Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-12
with Roman brevlty and Roman eloquence

Vi youC lOHu on ilOlner. L nave never peer
one OF the kissing sort Il mean, of course
where women are concerned), but this is al
occasion which ~justifies something quite GU
of the common way. Come and kiss me-"
Catherine took no notice of that outbursI
OF maternal love.
II have forgotten everything that l ought
to have remembered" she said. I'm my
vanity, In my weakness, in my selfish enjoy
ment OF the passing moment, / have been toe
supremacy happy even to think of the trials
of my past life, and of the false position IN
which they have placed me toward the man
whom | ought TO be ashamed TO deceive. ]
have only been recalled TO a sense Of duty, ]
might almost say to q sense of decency, by
my poor little child. II Kitty had not re-
minded me OF her father"
Mrs. Presty dropped into q chair; she was
really frightened. Her fat cheeks trembled
like a jelly on a dish that is suddenly moved.
"Has that man been here?" she asked.
what man?'
"The man who may break OFF your mar
rage il he meets with the captain. Has
Herbert Linley been here?"
Certainly not. The one person associated
with my troubles whom | have seen to-day
is Sydney Westerield."
Mrs. Presty bounced out Of her chair. "You
have seen-Sydney Westerlield?' she re-
peated, with emphatic pauses which express
ed amazement, tempered by unbelief.
Yes; | have seen her."
'WhereT'
'In the garden"
And spoken to herY' ;
"Yes."
Mrs. Presty raised her eyes to the ceiling.
Whether she expected our old friend 1.-THE
recording angel" TO take down the questions
and answers that had Just passed, or whether
she was only waiting 10 see the hotel that
held her daughter collapse under a sense of
moral responsibility, it is not possible to de-
eide. After an awful pause the old lady re-
membered that she had something more to
say, and said 1t.
II make no remark, GATHERINGS; | don't
even want to know what you and Miss West
erfield said to each other. At the same time,
as a matter of convenience to myOelf, | wish
to ascertain whether | must leave this hotel
or not. The same house doesn't hold that
woman and Me. Has she gomez
''She has gone"
Mrs. Presty looked round the room. "And
taken Kitty with herY' she asked.
Don't speak of Kittyr' Catherine cried.
in the greatest distress. IL have had to keel
the poor, innocent, affectionate child apart
from Miss Westerheld by force. My heart
aches when l think OF it,"
I'm not surprised, Catherine. Ny grand
daughter has been brought up on the mod
ern system. Children are all little angels
no punishment-only gentle remonstrance-
don't be naughty, dear, because you will
IlnlFn UaInl ~ mao - $500 A. A..
mamma grieves over 1t and wonders over Il
when she finds her little angel disobedient.
What a fatal system of education! All my
success in life; every quality that endeared
me TO your father and Mr.. Presty; every
social charm that has made me the idol of
society, l attribute entirely to judicious cor
rection In early life, applied freely with the
open hand. We will change the subject.
Where is dear Bennydeck? l want to con-
graduate him on his approaching marriage"
She looked hard at her daughter, and men-
tally added: Hell live TO regret itp'
Catherine knew nothing Of the captains
movements. Il have something to say to
him, and don't know where he is"
Mrs. Presty still kept her eyes fixed on her
daughter. Nobody observing GATHERINGS
face, and Judging also by the tone Of her
voice, would have supposed that she was al
luding to the man whose irresistible attrac-
tons had won her. She looked i'll at ease
and she spoke sadly.
You don't seem to be in good spirits, my
dear" Mrs. Presty gently suggested. NO
lovers quarrel already, | hOpe":
Nothing Of the kind"
Can | be of any use to your"
~ OH might be of the greatest use. But l
know only too well you would refuse"
Thus far Mrs. PreSty had been animated
by curiosity. She began now to feel vaguely
alarmed. after all that | have lone for
you" she answered, II don'tthink you ought
to say that. Why should | refuse"
Catherine hesitated.
Her mother persisted in pressing her. "Ilas
1t anything to do with Capt. ~Bennydeck?'
Eyes"
"What is itY'
Catherine reused her courage.
you know what il IS as well as l do"
she said. Capt. Bcnnydeck believes that |
am free to marry him because | am a widow.
You might help me tell him the truth"
''What!!v'
That exclamation Of horror and aStonish-
ment was loud enough to have been heard
in the garden. If Mrs. Presty's hair had
been all her own, ii must have been hair that
stood on end.
Catherine quietly rose. ave won't dis
cuss it, she said, with resignation. IL knew
you would refuse me-" She approached the
door. Her mother got up and resOlutely
stood in the wav. Before you commit an
act of downright Madness Mrs. Presty
said, II mean to try II | can stop you. Go
back to your chair"
Catherine refused.
II know how it will end" she answered;
'and the sooner it ends the better. You will
find that l am quite as determined as you
are. A man who love me as he loves me, is
a man whom l refuse TO deceive"
Lets have 1t out plainly" Mrs. Presty
insisted. "He believes your first marriage
has been dissolved by Death. Do you mean
to tell him that 1t has been dissolved by d.
vorce?"
II do"
"What right has he to know it%'
"a right that Is not to be denied. A wife
must have 10 secrets from her husband"
Mrs. Presty hit back smartly.
YOU'RE not his wife yet. Wait till you
are married."
Never! Who but a wretch would marry
eh ~ man utiuCt NO plCtCiloCDs
Il deny the false pretenses! You talk as
II you were al impostor. Are you, or are
you not, the accomplished lady who has
charmed him? Are you, or are you not, the
beautiful woman whom he loves? There isn't
a stain Oh your reputation. In every respect
you are the wife he wants and the wife who
Is worthy of him. And you are cruel enough
to disturb the poor man about a matter that
doesn't concern him! You are fool enough
to raise doubts of you in his mind, and give
a repr0ach to cast In your teeth the first time
you do anything that happens to offend him
Any woman-I don't care who she may be-
might envy the home that's waiting for you
and your child, II you're wise enough to hold
your tongue. Upon my word, Catherine, l
am ashamed of you. Have you no princi-
plesy'
She really meant it! The purely selfish
considerations which she urged on her
daughter were so many undeniable virtues
in Mrs. Presty's estimation. She took the
highest moral ground, and stood up and
crowed on 1t with a pride in her own princi-
pies which the primate of all England might
have envied.
But GATHERINGS rare resolution held as firm
as ever. She got a little nearer to the door.
Goodnight, mamma" was the only reply
she made.
us that all you have to say to mel"
II am tired, and 1 must rest. Please lei
me CO." Mrs. Presty threw open the door