Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-04-06
ooh, Madam I said, 1T is not right;
It Is not fair to him.

"On, Madam! 1 SAID, 1T Is not rlghti
II Is not fair to him."
She smiled very sadly,
Little girl" she replied, ''you speak
with the impulsiveness of your age and
ignorance Not fair! Is there question
of fairness in adding fresh fuel to the
heap which consumes a martyr? Oar
racott should never have been inform
ed of this i'll fortune which has afflicted
me if | could have prevented it; but,
alas, he complains that he can no long
er decipher my handwriting, which is
in fact Mayberry's and argues some
condition OF Ill health from this evil
dence of infirmity. He has questioned
me so closely that l find it impossible
longer to cvade him, and | am there
fore obliged most unwillingly, TO dis
slose the truth to him. So, little Doro-
thy, you must hereafter be the link
that joins my absent boy TO his
mother
And so 1t was that began to write
long letters to Darracott Chester, for
l found that it was by previous mar
riage that this son had been born TO
Madam. I shall never forget the first
letter wrote him. 1t Informed him of
his mothers afiliction. but so lightly
WAS llc SUBJECT lIcdl llsit II
have had to do with 4. mere passing
indispostion, rather than with dire
bereavement which seems, of all physi-
cal calamities. the worst The casual
manner III Which she uHuoiy.s-tv the
matter. and the effect to appear care
less and indifferent cor%erning it. gave
to the letter Il tone of SSlf-effacement
and self f-abncgation that brought tears
to my eyes as | penned ii.
IF he has the heart of a man and
not a stone in his breast | said to
myself as | sealed it, he will come
home to her, whether he breads mono
tony or not"
And, indeed, Il G return mail brought
to Madam a letter filed with reproach.
1t was rather strange letter, l
thought, for while it was all that was
dutiful, and was marked with sincere
distress and sorrow for her affiiction,
1t lacked totally in tenderness and filial
love But it fulfilled my expectations
in one respect. Its writer was about
to return to Eldon.
This prospect, when Madam disclos-
ed 1t to her household, created the
widest excitement. The effect it pro-
duced upon the most prominent trio
was widely different Franklin was
jubilant at the thought of Mr.. Chester
return; Mayberry, absurd and unreas-
enable as 1 thought the idea, was,
without doubt, paralyZed and shocked
by the intelligence; whine Madam hec-
self, dearly as | believed she loved
him, did not seem wholly happy in the
idea of her sons homecoming.
Uninstructed as | was in knowledge
of the events which Influenced these
various sentiments, | made no attempt
to fathom their cause, and contented
myself with girlish and romantic spec
ulations concerT -ng the new inmate
which The Ivies would soon receive.
1t would be nearly month before
Mr.. Chester would arrive, he wrote,
and during that month | found occas-
ion to heartily welcome the fact that
man of strength and intelligence would
soon be installed beneath our roof.
For during that month strange things
occurred, which hlled me with fear and
foreboding, and which yet seemed 40
wild and improbable that l could not
bring myself 20 mention them even 10
my good friends the Spencers.
For my good friends the Spencers
had certainly become. Madam always
spoke of them in the warmest terms,
and cordially encouraged my intimacy
with them / never had cared for a
large circle of acquaintances, but 1t
was exceedingly pleasant to me 10 be
able to vary what was assuredly
monotonous existence with visits TO
such Il congenial house as theirs.
There was but one drawback to my
friendship. David Spencer loved me,
and had told me so. | had been oblig-
A.. l.fI low al ig
had begged me to allow his offer to
make no difference in our mutual re-
htions, and | had promised that it
should be so yet it was but natural that
l should feel somewhat constrained in
the presence of man whom l had re-
jected.
/ had thought it only honorable 60
wards Madam that | should acquaint
her with the matter. | was surprised
by the manner in which she received
MY confidence.
rs it actually impossible for you to
love this good fellow, my dear?" she
asked, with great earnestness.
impossible indeed" | replied,
She sighed deeply.
II wish it might have been different"
she said, as if communing with herself.
IL WOulu nave Setuicu ike
ment." Then the subject dropped be-
tween us.
have made allusion to the fact that
about this time strange ana suspicious
circumstances began to arouse my
curiosity and alarm. The first of these
occurred one evening, or rather one
late afternoon, as | was returning from
charitable expedition to the village.
My nature Is quite Il fearless one.
/ am without the natural feminine re
luctance TO going about after dark un-
protected, nor am | unduly disturbed
by strange happenings. But, on the
other hand, have more than the aver
age curiosity of my sex although, be
ing aware Of this weakness, | have
made myself mistress OF it, and where
l feel II TO be unwise and indscrecr
! am able to place n strong curb upon
II. But on. ordinary occasions ii rises
to the surface, and quite transcends
any impediment of fear or tlmidity
lac, Al