Marble Hill press., 1897-07-29
INTERNATIONAL tREss ASSOCIATION.

Or tried TO get her living, l should
say" he added in correction, land
didn't succeed. Leastways. no one
about here would employ her, and she
was out of favor with everybody"
For what reason?" l inquired.
You had better ask the woman,
said the man; I'm not good at title
tattling."
did not follow his advice, having
had enough in my time of gossiping
women's tongues. l did more SEN
sible thing. l went at once to a pri-
vate detective, and placed the matter
in his hands, promising to reward him
literally If he succeeded. OF my
mother l gave full particulars; of the
woman who would be likely to give in
formation of her l could supply him
only with the slight clue which l had
gained from the old man.
Leave it to me-" said he; "I'll find
one or both in three days, if they're to
be found at all"
had no doubt but that this was a
boast; yet, for once a boaster's word
was good. He came to me on the
night Of the third day.
Pearl and were sitting in the little
parlor at Brixton. 1t was then ten
o'clock at night, and heavy Novem-
Der fog enveloped the streets in dark
ness. Inside it was bright enough.
A cheerful fire was blazing, and the
room was warm and cozy. Everything
in the house was arranged by my lit
tie maids hands exactly as it used to
be when was boy. Not word
referring to the past dropped from my
lips but was treasured up by Pearl,
and, If practicable, acted upon. She
had commenced the practice of reading
aloud to me of a night, and she was
thus occupied on this night, when |
suddenly desired her to read no more.
The story Jared upon me; it appeared
to me to have been written but with
one purpose in view--to show the
character of woman in it's vainest and
most frivolous light.
"You don't like it," said Pearl;
neither do /. Could anything make
you believe that women are as bad as
the author makes out?"
| sighed as 1 replied, "My expert
ences of women would have turned me
utterly against them but for you, my
dear, and for the memory of my un-
selfish old mother, who loved me too
well, and whom l repaid with harsh
ness and ingratitude."
AS l spoke it struck me as strange
that it was in this very parlor that |
had come into close and loving connec-
tion with the women who played an
active part in my life. Here had |
enjoyed the sweetness of fond moth
er's love; here had | seen Mabel for
the first time as a child; and often
afterward, when she had grown into
a fair beautiful woman; here had I
learned how she had betrayed me; and
here l now sat with Pearl, who had in
measure restored my faith, and
brought comfort to my bruised heart.
1t was on Mabel as a child that my
thoughts chiefly dwelt, and on the
happy time when I used to speak to
her of the voices of the shells. Could
hear them now, what would they say
to me? I placed one to my ear, and
with closed eyes listened to the sweet,
confused murmur. There was har-
mony in it, but no design; presently
however, came something that was
clear to me. In the midst of the soft
murmur few words of MabeIs ia
vorite song shaped themselves, and |
heard her sweet and false voice sing
ing to me. "In faith abiding, I'll
still be true" All, me! In those
words she had sworn to be faithful to
me. How had that VOW been kept?