The Ravalli Republican., 1898-03-02

men came down by rail- TO VISIT her,
and she drove with them in her
shovy carriage past Mattie's humble
home and threw upon the sad face,
bent over some work at the window,
such looks Of scorn as might have
been Matte s due had she been a
very wicked creature, but which
under the circumstances were quite
uncalled for.
All this went on for two years at
least, and by that time Mrs. Waters
boys years old she called him, but
he hardly looked 3-was running
about the grounds and escaping
from them whenever he could into
the bargain
Oddly enough, whenever he got
free, he made straight for the strip
of green land that lay between tho
house that Matte dwelt in and the
river. It was the water that tempt
cd him, and his deligh was to launch
tiny boat with paper sails upon It,
At first Matte ran away when she
saw him. Then she began to watch
him, thinking how like he was to
the captain, with that head Of clus-
tering yellow curls, thinking him
like also to what her boy would
have been had he lived-for she
never doubted that he was dead
until her heart softened, and one
day she opened the door and tempt
ed him in with cake as one might a
bird
After that he used often to come
to her. All Rudleigh was scandal,
lied by the fact, and Mrs. Waters,
ignorant of it, until she one day
came upon the two at the rivers
edge, the boy with his arms around
the womans S mock She was in hel
carriage whom she saw them, but
she was out Of it in an instant, peril
ing her life in the jump. And sht
struck the child a blow and called
Matte by an evil name, and no ont
who saw her face forgot it as sht
drove away again with the scream
ing child. m-.5 ..-......-.m.
Matte went into her poor home
l broken hearted, and her maidel
5 aunt berated her woefully, and Mat
tie could only weep. .".
2 "Where is your pride" " said til
t spinster, your decency?"
And Muttie sObbed:
0 "EIe is so liko Frank-so lil1
e Frank, aunt Don't be angry witt
me-
II The old nurse was we'll berate
II also, and for awhile the boy wa
e kept within bounds, but he had
}, will of his own, and at last, Oh
warm autumn day, mamma out TO
t, a drive as usual, and nurse doing
the great gate swung behind hin
} and he battered down the green b:
J. of land and peeped into Mattio's co
y tage door. ....
a She was at an upper window, bv
q she did not call to him-she dare
e not-and he wandered away to t.
l. water edge. There he launched h
!. boat and padded in to bring it OF
es again and splashed and wet himse
II and soiled his fine clothes with tt
y mud and was happy beyond EXPIRE
II sion.
d Matte yearned for him, but ST
sat still and only looked until II
At tears filed her eyes, and she h
is them in her apron and fell to wee
I'd ing bitterly. But from this a shri
I'd cry aroused hel. She started to h
at feet. The child was no longer {
at the bank, but out in the wat
In cleaned a yellow head and two til
ed arms, and a cry Of Mamma can
l9 to her.
1t was as though her own chi
o. called. She flew from the room a?
to down the stairs and out toward t.
ne river Others were rushing tn
an way, but she was first She new
IS paused to think, but plunged in
al the water recklessly.
he In another moment she was out
at her depth, but she had the boy IL
10 by his littlo waist and did her bt
erc to reach shore with him. Men we
near by this time, and the two We
st. drawn to land together, and in t
[er midst Of the crowd Matte ste
I'D holding the dripping child to
me breast when the whirl of c;lrrif
AN wheels s1note her car.
ian A harsh voice cried, "What's
nd this?" and there once more was NJ
hat Waters.
led Matte gave a scream, but h
md the child closer The woman, w
| a look OF hate which had some t
nd, ror in it, sprang TO her feet.
ish The horses plunged and reared
For heavens sake, sit st
the ma 'am!' cried the coachman,
cad the warning was UNDECIDED
tor Mrs. Waters attempted to leaI
one the ground. The horses start
'pie her long train caught in the whe
'ap- the coachman lost all comm;
ear. over the animals and was flung
ing the earth, and away over road
} bp field the mad creatures dragged
''-'' wretched woman, lashed by
~ costly robes to her own cha