Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-01-10
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THE AUTHOR OF

ulated himself that he had all his life
escaped falling In love.
Mrs. Lindsay had of late thought Ed
win Forester was becoming attached
to her daughter, and on the morning
following the adventure with the let
ter, feeling certain that she was sink
ing fast towards her grave, considered
it her duty to question Emmeline.
And that young lady told her mother
that though Forester had never posi-
lively declared his love, yet from his
general manner. and from certain wo' d
which had occasionally escaped him,
She had OWNED that secret of his heart.
And then Emmeline confessed that
| the gratitude she had at first felt for
Forrester's goodness TO her mother,
had soon grown into a warmer passion,
and that now she fully r~eciprocated the
love she could not doubt he had be-
slowed upon her.
Having received that confession, Mrs.
Lindsay, in great anguish, exclaimed:
"You must not love him, Emmeline,
for never may you become the wife
OF an honest nan"
wherefore? What, then, have l
donef" asked Hmmeline, in great
Amusement.
My poor angel" wept Mrs. Lindsay,
EMBEDDING her daughter within her arms,
Il have deceived you, but the time
has now arrived when you must be
told the horrid truth"
The poor Oma paused to gather
courage to proceed.
"Emmeline," she resumed, "our name
is not Redmond, and IL was not on
the field of battle that your father died"
and now, her voice sank almost to a
Whispering, no! he persisted on The
scaffold!'
Emmeline sent forth a scream Of hor-
ror, and, s%huddering violently, chung to
a chair to save herself from falling to
the ground.
But he was innocent-believe ii,
Emmeline-oh! innocent, innocent!"
Emmeline sank on her knees. and
raised her eyes ard hands toward heav-
en-
Pray. poor child" said Mrs. Lindsay,
-'pray for your martyred father, and
then you shall know the terrible secret
which must not descend with me to
the tomb"
And Mrs. Lindsay related to her
heart-stricken daughter the shocking
history Of her husbands unmerrited
death.
Then she told how, aftcrw irds. pitied
by some, by scorned by most, she had
fed the neighborhood of Crawford,
bearing Emmeline, then nm infant, in
her arms, and who had been born to
shame and exile.
Sufficienf money had been In Mrs.
Llndsay's possession at her husbands
death to purchase for her a small an
cry. and such-like fancy work. had
added considerably to their income.
1t must be remembered that we are
not now writing of the present day.
And when Emmeline had been told
all, she well understood that she must
conquer her love for Edwin Forester:
that she could not belong to him
could not avow to him that fatal Sc
cret, for she would not that he, too,
should curse her fathers name.
When, on the morning at which we
have now arrived, Edwin Forester
| anne on his usual visit to Mrs. Lind
say, he was himself looking very pale
and i'll.
He was about to quit the house
again without a look or scarce a word
to Emmeline; but the poor girl stop
ped him 10 ask concerning her mother.
Emmeline and Forester were alone;
and 1t required a violent effort with
the latter to conceal his emotion.
And to her inquiries, the doctor an
swered, with great bitterness-"A hun
dred times, Emmeline, i have told you
that the slightest emotion might kill
your mother-and yet you have for
gotten my words!"
Emmeline looked surprised, even be-
| wildered.
you have not feared to reduce her
to despair!"
What could he meanI Emmeline
was asking herself when Forester
said, II know all!'
"NNhat is that you know ?"Emmeline
wonderingly exclaimed.
And then Forester, told her of her
visit on the previous evening to Bar
rington's house; and she had no
thought, she said, to deny it.
"But you will tell me for what pur-
pose you went to that house?" said
Forester.
And Emmclina answered IN q low
tone, yet very firmly, "No, sir; deprive
me of your esteem, If you believe L
am no longer worthy of 1t; but ques-
ton me no further, for / cannot, and /
will not. tell you anything"
"All then Is ended between us, and
you are free!'
Forester said, boiling with indignant
anger. $50 long as my duty AS a ply
stefan shall recall me TO this house. l
shall return-but much / fear that the
occasion for my visits will very, very
shortly cease!"
you canpot mean," cried Emmeline,
In almost overpowering terror, that
my poor mother is soon to dieT'
"Reproach yourself, Emmeline," For
roster sterniy answered. Mrs. Red
mond cannot long survive the violent
emotion which your absence last night
occasioned her-may heaven pardon
you, Emmelinel You have advanced
your mothers last hour"
And casting a look OF anger and re-
preach on Emmeline, he hastily left
the house.