeks passed. Spring deepened
into summer. One evening Nelly had
gone out on the cliffs, as she frequent
Iy did accompanied by little Ida, she
had taken her seat in sheltered nook
to do some sewing and Ida had wan
dered off to amuse herself, Nelly start
ed up to call her back, but seeing her
playing with a large dog some distance
off she changed her mind and had
just seated herself when she was con-
fronted by Saul Meghorn.
cat last, then, you will hear me and
answer" he said hUrriedly.
f'What can my answer be? [ can
have but one answer to any man who
asks that: [ shall never be any mans
wife in this world, while I live, never
and least
He interrupted her. 'Do not say it!
least of all mine, you would have said:
but why? Mrs. Franklen Che gave her
a title seldom used to those other sta
ton, and in those parts), would not
speak of the past: if made mistake
then, if all was but girlish frolic, Of
which | made too much-at least do
me Justice; | took no advantage of it
/ held aloof from the way of your
married life, though God knows how
bitter it was to me to know it! Cir
cumstances compelled me to remain in
the neighborhood; but if you heard
OF me, it was at least in no way I'M
worthy, or to make you regret you
had ever known me as other than
a nelghbor."
at was wicked, cruel folly" she
said, coldly; "but [ was to blame, [
was Wrong-yes, and God knows |
have been punished heavily, But for
that only that foolish trifing
as it was in me, [ know, no
worse was in me at the time-but It
came from that, all my trouble-but
for that he would have been with me
now; my husband" The words died
In her throat, and she stopped, but
no change came in the fixed, pale fea-
lures
4'You know, you must have heard
all the village could tell what was in
that dreadful letter, thelast words he
wrote. / never forgot them, night nor
day-'I knew all your deceit and false
ness God knows you know what
was the all, and how fair it went, and
how little the truth came to-" Again
she stopped.
''Do not speak Of it now" he said,
hastily; cit was a sad mistake-the
tongues OF gossips magnify these
things"
eff | had but told him! if | had told
him all, at frst!" she said, bitterly,
but never raising her voice above it's
chill, even tones''-this is what [ say
TO myself night and day, night and
day-alI would have been WE'LL even
foolish tongue and hasty words would
not have -driven him to madness"
She paused, then yet more colby
added
"And this is why say that least Of
all can bear to think of you. [ say
10 myseIf-but for him, but for
him."
eyes [ did not"
S'No, no, know it; you we're not to
blame" said the woman, shade of
s9ftness mitigating her harsh tone;
stno, and | am, maybe, unjust that
cannot bear even that my child should
be thankful to you, that cannot &C
Cept even as from friend"
Eyes; why will you be so cruel to
you1 self? why slave as you do by night,
/ know, to send back money!"
"Ah! knew it was you" she said,
half turning her head towards him,
for as yet her gaze had never wandered
from the open sea before them. II
knew it conld be none Of my poorer
God knows l would never
have let it be-wouId rather have died,
but to keep that roof over my head
and hers-the home he took me to.
I could not leave it; and when the
man came and told me it was paid,
we'll knew it must be"
~Your child he began.
eyes, yes, she has told me; she has
come full of her prattle of how kind
you were, and it panied me to have
To-" She stopped, suddenly look
lng round, for the child and dog had
efWhere is she?" exclaimed the
mother, and she again looked wildly
round the room, uncertain which way
TO start in search, when the faint cry
of a baby voice fell upon their ears,
and they simultaneously turned their
eyes upwards.
Far above their heads, dWindling
into the grey twilight, save where a
faint reflection from the horizon
touched it's beetle brow with gold,
doomed the PAX of Deepgang cliff, as
we have desc ed, out beyond the face
of rock beneath.
And there, poised like cherub
about to take wing, stood the child.
She, fearless and led on by her four
footed playmate, had clambered, toy
ing from spray to spray, and height
TO height, of the Chine; thence, seeking
possible sight of her mother, had ar
rived at the edge of the precipice,
whence but a step forward, an incli.
nation of the body-a caress even OF
tkse rough brute at her side-must
send her hurting to their feet a lacerat-
ed and bleeding corpse!
One glance upward, and Nelly, with
out a word or cry, buried her face in
her hands. Rescue and hope seemed
out of the question.
But quick as thought, which showed