The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-16

Sllud IlOil. ANU l just uillltu llllp II, !
don't know hOw-oh, | do know--it was
for the childs own sake; so that you
really mustn't call me a heartless par
ent any more, Miss Lascelles. Nobody
would do that who knew what I'd suf-
fcrcd for him. Mr.. Bell took the sec
ord cigarette from his mouth, and
sirhed deeply. Even in the beginning
Il would have been difficult to get out
Of it, having once got in" he contn.
uod. after a pause; but it has been
going on SO long, getting worse and
worse every day and every hour, til
now I'm tangled up and helpless. like
tnat moth i'm that spiders web"-poiut-
ing to little insect tragedy going On
beside them.
Miss Lascelles leaned forward, rnSt-
inc her arms on her knees, and spread
Ing her hands i'm the enchanting moon
lirht which made them look white as
: peariS-and made her rather worn face
| lock as If finely carved in ivory. It
was n graceful, thoughtful. COnlidCn-
| tial pose, and her eyes, uplifted,
| cleaned just under his eyes, ineffably
soft and kind.
I'm so sorry" she murmured. "But
| If | don't know what the trouble is.
| Oh, don't tell me if you'd rather not,
can't help you, can I? do wish |
! could"
so do I. But I'm afraid nobody
| can help me. And yet--pcrhaps q fresh
| eye-a Womaus clearer insight He
| paused, irresolute: then succumbcd to
| temptation Look here, Miss Lascelles,
| I'll just tell you how it is, If you'l
| promise not to speak of it again. You
| are no gossip, | know-you will under
| Standard it will be such Il blessed
| relief to tell somebody And perhaps
You could advise me. after all"---
Let me try" she broke in, encour-
! agingly. For an instant her pearly
! hand touched his sleeve. you may
| trust me-" she said
! I'm sure of it. I'm sure of if" he
| responded, warmly. He flung away the
! remnant Of the second cigarette. took a
/ moment to collect himself, and plunrod
! headlong.
you see we had nobody belonging.
| to us in this country. l came out TO
! make a living and a homo for her-too
| crowded up in England-and as soon as
q got bit of steady income 7 sent
| Tor her to Join mo. OF course. we had
| to be married from somewhere. and
! some kind old people that I knew took
| her off the ship and looked after her
| Tor day or two, and we drove TO
church from their house. Their daugh-
! ter acted as bridesmaid. and she and
| my wife got to be great chums. She
| used to come ana stay with us a good
| dealt was lonesome for the poor girl
| In strange land and me SO much
aWay-and We used to nut IN with
! them when we went to town. In fact
they We're what you might call bosom
friends. That was Just the difficulty. "
YOU are speaking" queried Rose
gently. "of the person who has the
| baby?"
Exactly. All, I see you begin to
understand"
Il think So" said Rose. with smile
broad enough to he visible in any kind
Of moonlight But what was the diff
ficulty?"
We'll, YOU know, being so really fond
! Of her, and all that-wishng to do if
Tor the sake of her dead friend. what
could ] say? Especially as those wo-
men we're killing the unfortunate brat
between them. She was not SO very
young. and was evidently clever al
managing"
'fos,' interposcd Rose smiling still.
And peculiarly situated for under
taking the job-much as you are situ-
atcd hero--living with two old folks
who dotted on her and were only toe
pleased to let her do whatever she
uked; fond of baby. and in want of
some object in life, and 50 on. But
chiefly it was for Mabel's sake To see
poor Mahel's child messed and mauIed
about 10y a set of hunglng ignorant
creatures. who had no interest what
eyer in it. was more than she could
stand, she said; to tell the truth.
couldn't stand it either. and she begged
nae tn let her have it to look after. as
there was no female friend or relative
nearer To it than she was. What could
do? She lived i'm a nice, healthy spot
ana there was the old mother with hel
| experience; and / was Obliged to 90
away, and-and--well. just had to say
yes, ana he thankful to do it. We got
the-thC doctorfoun ave engaged tn,
sort of nurse that does everything. yor
know, fine strapping young woman
in the pink Of condition; and awaN
they went to Melbourne together Ant
at the first blush the worst Of tn,
trouble seemed over, instead Of JUS
beginning. | gave up my house anC
stored the furniture, and went off after
my necessary business. miserable
enough, as you may suppose, but a
least with an easy mind about the boy
As far as he was concerned, as far a!
poor. dear Mabel was concerned, | fel
that | had acted for the best For tn,
matter of that, looking at the busines,
from their point Of view. it appears
even now that ! did act for the best
Indeed, | don't for the life of me under
! stand how any man could have acteC
otherwise under the circumstances"
! The listener, listening intently her,
pat quiet question-"Did you pa,
her"'-WhiCh caused the narrator Il
Vince like a CALLED horse.
"Ah, there YOU hit the weak spot
Miss Lascolles right in the bulTs-eye,
he declared, signing furiously IF
could have paid her, Of course there,
have been no difficulty at all. But sh
wouldn't he paid"
you ought to have insisted on it,
said Rose severely.
II did insist. l insisted all / knew
but she said it was a labor of love 70
her friend and seemed so hurt at tn
idea Of money being brought into tn,
question that / was ashamed to pres
her beyond a certain point. She let m
pay for the nurses board, and that
all The baby didn't eat anything, yol
see and they We're comfortably off
with lots Of spare rooms in their house
and | Just looked on it as a sort o
temporary visit until we shuld be abl
to turn around a bit. But"--with an
other sigh-'he's there yet"
Miss Lascelles nodded, with an air o
| utter wisdom.