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

cumstance had left him no alternative. as an
honest man, but 10 be beforehand with The
persons who, as he believed, contaminated
stealing the precious stones. lie had accord
ingly taken them under his protection until
they were identified and claimed by the
riglttul owners. In now appealing to these
gentlemen he stipulated that the claim should
be SET forth In writing, addressed TO him UNI
der initials ut a postofice in London. III the
lost property was identified TO his satisfac-
ton he would meet-at IA 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
coilsenting 10 r~eceive) u reward. The con-
ditions being complied with, this remarkable
interview took place; the writer of the letter,
described as an iniirm old man very poorly
dressed, fulfilled his engagement, tO0k his
receipt, and walked away without even wait
ing to 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, deservedly 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 10 bestow on him, except an incunl-
brance in the shape OF a boy.
Late on the fatal wedding day his first
idea, when he was himself again after the
discovery in the Summer-house was 10 get
back his passage money, to abandon his wife
and his Stcp-sun, and escape 10 America i'm a
French steamer. He went to 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 10 America was at its lowest ebh, and
prohts depended on flcights alone. Ii Le
still contemplated deserving his wife he must
also submit to sacrifice his money. The 9th
er alternative was Gas he expressed il TO him
self 10 have his %pennyw0rth for his penny,
and to turn his family to some good account
In New York" lie had not quite decided
what 10 do when he got home again on the
evening of his marriage.
At that critical moment in her life the
bride was equal TO the demand on her re.
sources.
If she were foolish enough TO allow James
10 act Oh his natural impulses there were
probably tive prospects before her. In one
state Of his temper he might knock her
down. In another state of his temper he
might leave her behind him. Her only hope
NJ protecting herself, in either ease, was
10 lame the bridegroom. In his absence she
wisely armed herself with the most ~irrcsist-
bic f%ascinations of her sex. Never yet had
he seen her dressed rs She was dressed when
he came home. Never yet had her magnili-
cent eyes looked at him as they looked now.
Emotions for which he was not prepared
oycrcame this m%ucl-injured man; he stared
at the bride in helpless surprise. That in
eStimablc moment of weakness WAS all Mrs.
Belibridge asked for. Bewildered by his
own transformation, James found himself
reading the newspaper the next morning
scntmentally, 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
drealy change that was now close at hand in
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 morscls Of danned and rag
ged clothing, and had gone upstairs to put
them in one of the dilapidated old trunks in
the garnet playground, when the servant was
sent to bring her back TO the sitting-room.
There, cnthronCd in an easy chair, sat a
strange lady; and there, hiding behind the
chair in undisguised dislike of the visitor,
was her little brother ROderick. $. Il looked
tmidly at her mother: and her mother said:
Here is your aunt e
The personal appearance of Miss Wiggcr
might have suggested "a modest diStruSt of
his own abilities 10 LaVater, when that self
sufficient man wrote his famous work on
p~hysiognomy. Whatever betrayal of her in
herself her face might have presented, in
the distant time when she was young, was
now completely overland by a surface of fab
by fat, which, assisted by green Spectacles,
kept the virtues COR vices 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 I'M
veterately ill-natured woman.
Make your curtsey, child!' said Miss
Wigger. Nature had SO toned her voice as to
make it worthy Of the terrorS Of her face.
But for her petticoats, it would have been
certainly taken for the voice of a man.
The child Obcyed, trembling.
"Iou are to 90 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 was in store for her. She
sheltered herself bcll. md 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 10 her aunt.
The child looked at the formidable female
creature with the mans voice and the green
spectacles.
"You belong 10 me-" said Miss Wigger, by
way of encouragement, land | have come to
take yOu away" At those dreadful words
terror shook little sgd from head TO foot.
She fell on her knees with Il cry of misery
that might have melted the heart OF Il savage.
"Oh, mamma, mamma, don't leave me be.
hind. What have ! done 10 deserve ii? 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 ilorid cheeks turned pale.
She hesitated.
Miss Wigger marked Through her own
green mcdium) that momen of maternal in
decision, and saw that it was time to assert
her experience as an instructress of youth.
"Lcave it 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 herself
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.
10.-1he School.