Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-12-29

VIM a LII n VIM "ANohNihuNui(
~ made cautious inquiries, and
found to my surprise that my mlser-
able Identity was quite lost / had
given no hint, uttered no name during
my stay there, that would lead to dis
covery. / learned that the clothes
wore when taken up by the police
were mere rags Of the coarsest, most
Ioathsome kind, and q bit OF soiled pa
per bearing the name elizabeth
Thompson found In the pocket OF the
dress served as my certificate OF bap-
lism, and 80 Elizabeth Thompson re-
mained to all who met me during
those seven years. When and how my
clothes were changed and stolen, al
they undoubtedly we're, don't remom'
ber After three years was dis
charged as cured, and, as | had shown
some capabilty for nursing during an
epidemic that visited the asylum, O
kind nun who had charge Of the Cath
Ollie ward offered to get me place az
attendant In q hospital, where / re-
malned some time"
"And you never thought OF me-
never longed to see me, to know how
l."
She laughed bitterly, as she waved
the eager interruption aside, with O
gesture OF pain.
Never thought of youl All, you
will never know how you filled my life,
can never understand what felt--and
suffered knew you must believe me
dead, and | knew the best thing for
your happiness, your peace of mind,
was TO let you remain in that belief
I struggled to keep away from
you, to learn nothing about you;
but, when nursing a patient whom
casually heard had lately been in do
nestle service in the nelghborhood OF
Colworth, could not resist the temp
tation OF questioning her, From her
learned, Paul, that Mr.. Dennys OF
Colworth was married to Miss Stop
ford, with whom he had inherited
large fortune, that he was very happy
and prosperous and the father of three
beautiful children.
"This news allayed all my doubts,
drove every lingering spark Of hope
and happiness from my future.
begged the reverend mother who had
procured me the place In the hospital
to accept me as a novice; but she hest
tated for some time, knowing Of the
faint in my blood. However, after a
couple OF years, seeing no sign Of a
relapse, and getting very favorable
opinion Of my case from the asylum
doctors, l was received into the con-
vent, and on application allowed to
Join the mission going to New zea-
land.
1--WE were to have sailed next week,
and as the time drew near a terrible
restlessness came over me, longing
SO intense to breathe the air you
breathed once more, that felt /
could never be q useful and contented
servant Of Heaven unless my longing
were gratined, appealed to the rev.
erend mother, and she with her usual
goodness gave her consent. l arrived
at dusk that-that blessed night, In
tending only to say a prayer for you
and yours at the cross preserving my
memory, and then steal away as I had
come.
AT the station / saw your brother
accidentally, believing him to be you
Ibis features are wonderfully like
what yours once were. found to my
utter bewiIderment, and / think relief,
that my love was dead-completely
dead, that Edith's husband was moth
ing to me.
II wandered out, ponderlng the
meaning Of this discovery, and saw
you stretched across my grave. At
the first sound Of your voice, at the
first glance into your worn altered
face-ah, beloved, knew that was
not free, and could never be, no mat
ter what gulf divided us. / tried to
sayo you as thought--to leave you;
but-but-"