The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-07

lation in which she stood to Hooran
| (whom she had so lon9 been accus-
| toned to regard as bound to her by
| ties which made any love, except fra
ternal love, impossible) 1.-THE thing
| came upon her as a painful outrage.
The impulse which urged her, in her
| first bewilderment and disgust, was to
leave Hooran's house without delay. 1t
was checked at once both by the
| thought of her promise to her dead
| sister. and by her own personal devo-
| ton to the two little girls. They were
| just at the age-eleven and twelve, re-
| spectiwely--when good influences and
pure surroundings were above all
things essential to them. If they were
| left to their father, and to the sort of
| women he might choose to look after
| then--why, God help the poor girls!
After all. the danger to them, if she
went away was greater than the dan
ger to herself if she remained She had
| knowledge sufficient to guard her from
hurt or harm. Her nieces, on the con-
| trary. were at the mercy of their sur
| rOundingS. In the next few years char
| acterS would be formed in them which
| would determine their whole future. 1t
was for her to sucerintend and direct
| their formation. Nothing should deter
| her from that.
| AS the months went by she began to
| feel very thankful that she had found
| strength to fulfill her promise. and to
| stand by the little girls. Her presence
| and protection became every day more
| necessary. During hs wife's lifetime
| Hooran had had the grace to pursue
| his vulgar flirtations away from home.
| But now, since she was dead. and es-
| pecially since Polly had repulsed his
| addresses, he seemed to have thrown
! regard for appearances to the winds
| When the master of a house takes to
flirting with his own maid-servants, it
is plain that he is in a fair way to lose,
| If he has not already lost it, his self
| respect altogether To this vulgarty
| James Hooran now stopped. He Sc
| lected the parlor maid. named Ellen,
| for the object of his attentions. He
carried on with her in an otlious man.
| ner; and the girI-nOt unnaturally, per-
| haps-had her head completely turned,
and limited among the other domestics
that she was likely soon to be made
Mrs. Hooran, and mistress of the house.
She gave herself absurd airs, and be-
came so offensive to Polly and the
children that the poor girl was COM
Ipelled to demonstrate with Hooran, and
to urge him to discharge Ellen at once.
Hooran fatty refused. He even had
the caddishness to garnish his refusal
with coarse badinage in this strain:
'Ha! my girl, l see how it is. Your
nose is out OF joint--eh? Well, you've
brought it on yourself. You had your
chance, and wouldn't take it. Blame
no one elsel'
She treated this offensive insinuation
with silent contempt
For the sake of your little girls"
she said, that young woman ought not
to remain in this house."
''Ha, dare say! For the sake of my
little girls?" Hooran sneered. won't
wash. Polly. One for them and two for
yourself, my girl"
But oh, James: for the sake OF
your dead wife, whom you promised"
- you,' he broke in, with an OATH
Stop this preaching. I'm master in
this house, and / won't be interferred
with. If you are not satisfied. the front
door is open to you any minute you
please!"
There was no more to be said; at
least, not then. The fellow was more
than half drunk His face was bloated
and fiery. His bloodshot eyes were
alisht with evil passion. Polly left his
presence in disgust. Rut her determi-
nation not to desert the children was
more than ever fixed.
AS time went on, matters grew worse,
lIllen's airs became more and more in
Sufferable. She wore fine clothes.
smart gew-gaws. refused to do mcnial
work .ha law tn ba
wants, and by her conduct drove ali the
better among them to leave. She hated
Polly, whom she regarded as a rival,
ana as an obstacle to the fultillment of
her designs; and she now behaved to
her with an insolence which could
scarcely be supported. In addition. she
Z was using strong persuasion with Hoo
| ran to rid his household of stucl:-up
Miss Polly; and, although the fellow
!. had, so far declined to take this step.
yet 1t was obvious that Ellen gained
his ear more and more every day.
. crisis was, in fact, approaching The
paror maid began to give out openiv
what she had hitherto only vrntllred to
hihl at-namely. that James Iooran had
decided to marry her within Il few weeks
, Polly was in despair. She knew than If
TINS disastrous union took place she her.
ser would be deprived of the charge. OF
) her little nieces. She foresaw what wa.
5 likely to happen to the children if
brought up under the management of In at
vulgar, vicious woman. She neryed her
Sell to II course OF action which she
louthed, for she knew to what odious mis-
/ construction she should expose herself
hut she braVed that. as she was ready TO
brave anything in the cause which she
had so faithfully espoused. She went ia
llooran with a last appeal. She asked
first whether this rumor of his intended
marriage with Ellen were true.
9 James Hooran looked at her for a min-
ute without speaking. She was strong.
| tall, beautiful. Even he--dense, sodd en-
, creature as he was-fet a dim sort of
;, way that she was far, far above him. Yet
with this conviction. and with the recol-
lection that she had spurned and repulscd
him, the longing to possess her rushed
l back upon him with renewed and over
t whelming force
2 1T will come truc.-unless YOU prevent
o | it, he said ut last in tone whose mean
, ing could not be doubted.
Polly did not affect to misundestand
him She pressed her hands to her bosom
= gave a little gasp, but said nothing.
! Look here, Polly" Hooran continued
: with a sudden accent of coarse tender
T. ness which to her was more repulsive
l.t..