The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-07-12

| stylish and expensive clothes. He was
very handsome and apparently refined,
and believing him wise and good loved
| him and promised TO be his wife. lie
| paid me marked attention before every
one. When my old lover heard Of il he
| came at once TO my fathers house.
Taking me by the hand, he said; My
girl, they are saying in the village that
you have grown tired of me and that u
man has come between us. | have come
to give you your freedom. am glad you
/ have a chance TO marry fine gentle.
man, for | was fool TO think I was wor.
thy of you. | hope you will he happy
| but | shall not forget you, lassic, and
wherever YOU may 90 20 live remember
| shall always he your friend, for love
You with all my heart
IL blushed before his honest eyes. but
| could not deny the truth. was In
love with the city young man and want.
| cd to marry him. 81 | thanked my old
| lover for his Kindness and babe him
/ good-by. shall never forget his look
Of pain aud sorrow as he took my hand
and said 'Good-by,' and the real tears
in his honest eyes troubled me for many
| a day.
"Wcll. married my New York lover
and went TO the city TO live. At first !
was very happy, but as the weeks went
| 10y | found out that my husband had
many vices. learned with horror that
he was a gambler, and was also dis.
| hoscst. The stylish clothes which he al
ways wore were not obtained honestly.
lie drank and gambled good deal. lie
was always in debt and trouble. dis
covered with keen sorrow that the win
ter he had spent in the country was
while he was avoiding the law. lie had
many disrcputable companions, and
often was obliged to listen to tiendish
plots. was heartsick and discouraged
and knew cot what to do. Twice dur
ing the frat year of our marriage he
struck me wAilc he was under the in
hucnce of driuk. In less than two years
he deserted me. Deserted me for an.
other fair young L'rl whom he had won
10y tlattCring speeches as he had won
me. lie left me without penny, and
with a baby girl only a few weeks old.
God alone knows what | went
through then. was sad, broken
hearted woman. grown old in two short
years. | was weak and i'll, utterly poor
and so terribly wrctched that praNe ed
earnestly for God to let me and my poor
baby die. Eut we did not die. \ poor
woman who lived in the house with we
WIS kind To me and uursed my wee baby
for me. | could pay her nothing; she
| knew that. but She helped me becaus,
| She was a woman and knew what a
woman could suffer.
Two months after my husband &c
serted me ! read of his death. He was
killed in a gambling saloon by a man
whom he had robbed, and all the New
York papers published scandalous ac-
counts of H. How ! suffered then! But
had he lived / should never have seen
him, for he had east me aside as easily
as he would have cast aside suit of
worn clothing.
"With no money or friends in New
York, | knew could only starve or beg
in the streets, 20 for my baby's sake
wrote and told my father everything,
and he came to New York and brought
me home, back here TO the berkshire
hills. How sorry was that had ever
left the dear, peaceful old place!
The news of my husbands disgrace
full death had preceded me, and every
one in the village knew that he had
been a gambler and had shamefully de-
serted his wife. 1t was an awful blow
to my high spirits and pride, and TO
my old fathers, too, for all the towns
people had thought | had married so
well. The neighbors were all kind
and good TO me, and learned then that
country-bred people are not the kind to
love you in prosperity and hate YOU in
adversely. found | had many good
friends at home, and no one was more
true and loyal than my old re elected
lover.
~ year after ! returned home my
father died and his old place was sold
for the mortgage. Again my baby and
were without "A home. Then my old
lover came to me, and, taking my hand,
he said: i love you, my lassie. the same
as ever. BE my wife and forget all TIE
trouble you have had. The baby needs
a father, and my home is all ready and
waiting for you both. VIII you come"
I'VE were married soon after that
and came to live in this farmhouse.
fully appreciated then all my old low
er's manlness and goodness Of heart. /
loved him dearly then and love him
dearly now. He has been kindness H.
self TO me all these years and has made
me happy wife. He has made as very
happy here and done for us all he could.
lie has been so affectiunate 10 my poor
little baby girl that she has never
known that he was not her own dear
father, and now she is a grown woman
and has lovers OF her own.
"There, dear, do not cry; il was
best that you should know the story
Father and have known all along how
you have felt about your lovers, and We
want you to marry John.
"What is that you are whispering,
lassie? You have loved John the best
all the time and that he is coming to-
night for his answer, and you are sure
now what il will be? All, know YOU