The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-08-12


subservience to his moods; che had even
let him zee the contempt she felt for hia
braggadocio aud he had let her. in turn,
feel the iron hand Of ownership. De.
tecting her passion for the one child
and her indifference towards the other
he had loat no opportunity Of hurting
her pride and mother love by disparag-
lug and neglecting the one while heap
ing benefits upon the other; and 60 it
had gone on daily for eighteen months,
until now the woman had let clip from
her grasp every vestige Of power to hold
her part in the drama.
So she had thought it all over and
brought herself up to the pitch Of reso-
luton: God required no more than one
could stand" she thought, land IL it
got to the place where the Eternal
Beyond had less terror than the Certain
Present, then God knew that the limit
was reached and would be merciful
accordingly. She could not 60 on in
this way any longer; she could not even
be make believe wife and she would
not be the mother of any more Of
Sergius Jamison's children. She had
given value received for the price he
had paid and now they were quits. As
to the children, it was not like che was II
mother that was needed; there was
money enough to buy every care that
was necessary. 10 the matter of mother.
love the little girl was young enough
soon to get over missing it and the boy
for the fret something like mother.love
for him wrenched her heartstrings int
vibration Of pain; WE'LL" bitterly, she
had never known 1t to mise; she had
made up her mind; after all, it was not
hard, and" here she actually smiled
was it not most fitting finale that one
who had sold herself. slave 10 Hymen's
mart, should choose towards death?'
Then she went about her preparations
very calmly, az calmly, she recollected.
az when she had robed herself for her
bridal five years before. There should
be no scandal to r. fleet upon the chill
dren in after years; a convenient
neuralgia, an overdose of morphine. q
shocking accident. gorgeous funeral
and it was all over. And 90 che was
almost deferential to her husband at
dinner, where q number OF guests were
assembled, ard but for neuralgia
headache, which increased AZ the even
ing wore on, would have been 10 higher
spirits than her husband had ever seen
her. The headache at last was the
palpsble cacse OF her early withdrawal
from her guests, protesting that the
pain was nothing serious aud would
disappear by morning. Shs would not
trust herself, as was her nightly custom,
to 60 through the baby's nursery. which
opened into her own room and whose
door wac always sjar. but walked
straight into her own apartment. press
ing her hands to her throbbing temples,
whose simulated ache had grown into q
real agony Of pain. She disrobed me.
Chemically and shook the white powder
into the glass and turned toward the
carafe for wa or. A rustling behind her
made her pause and look around. There
framed in the curtains OF the doorway
in her little. white gown, with her eyes
heavy with sleep and her red lips
all s.tremble. stood her baby .gill.
"Mudder." she said, "Bsby wants
mudder."
The woman put down the carafe and
tuu bier and kneeling down, in passion
OF tears, caught up the little creature
md .ockad har ON hAr hoaom. "You