The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-10-20
A CONQUERING HERO.

1t was such pretty scene The trees
had the abundance of yertlant foliage
that belongs to happy juno. The grass
seemed more than usually rich and
green and the wild flowers more album
dant than ever bcfore-there was n rural
bridge over II deep, rushing stream that
fed mill dam some distance beyond,
and roses clambered over tho broken
rails of the bridge and twined their
wild tendrils about an old tree near by,
against which was rustic seat On the
rustic seat was another rosa very
sweet and fresh and lovely rose i'll white
muslin, with II Marie Antoinctte tichu
across her breast and knottcd at the
waist, aud II wide leghorn hat ON her
head that shaded her eyes so cloverly
that no beholdcr could guess that tears
were rising there from time To time and
dropping ON the white null lSerehief.
And this hid happened SO often that
the rose might very well be said To be
washed in dew.
Her naIse was Kate, and she was very
angry with herself because the tears
would fall despite all the indignant
things she was saying to herself i'll her
effort To stop their flow, till at last she
started to her feet III dreadful pet and
began to walk up and down, crushing
the wild flowers under her feet. But
that could not continue, for she was Il
very sweet little woman and could not
even hurt n flower without regreuing
it, and presently She bent her graceful
figure and pulled the wild anemones
and the few late violets and, having
reached the rustic seat, she added IA rose
or two and sat down
Its perfectly lovely morning"
she murmnred and pinned the flowers
among the folds of the null kerehief.
Il wonder where she has taken the
child, because
She stopped and looked anxiously
about till she saw in the distance the
maid and the little boy rambling among
the trees and apparently absorbed in
gathering wild flowers and chasing but
terflies, and the music of the child's
laughter was borne to her on the soft,
perfumed summer breeze 1t was II
heavenly sound-a sound to gladden.
any mothers he IT, but Kate Sclden
sighed and drew from her belt closely
crumpled piece Of paper, which She had
thrust there i'll fierce impotence, and ms
she looked Mt it the tears, which had
not retreated very far, again rose to her
eyes
ooh, I'm just II dreadful fool, " she
thought \ silly, silly little simple
ton. And I'm glad he is late, for |
wouldn't have him know for anything
i'll this world that ! cared enough to
cry And smoothing out the erum-
pied paper, she began to read the writ
ten words once more. though she al
ready knew them by heart:
. If you will see me on Wednesday,
we can talk the matter over. ! have
spoken with my lawyer, and he has
consulted with yours and separation
can be arranged without any public
scandal-at least, / hope So / would
call at the house, but / know your
mother hates mo worse than ever now,
and it would only cause scene. SO if
you will come to the old rustic seat
close by the bridge-you know where
we used to meet in the old, happy days
-ah, Kate, if you would only let me
tell you everything, you would find that
am not SO very much to blame But |
won't speak Of that, because, of course,
l know you wish to leave me- and
will make no defense. Yes, you shall
keep the boy, though | believe the law
would give him TO me if chose to fight
for my right-no. in that yield to you
entirely. / believe child belongs to
his mother first and before all others.
Therefore / give him to you without
asking what the law might say about
it, but do ask that you will let me sec
him as often as l may wish, for / love
him, dear-yes, though you may not
believe it, Kate, love him next to his
mother, who is still the dearest on earth |
to me. There, didn't mean to say that,
but it is written, and let it stay so. /
will not offend you again, but be there
on Wednesday, any time before noon |
won't be later than / /, and we can ar
range all the business details-the law
yers will do the rest "
And by this time the tears were brim-
ming over, but she wiped them softly
away, and instead Of crushing the paper,
as before, ehe folded it very smoothly
and slipped it inside her corsage, where
she could feel it rise and fall beneath
the hurried beating Of her heart
I'm glad he's late, she repeated
IN very glad he's late. " And then
she looked at her watch and found it
was not quite half past 10. ooh, he
isn't late, after all | must have been
very early. | will go and find Annette
and the child" And as she rose there
was the cracking Of a twig under
hasty footstep, and Kate Selden stood
face to face with her husband He was
very pale. and his lips looked pallid
and drawn with the effort to keep from
trembling, She had flushed deeply when
their eyes met, but now the color ebbed
away from her girlish face, and she said
II am so glad mean, not to keep !
you waiting You see | am here first. "
"You are very good he said, but
you are always good. You got my let
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