Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-05-04


CHAPTER VII Alice is removed
from the Stone House and taken TO Inc
Ivies. where apartments are prepared for
her. Owing TO her condition she is Kept
under strict surveillance
CHAPTER IX.-Dr Spencer, who has
not visited 7 he ives for years, owing 10 a
misunderstanding with Darr-cott, IS called
20 attend Alice Mrs Eidredge begins the
relation of her nfe's story to Dorothy.
Dorothy. my child" she said,
breaking an interval of silence, which
she had perhaps spent in trying to
cmbolden n reluctant spirit to face
the ghosts of bygOne events. IF the
love and gratitude | feel for you were
to be subjected to a great proof none
could be selected more distressing to
me than this which | have voluntarily
imposed upon myself. | am going to
rehearse to you pages from one of the
saddest records ever written in the
heart of a mother. and | cannot per-
form the task without exposing the
fact that ! myself am ilrgely reSpOn-
Sible for the causes that render the
history so tragic n one. My child,
have failed wholly and unpardonably
in the noblest mission that God vouch-
safes to us women-tha mission of
motherhood. Two opportunities have
been afforded me of manifesting my
fitness for the divine vocation. and
both have ! wasted. one through lack,
and the other through excess, of ar
dor On, it is Il sad confession for
n woman TO make. thls-that she has
been unappreciative of God-Eiyen oc-
L.. -
be forced to acknowledge that she
has taken idolatrous advantage Of
them She sighed heavily and paused
an instant, then, in firuer tone, con
tinucd:
81 must begin far back in the past,
at the period of my first marriage.
My dear, have you ever, watching in
the early dawn. seen the sun rise slow
" above the horizon in great splendor,
which promised marvellous things for
the new day, and. scarcely before its
full glory was developed, have you
watched It pass into Il dark and
gloomy cloud that cclipsed its false
prophecy. and made of the span of
time that followed its dark course a
dark and dr,ary interval, hopeful of
recovered brightness only in eXtinc-
ton? Such a transition as that, Doro-
thy, is typical of my life.
II was an only child. with every
talent cultivated by parents who idol
lied me TO its utmost extent. | was
considered to have more than average
personal endowments. and was "ctted
and INDUCED as the only children OF
the wealthy are wont to be. No sus-
picion of trouble or disappointment
overshadowed my girlhood, and | was
even so fortunate as to love passion
ately the man whom my father Sc
lected for my husband. | was mar
ried to Frederic Chester on my nine
teenth birthday, and as his parents
were then living here he had the Stone
House redecorated and refdted for
our temporary use. The place had al
ways been the abode of misfortune:
no tenant had ever occupied il with.
out experiencing some terrible sorrow
or calamity while living beneath its
roof This | did not learn until later.
though much about the house affected
me unpleasantly at first sight. But
in the flush and assurance of perfect
happiness / was contemptuOuS of be-
lief that trouble could touch me And,
for a time, it seemed indeed as if |
wore an amulet against misfortune.
Perhaps the great joy of that year
was enough for one lifetime. My hus-
band and | knew no discord no jarr-
ing of tastes and sympathies marrcd
our happiness. We had ample wealth.
health and love-what more could we
desire2
"On the first anniversary of our
wedding day the blow fell was then
not strong enough to accompany my
husband in his daily rides; but know
ing how much he enjoyed them, in
| sisted that he should continue them
without me. On that day he had set
of as usual and, as the time for his
| return drew near, | went out upon the
| balcony to watch for and welcome
| him. | was standing there on the
! outlook when / discovered him com
| ing, not up our own drive. but up the
poplar avenue. AS he perceived me,
| he stopped TO call out that he had
| message for his mother but would
come back Immediately. l nodded,
and crying 'Au revoirn he rose in his
saddle TO throw me kiss, when, sud
| denly, Franklins two little children,
| who had been playing behind the
poplars, rushed across the road just in
| front of the horse. Their light dutter-
ing dresses frighteaed the nervous an
| lmal, who plunged wildly, and before
| my husband, taken thus at a disad-
| vantage, could regain his mastery OF
the terrified creature, it had backed to
/ the edge Of t. "-cnue, where, rear
ing madly on its hind legs, it lost hold
! Of the crumbling earth. and |, help
( less to aid. saw beth horse and rider
fall heavily over t2e cliff"
; Here r.a.'.e.' N.garac too sire <