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

der Initials at a post0iiice In London. III the
lost property was identified 10 his satisfac-
ton be would meet-at a specified place. and
on q certain day and h0Gr-a person accred-
tied by the firm, and would personally re-
store tile diamonds. without claiming (or
consenting to receiver a reward The o
ditions being complied with, this remarkable
interview took place; the writer OF the letter.
described a. an infim old man very poorly
dressed. fulfilled his engagement, took his
receipt, and walked away without even wait
ing to De- thanked. II is only an act Of Justice
10 add that the diamonds were afterwards
counted, and not one OF them was missing -
Miserable, deservediy miserable. married
pair! The stolen fortune. 90 which they
had counted, had slipped through their lin
gers. The berths in the steamer for New
York bad been taken and paid for. James
had married a woman with nothing besides
herself - bestOw on him, except an incuui-
brance N the shape Of a boy.
Late IN the fatal wedding day his first
idea, when he was himself again after the
discovery In the summer-h0use, was 10 get
back his passage money. TO abandon his wife
N his st,p-sOn, and escape to America In a
French steamer. He went to the Office of
the English company and offered the places
which ne had taken for sale. Tie season Of
the yeaI was against him; the passenger
traffic 70 America was AT its lowest ebb. aDd
proht. depended on ileigGts alone. IL Le
still contemplated deserving hts wife he must
also ubnit 10 sacrifice his money. The 9th
er alternative was CAS- he expressed il to him
self Ia have his pennywurih for his penny.
and Ia turn his family Ia 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 rec
sources.
# she were foolish enough 10 allow James
10 act on his natural impulses there were
probably twO prospects before her. ia 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
OF protecting herself, In either case. was
TO tame the bridegroom. III his absence she
wisely armed herself with the most ~irresist-
bic fascinaiiOns of her sex. Never Yet had
he seen her dressed a She was dressed when
he came home. Never yet had her magnifi-
cent eyes looked al MIN as they looked now.
Emotions for which he was not prepared
Oyercame this much-injured man; he stared
at the bride IN helpless surprise. That in
eStimable moment of weakness was all Mrs.
Bellbridge asked for. Bewildered by his
owH 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 10 prepare little sgd tor the
dreaIy change that was now close at hand In
her young life. The poor child had seen the
preparations for departure, and had tried 10
initiate her mother in packing up. She had
collected her few morsels OF darled and rag
ged clothing, and had gone upstairs to put
them in one of the dilapjdated old trunks in
the garnet playground. when the servant was
sent 10 bring her back 10 the sitting-rOom.
There, enthroned 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
The personal appearance of Miss Wigger
might have suggested a modest distruSt of
his own abilities to Llyater. when that self
sufficient man wrote his famous work on
phi siognomy. 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 lat. 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 near her speak
AMI doubt for a moment that she was an in
yeterately ill-natured woman.
Make your curtsey, chi.d.' said Miss
Wigger. Nature had 80 toned her voice a. 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 obeyed, trembling.
you are to 90 away with me" the school,
mistress proceeded, ''and 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 beli 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 acroS, the room To 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, ''and | have come TO
take yOu away At those dreadful words
terror shook little sgd from lead TO foot.
She fell on her knees with a cry of misery
that might have melted the heart of q savage.
''0h. mamma, mamma. don't leave ne be-
hind. What have | done to deserve il? Oh,
pray, pray pray nave 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 fiorid checks turned pale.
She hesitated.
Miss Wigger marked Through her
green medium that momen OF maternal in
decision, and saw that it was time to assert
her experience as an instruetress of youth.
'Leave il to me-" she said TO her sister.
''You never did know and you never will
know how 10 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 inp!' 1t was needless to tell
her to be quiet. Syd's little curly head sank
GU the schoolmistress's shoulder. She was
carried lnto exile without a word or a cry
she had tainted.