Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-11-12
Since the birth Of her child, Mrs. Ell

Il 0luCS luC VI lSl CllAlA, &NAASs III
verton had fallen into no more rawlings
but lay in a sort of dull despair. To
rOusc her from this state the infant, q
fine and healthy one, beautifully
dressed, was carried to her. But the
great black eyes of the mother dilatetl
with horror at the sight of her child
and shuddering with excessive emo
ton, she turned away.
Seeing how terribly the mother was
agitated by the presence Of the child
the doctor ordered it to be carried to
the nursery, where nurse was en-.
gagged to take charge of it.
Meanwhile the visitors assembled at
IIdenlawn had learned, from the con-
fusion of the household, the illness of
the mistress, and the absence of the
master, that some great event, some
crushing calamity, had suddenly fallen
upon the family. Learning from the
physician that Mrs. 1Glverton was in no
condition even to receive their adieus,
they left with him their parting COM
pliments for her, and set out for town.
The convalescence of Mrs. Elverton
was very long protracted, but though,
during the rawlings Of her dclirium, she
had shrieked forth the names Of her
husband and child in connection with
some unimagined horror, yet, from the
moment of her return to reason. she
never once required to the existence Of
| either. He" attendants wondered that
| she never inquired after her husband;
but her physician warned them not to
force the subject upon her attention.
The babe was doing we'll in the nurs-
cry, but Mr.. Elverton had not yet re-
turned, nor had any clue been found
to his disappearance.
1t was period of three months dura-
! ton before Mrs. Elverton was sutfi-
GENTLY recovered from her severe ill
ness to make her appearance in the
drawing room, and oh! how changed
from the naughty and beautiful wo1n-
an, who, some little time before. had
been brought. loved and happy bride,
to Edenlawn!
The majestic form was indeed
the same, but every veStige Of
color had fled from the classic
face, leaving it as white as
the chiselled marble it rescmbled. The
imperious brow was painfully contrac
ted, the proud eyes were darkly yelled,
the scornful lips We're bitterly COM
pressed, and the whole countenance
was deeply stamped with the inefface-
able marks of an incurable despair.
No one had seen her three months
previous could look upon her without
feeling that same unutterable mis-
fortune had blasted her life.
Her friends and neighbors, who,
during her illness, had sent regularly
to inquire after her progress, now
her convalescence. But Mrs. Elverton
6nr1inn6 70 ronoivn visitors
commissioned the physician to make
her excuses. She refused even to re-
ceive pastoral call from the clergy
man of the parish; and though Il yea
lous Protestant. exact in all the forms
Of her faith, she Stunned the Chris
tan rite of churching, and absented
herself entirely from public worship.
And even when months had passed.
and the venerable bonnie, whom she
had brought with her from Paris.
ventrred to urge upon her the duty Of
having the infant baptized, she shud-
dered. and to the horror Of Madame
Julien, replied:
"Baptize her! the baptismal waters.
if sprinkled on her forehead, would
hiss and fly off in steam, as it thrown
upon red-hot iron.''
About this time Baron ..verton.
summoned in haste from his official
duties in London. arrived at Eden
lawn OH hurried visit to his daugll-
ter-in-law. He was closeted with her
for an hour in the library, and at the
end of the interview he-the case hard
ened old judge of thousand criminal
trials-came forth alone, with his face
as pale as death, and with blank hor-
ror stamped like madness on his brow.
Without waiting to see his grand
daughter, he ordered a carriage to
take him at once to the railway-sta-
ton, whence he set out the same hour
for London. He never came back to
Edenlawn; but those who knew him
well said that within a fortnight after
his flying visit there the hair of Baron
ElvertoD turned white as snow. u.
Months passed into years, and still
the mystery of Edenlawn remained
unsolved. No news was heard of MIR.
Elverton. No explanation was offered
by Mrs. Elverton. The unbaptized in
FAINT grew and thrived in health and
beauty as we'll as if his Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury had
sprinkled her innocent brow; and she
became the pet, the darling, and the
idol of the household, although her
Wielcueu mOtuef Slll cOnClnucQ 10
regard her as creature thrice ac-
cursed. She was healthy and u hap
Ply child, and consequently beautiful
and good.
$50 good, doctor. so very good" was
the constant report of Madame Julien.
or Madelon, as the old bonnie was.
more Familiarity called.
$50 good is she; so very good? Well,
then, as she has no other name. let
us call her good-or Alma. which is
the same thing" said the doctor, one
morning.
And thus the infant to whom her
own mother strangely denied the
rights of baptism, received the we'll
o1nened name of Alma.
The infancy Of the little heiress
passed into the nursery until she had
attained the age of seven years, when
an accomplished governess was en-
gagged to superintend her education,
and she was removed to the school
| room.
But this migration brought Alma no
nearer to her mother, who continued
to Slun her nrasancp