Middletown transcript., 1898-03-19
"Vhu. Jd7,el Do yoat think haze done
dTlJt7lifg aDTOqlg?o

1
There is everything in abiding by duty.
Meanwhile Jane had posted one let
ter and carried the other to her mis-
| tress. Mrs. Justis received her with an
air of armed neutrality.
''Mrs. Storer is not feeling well and
cannot be disturbed. If you have any
message for her, will take it to her. !"
Jane hesitated. Mrs. Justis was not
| among her favorites.
81 thought she might wish to see me.
The house is to go on, the master said,
and she may have orders for today. I
came for them"
"Oh," said Mrs. Justis, "I'll see if
you can come up!"
"Come up indeed" thought Jane in
dignantly, "after taking care of her
house these three yearsP'
Following delay that reused James
| suspicious she was admitted to the front
room on the third floor. 1t was careful
| " darkened. There was strong odor of
| cologne, and Mrs. Storer was still in
bed. Her cheeks were burning with
fever, her eyes were CLASSY and the eye
lids red as if with crying.
''Merciful Godp' cried Jane, quite
naturally.
''Mrs. Storer hasn't slept all night, F"
explained Mrs. Justis, who had mount
ed guard at once.
"Well, indeed, neither did 1, ma am.
| couldn't; it was all so sudden. I'm
sure I don't wonder at all. But perhaps
if you'd dress and come up to the house,
sure you'd feel better. never put out
light in your room, ma'am, and there
you'll see the pretty flowers that the
master fixed last night with his own
hands against you'd come in, ma am. "
Mrs. Storer put her handkerchief to
her eyes, and her mother quickly left
the room. Jane darted to the bedside.
Here's his letter. Keep it to yourself,
and have you anything to say to me,
ma'am?'
Jane put the note in Mrs. Storer's
hand and retired to her first post near
the door.
"Oh, Jane, you'll have to do as usual
for the present. I may come up today.
Waitl Let me read this. Open the win
dow"
Jane opened the window and dis
creetly gazed into the street while keep
ing one ear on the door and another on
the rustling letter.
| A shrek that brought back Mrs. JUS
tbs and startled Jane out of her senses
was the result. Then Mrs. Storer was
seized with fainting spells, and Jane
ran for the doctor.
This family physician, having used
proper remedies and ordered perfect
quiet for the patient, retired to the par
lor and held a consultation with her
parents. He was persistent in his in
quiries. Mrs. Storer was suffering from
mental shock. and he wanted all the
particulars Medical men prefer not to
work in the dark
In her wild grief Mrs. Storer had
told her mother some sad truths.
"Oh, you have ruined our happinessl'
she cried repeatedly, regardless of DR..
Belford's presence. "Jack has gone
abroad. I'll never see him again. Oh,
send for himl Why did l leave him?
Oh, fool that was to let you meddle
between usl''
This continued till the anodyne took
effect.
Mrs. Justis unfolded to the doctor
Mr.. Storer's infamous conduct and her
own decided action.
~ suppose he has taken that woman
with him. she said sadly.
"No doubt" agreed DIR. Belford,
who was quite beyond being surprised
by anything in the line of immortality.
The story, coming from such author
ityi he quietly accepted, and in the
course of time confded it to his wife.
1t was quickly communicated, and
when Mrs Storer was able to go about
she judged from the sympathy for her
expressed and exhibited that her moth
er's solution of the foreign trip was the
correct one.
Yet when she read over her husband s
letter she had her doubts, and these
doubts were so strong that she refused
to take any steps whatever of legal
nature. She objected to putting detect,
ives on her husbands path and SIM
ply remained away from her home and
devoted herself to her child. If the
worst was true, she did not want to
have it proved to her.
Certain other annoyances developed
as time elapsed. For instance, little
Jack became bone of contention. In
his own home where he ruled as prince
his baby ways were humored and his
unruly moments patiently ignored.
Sensible people never look for angels
wings on the shoulders of healthy.
noisy children. Growth means perpet,
ual motion, and Jack seemed to possess
the whole house. He caused his irrita
BILE, nervous grandfather endless uneasi.
ness. The man, with his cross expires
sion, his i'll humor and his exacting
manner, antagonized the child. Jach
had his jolly, ohummy father in hii
mind when he saw men, and be meas
ured them by his treasured standard
Only Spencer, Darwin or Huxley
could explain why this beautiful child,
with his angelic expression and stout
limbs, should set himself to the tor.
menting Of his grandfather with powers
Of invention and execution that were a!
amazing as they were intolerable
Mr.. Justis stormed and threatened
and even attempted to punish the child,
Then Mrs. Storer caught her baby Il
her heart and would have sought ref
uge in her own house had not her moth
er taken her side in the quarrel and pre-
vented the second break in the family.
Mr.. Justis upbraided his wife ant
made matters SO wretched in the housV
that for the first time she sat down ant
admitted to herself that perhaps sh'
had made a mistake in taking he
daughter home. A boarding house i
which Jack would have had no freedom