The San Francisco call., 1896-03-09
No Thought of the Future Beyond
the Final Verdict of the
Council.
BICKF0RD's STORY DIscRED1TED
The Pastor Produces Letter Showing
That He Was Offered the Over
man Letters for Sale.
Nattie overman is curious comnound


picture wherein light and shade are not
bienaed by the nice brush of the finished
artlst' out are counter to each other in a
g.arlng, lnartistic but withal fascinating
way; the rough sketch of an lmpressionist,
whose plan has the elements of genius,
bat whose execution is bungling; a weird
picture interesting by reason OF its uncan-
hiness.
A Heloise, but too late A Hester Prynne
Of darkened pasti a Camille, whose 0e-
votlon failed at one crisis, but carried her
through the last and saddest!
Those who are prone to charity regard
the. heroine of the later Beecher scandal in
one of these lights To others she is an
adventuress who had not the one redeem
ing trait of loyalty to the man she pro-
fessed to love.
She is TO them bad woman who plotted
to destroy a good man and failed. They
look upon the seemingly calm woman, who
Is testifying that she is wholly degraded
and the man she loves wholly pure, as q
human signboard pointing the way to hell.
Her composure they call effrontery, her
bravery cowardiee. Those who concede
that she may be sacrificing self to shield
g com panion in guilt believe her motive to
be mercenary one and her reward an as
surance OF competence, that through the
notorlety, the shame OF the scandal in
which she is one of the chief figures, she
has attained the coveted end sought.
Such critics forget that what the preach
ers call 'lost" woman and the world
shady" woman is capable of marvellous
self-abnegation. She may PROSTATE her
self before the juggernaut of public con-
demnatlon TO save another and smile as
L. \ I, II
story TO the council and the gaping crowd
last week.
4 woman whose past is a gloomy vista
OF wrongs inflicted and suffered, of treach-
cry regretted or forgotten, may still rise to
heights Of exaltation in devotion to per-
son OF principle. 1t may have been in
such q mood that Matte Overman made
and carried out her resolution to save the
good fane of her ministerial friend.
She hae known the cramped life of pow
erty. HSr youth had been narrowed by
lis hardA0ss and cares. Her struggle TO
earn her livelihood had been dispiriting
one. There had been little OF pleasure in
il. Perhaps there were lapses from right
living sometimes as the result OF her crav-
ing for some of the brightness and gayety
that girls love. Then came loveless mar
rage that was a most unsatisfactory an
swer to the girls question, How may l
be happy?"
When this was proven dire failure the
battle for bread began again, and it was al
this time, when false pleasures had shown
themselves to be Dead Sea fruit, when her
intellectual and spiritual nature were
clamoring for food that had been but
meagerly supplied by her attendance upon
various reviyals, that she came into the
lives of DR.. and Mrs. c. o. Brown.
Their home supplied the intellectual
atmosphere she had missed, and there she
u f.f ffac tchT
ideals had appealed to her.
The Eden was not long left undisturbed.
Was it in the guise of unrequited love or
jealousy following illicit love the serpent
entered2 In this day of confessions that
are suspected to be concealments who
shall say?
But from the blur, the confusion and
shadows OF the strange story Matte Over
man emerges as heroine. Not stain
less, sanity heroine, but one exalted by
her supreme devotion-to her duty +" she
saws II Breokinridge had had an Over
man instead of his Pollard his political
star would still be in the ascendancy. Ii
in her vigils during these mouths OF storm
and waiting Matte Overman has been
tempted to save her shred Of reputation
and leave DR.. Browns IN the threatened
tatters she conquered.
I saw her first the day after the arrest
Of Mrs. Davidson and the expose tnat fol-
lowed. Pale and heavy-eyed after sleep
less night, she lay in little back room IN
Dr.. Browns home. Her smile was fre-
ouent. She was calm. Then as now she
any question Then as now he often IN
terrupted. She told the story of her dis
anpointment in Mrs. Davidson, and
laughed as she told how she had dragged
heavy trunk downstairs in order to leave
the shelter of that woman's home Her
cora aposure under the strain OF her secret
was wonderful. 81 never dreamed OF
Offering to sell story about Dr. brown or
anv one else" she declared.
Il am fond of reading she said, and
showed me book on social science sne hau
narked with marginal notes. She pro-
duced letters in which DR.. Brown advised
her as to the pursuit Of his STUDIES. are
those the letters of a lover? asked the
reyerend gentleman, and Matte smiled.
She was the center OF a group of
eager ouestioners when I saw her at
the co;Incjl two months later. She was
IS, CAIN as before. She was still smlilng.
Rut instead of hanging upon the wordS OF
doctor of divinity she was telling great
audience the painful story OF her love LOT
him-the love she said was not recipro-
her humiliation ana her resolve
70 blackmail him and her quick repentance;
A few days ago she told me why she had
smiled while on the rack. There was
look of exaltation in her eyes wneh sne
said; II did not think OF myself. forgot
had personality until heard woman
near me say. Il wish there were poiice-
nan mere to arrest her. Was not tnat
cruel? fu
1T was hard to acknowledge cared ror
q man who cared nothing for me-. 1t was
barS 10 see the words 'blackmail, liar
and forger' in the headlines of theinews-
paners knew they would be there, but
l forgot myself after all. a.,uoa
The curtains between the rooms s.irreo
iust then. CDR. Brown is asleep" she
said softly. He is not well.
She spoke of Mrs. Davidson. uShe naa
a strange influence over me- why ulu
she make companions of Cs who were % not
her EQUALS in point of education! why
did she engage in that business? she
knew me thoroughly. that was creature sa,,Ie
of moods, and upon what mood she couid
plav. She did everything under the cloak
OF religion. Even when talking OF our
hellish plan she said we would be lnstru-
f.d