Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03

| was that after you were safely married anG
Philemon was sure of your affection, he
| should tell you that the man you once re-
| garded so favorably was not unworthy OF
! that regard. To obey him Philemon has
| kept silent. while Agatha. what are you
| doing? Are you mad, my child?"
| She looked for the moment. Tearing
off the ring she had worn but an hour. she
| flung it on the floor. Then she threw her
| arms high up over her head and burst out
| in awful voice:
Curses on the father! curses on the
husband who have combined to make me
rue the day 1 was born. The father l can
| not disown. but the husband"
"Hushr
1t was Mr.. Gilchrist who dared her fiery
anger, Philemon said nothing.
| Hush! He may be the father Of your
| children Don't curse"
| But she only lowered the higher. and her
/ beauty from being simply majestic became
appalling. "Childreni' she cried: IF ever
bear children to this man, may the blight
| of heaven strike them as 1t has struck me
| this day. May they die as my hopes have
died. or IL they live, may they bruise his
| heart as mine Is bruised and curse their
father as"
Here 1 fled the house. 1 was shaking as
If this awful denunciation had fallen on my
own head. But before the door closed be-
hind me, a different cry called me back.
Mr.. Gichrist was lying lifeless on the floor.
and Philemon, the patient, tender Philemon,
had taken Agatha to his breast and was
soothing her there as If the words she had
showered upon him. had been blessings in
stead of the most fearful curses which had
ever left the lips Of mortal woman.
The next letter was in Agatha's hand
writing 1t was dated some months later
and was stained and crumpled more than
any others in the whole packet. Could
Philemon once have told why? Were these
cd limo bn nS tic tao foil linz
fast upon them, tears of forty years ago,
when he and she We're young and love had
been doubtful? Was the sheet so yellowed
and so scanned because 1t had been worn on
his breast and folded and unfolded so often?
Philemon, thou art in thy grave, sleeping
sweetly at last by the side of the one
idoitzed, but these marks of feeling still re-
main indissolubly connected with the words
that gave them birth
Dear Philemon-You are gone for u day
and night only but it seems heightened
absence to me, meriting little letter. You
have been so good to me- Philemon, ever
since that dreadful hour following our
marriage. I feel that I am beginning to
love you and that God did not deal with
me so harshly when he cast me into YOUR
arms. Yesterday l tried to tell you this
when you almost kissed me at parting, but
l was afraid it was a momentary sentiment
tally and so kept still. But today such a
warm well-spring of joy rises in my heart
be bright again. and that In place Of the
empty wall opposite me at table I shall
see your kindly and forbearing face I
know that the heart 1 had thought impreg-
nable has begun to yield, and that daily
gentleness and boundless consideration
from one who had excuse for bitter
thoughts and recrimination, is doing what
all of us thought impossible few short
months ago.
o. 1 am so happy. Philemon, so happy to
love where 1t is now my duty to love, and
IL 1t were not for that dreadful memory of
rather dying with harsh words in his
ears. and the knowledge that you, my hus-
band. yet not my husband, are bearing
ever about with you echoes of words that
in another nature would have turned ten
derness into gall l could be merry also
and sing as l go about the house making
1t pleasant and comfortable against your
speedy return. AS 1t is. l can but lay my
hand softly on my heart as it's beatings
grow too impetuous and say, God bless my
absent Philemon. and help him to forgive
me! l forgive him and love him as l never
thought 1 could.
That you may see that these are not the
weak outpOurings Of lonely woman L
will here write that heard today that John
and James Zabel have gone into partner
ship in the shipbuilding business, Johns
uncle having left him a legacy of several
thousand dollars. l hope they will do we'll
James, they say. is to all appearance. per
fectly cheerful and full of busine ss and
this relieves me from too much worry in his
regard. God certainly knew what kind Of
husband | needed. May you find Yourself
equally blessed in your wife.
Another letter to Philemon a year later:
Dear Philemon-Hasten home, Philemon;
L do not like these absences. l am just
now toe weak and fearful Since we knay
the great hope before us | have looked
often in your face for a sign that YOU re-
membered what this hope cannot but recall
to my shuddering memory. Philemon,
Philemon, was 1 mad? When | think what
L hen fha
life stirring about my heart, / wonder that
God did not strike me dead rather than be-
SLOW upon me the greatest blessing that can
come to woman. Philemon, Philemon if
anything should happen the child, / think
of ii by day: think of it by night l know
you think of 1T, too though you show me
such cheerful counterance and make such
great plans for the future. VIII God re-
member my words, or will he forget? 1t
seems as If my reason hung upon this cues
ton.
A note this Tina in answer to one from
John label.
Dear John-Thank you for words which
could have come from nobody else. My
enid is dead. Could l expect anything diff
ferent? If did. God has rebuked ms
Philemon thinks only of me. We under
stand each other perfectly. now that our
greatest suffering comes in seeing each
others pain. My load 1 can bear. but his
Come and see me. John; and tell James our
house is open to him. We have all done
wrong. and ara caught in one web of mis-
fortune. Let it make US friends again
Below this, in Philemon's hand:
My wife Is superstitious, strong and
capable as she is. She has felt that this
sudden taking off Of our first-born is a sign
that certain words uttered by her on her
marriage day, unhappily known to you,
and, as l taks 1T. to James also, have been
by the righteous God above US.
This Is a weakness which l cannot combat.
Can you, who clone of all the world beside
know both II and its cause, help me by a
renewed fris ndship whose cheerful and
natural character may gradually make her
forget? If so, come, like old neighbors. and
dine with us on wedding day If God
sees that we have buried the past, and are
ready to forgive each other the faults of
our youth, perhaps he will further spare
this good woman. I think she will be able
to bear it. She has great strength, except
where little child is concerned That
alone can henceforth stir the deepest re-
cesses of her heart.
After this a gap Of years. One two.
three, four, five children We're laid away
to rest in Dorchester churchyard then
Philemon and she came to Sutherfandtown.
but not till after a certain event had oc-
Cured, best made known by this last letter
to Philemon
Dearest Husband-Our babe is born. our
sixth and our dearest and the reproach of |
its first look had to be met by me alone.