Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-12-19

ctirnstance had left him no alternative. as an
honest man, but 10 be beforehand with the
persons who, as he believed, contemplated
Stealing the precious stones. He had accord.
ingly taken them under his protection until,
they were identified and claimed bv tho
riglitfal owners. In now appealing 10 these
gentlemen he stipulated that the claim should
be set forth in writing. addressed 10 him un.
der Initials at a postofiice in London. II the
lost property was identified 10 his s~atisfac-
ton he would meet-at a specified place. and
ON a certain day and hour-a person accred-
tied by the firm, and would personally re-
store the diamonds. without claiming Tor
consentlng to receiver a reward. The con-
ditlolS being complied with. this remarkable
interview took place; the writer OF the letter.
described AZ an inlirn old man very poorly
dressed, fulfilled his engagement, took his
RECEIPT, and walked away without even wait
ing u be thanked. II is only an act of Justice
to add THAT the diamonds were afterwards
counted, and not one of them was missing
Miserable, deseryedly miserable. married
pair! The stolen fortune, on which they
had counted, had slipped through their fin
gers. The berths in the steamer for New
YORK had been taken and paid for. James
had married a woman with nothing besides
herself t. bestow OH him, except an lncun-
brance IN the shape of a boy.
Late Oh the fatal wedding day his first
idea, when he was himself again after the
discovery in the su~mmer-house, was Ia rat
back his passage money, 10 abandon his wife
and Ms Step-son, and escape to America IN a
French steamer. lie went 10 the office of
the English company and offered the places
which he had taken for sale. The season Of
the year was against him: the passenger
traffic to America was at It's lowest ebb, and
proflt, depended Oh freights alone. II Lee
still contemplated deserving his wife he must
also submit 10 sacrifice his money. The 9th
er alternative was (as he expressed it 70 him
SELF 10 have his pennyworth for his penny.
and 10 turn his family to some good account
In Ne" York lie had not quite decided
what to do when lac got home again on the
evening OF his marriage.
AT that critical moment In her life the
bride was equal 10 the demand on her re-
sources.
Ii she were foolish enough 10 allow James
TO act on his natural impulses there were
probably two prospects before her. In one
state Of his temper he might knock her
down. I'm another state Of his temper he
might leave her behind him. Her only hope
OF protecting herself, in either ease, was
10 tame The bridegroom. In his absence she
wisely armed herself with the most irresist-
bic fascinatiOns OF her sex. Never yet had
he seen her dressed as She was dressed when
he came home. Never yet had her magnif-
cent eyes looked at him as they looked now.
Emotions for which he was not prepared
oyercame this mucf-injured man: he stared
at the bride in helpless surprise. That in
estilnable moment of weakness was all Mrs.
Bellbridge asked for. Bewildercd by his
WI transformation, James found himself
reading the newspaper the next morning
sentlmentally, with his arm round his wife's
waist.
BY a refinement OF cruelty. not one word
had been said to prepare little sgd for the
dreaTy change that wa, now close at hand i'm
her young life. The poor child had seen the
preparations for departure. and had tried To
Initiate her mother In packing up. She had
collected her few morSels of daried and rag
ged clothing, and had gone upstairs 10 put
them in one OF the dilapldated old trunks in
the garnet playground, when tie servant was
sent 10 bring her back TO the ~sitting-rOOm.
There, elithrOned IN an easy chair. sat a
strange lady; and there, hiding behind the
chair ia u~ndisguised dislike of the visitor,
was her little brother ROderick. ) Il looked
tlmidly at her mother: and her mother said:
Here is your aunt
The personal appearance of Miss Wigger
might have suggested q modest distrlst Of
his " abilities to Layater. when that self
man wrote his famous work on
p~lyslOgnomy. Whatever betrayal of her in
herself her face might have presented. in
the distant time when she was young, was
now completely oyerlaid by q surface of fab
by fat, which. assisted by green spectacles,
Kept the virtues Tor Wees of this woman's
nature a profound secret until she opened
her lips. When She used her voice She let
out the truth. Nobody could hear her speak
and doubt for a moment that she was AN in
veteratcly il!-natured woman.
u.lsSr. .,otuIv-Iuv,r ~ nti-AA4.s
make il worthy of the terrors Of her face.
But for her petticoats, il would have been
certainly taken for the voice OF a man.
The child obeyed, trembling.
''You are to go away with me, : the school,
mistress proceeded, land to be taught TO
make yourself useful under my roof"
Sgd seemed TO be incapable of understand
ing the fate that wa in store for her. She
sheltered herself beh nd her merciless moth
er. I'm going away with you, mamma"
she said-''with you and Rick"
Her mother took her by the shoulders and
pushed her across the room TO her aunt
The child looked at the formidable female
creature with the mans voice and the green
spectacles.
you belong to me- said Miss Wigger, by
way OF announcement ''and | have come to
take YOU away At those dreadful words
terror shook little sgd from head 10 foot.
She fell on her knees with Il cry Of misery
that might have melted the heart OF a savage.
"Oh, mamma, mamma, don't leave me be-
What have | done to deserve IL? Oh,
pray, pray pray have some pity on me-"
Her mother was as selfish and as cruel a
woman as ever lived. But even her hard
heart felt family the influence of the most
intimate and the most sacred of all human
relationships. Her florid cheeks turned pale.
She hesitated.
Miss Wigger marked Through her own
green medium that moment OF maternal III
decision, and saw that it was time to assert
her experience as an instructress of youth.
'Leaye il to me-" she said TO her sister.
''You never did know and you never will
know how to manage children"
She advanced. The child threw he:seli
shrieking on the floor. Miss Wigger's long
arms caught her upheld ~her-shook her.
BE quiet, you imp!' 1t was needless to tell
her to be quiet. Syd's little curly head sank
on the schoolmistress's shoulder. She was
carried INTO exile without a word or a cry
she had tainted.
a0.-The School.
n.f .,~o a..