Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-10
Continued.

very severe upon the prisoner. Sew
eral pleas for mercy, his lordship said
had been placed before him, but he did
not think any Of them ought to bias
his decision. Still he considered
justice would be met if he sentenced
the prisoner to ten years penal seryi-
tud,
1t was a perfectly just sentence; but
the report went on to tell of its terri
BILE effect upon the prisoner. His face
grew CHASTITY white, and he trembled
violently.
Ten years." he repeated. "Oh, my
lord have mercy on mel"
You have had no mercy on your
self" the judge replied. Il can only
hope that your punishment may be a
warning to other young men who
abuse the trust placed in them by
their employers"
The report concluded with these
words:
"The prisoner, who seemed to feel
his position acutely was then removed
from the dock"
Ethel read with burning eyes and
quivering lips; she did not miss a sin
gle word; and when she had reached
the conclusion, the paper fell from
her hands to the ground
Fen years of penal servitude-ten
years must elapse before he could
claim her. Before he could see her
again much might happen-she might
even die. Surely the misery of her Sc
cret would kill her before then.
And this was the story of the man
she had married-the forger and
thief! A flush of hot indignation
burned in her face.
Surely, of all the crimes he had
committed, the very worst was to have
betrayed, deceived. and married her
to have blighed her young life and sac
rifced her to his own selfish love.
As she sat there, anger, pride, and
despair doing fierce battle in her
heart, Helen entered
Have you done with the Times.
1eAiSA' hSlC 10 Qutle al demand Tor
the London papers this morning. It
appears that Mr.. Nugent's trial is in
1t. Did you notice it? Have you read
it,
Il have read it," was the brief re-
ply.
i want to read it to Lady Station.
she takes great interest in it, hope
the sentence is not heavy one"
Ten years penal servitude," said
Ethel; and Helen was puzzled by the
strange sound of her voice. She took
up the newspaper and went away.
Not once that day did Ethel quit her
room. She could not have borne the
careless discussions, the weary repe-
tltion of each detail, the pity. the
blame, the wonder.
I should think" she said once to
herself, that he must hate me. If he
had not stopped here for my sake, he
would not have been in prison now"
Helen Digby read the report of the
trial to her friend. They both agreed
that 1T was just sentence
! shall always wonder what he
meant by throwing down those faded
flowers for his wife" said Lady Stat
ton, who enjoyed little romance. HE
cannot surely have had a wife hidden
here
No observed Helen; you see in
the report of the trial he is spoken of
as single man. 1t was merely a bit
OF Notwithstanding more.
think we have discussed him long
enough. am not happy about ethel;
! cannot imagine what has happened
to her"
Is he i'll again?' asked Lady Stat
ton.
She has not been well for some time
ms morning, when l went to her
room. | was quite startled; her face
was colorless, and there wers great
hollow circles round her eyes. I as
sure you she is losing her youth and
her beauty; she looks like one who
has lived through years of sorrow and
care"
What does she complain Off" in
CURED Lady Station.
Nothing; if she would only COM
plain. I should feel much hammer"
Perhaps it is nothing after all"
said Lady Station.
am anxious to believe it: but
what can have changer her so entire
~ You remember how bright and
beautiful she waS-what an exquisite
color she had-how bright her eyes
shone? All that has Disappeared; she
looks like one who weeps all night and
watches all day"
Perhaps she is a victim to soma
love affair" suggested Lady Station.
No | must have known something
OF it if that had been the case. She
has never been in love. You forget
how young she is"
is she grieving over her fathers
aosence?' asked Lady Station.
think not: when l speak of his
return it does not interest her. She
seems always the same-tired, wearied,
tistless, inert, languid-she who used
to be all life and vivaity. I cannot ac-
count for the change"
You should try to rouse her. Helen:
it will not do to give way to her."
so | do; l talk to her, but she new
er answers-she never seems to hear.
Whenever l go into her room, I find
her sitting at the window. looking
with tired, dreamy eyes over the sea.
II l take her book to read, she re-