Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-08-11

@&t"J eOoth W $3.50
as Dol as he car come, tomorrow
evening anyway"
Addie did not want to tell that she
had torn that note into little bits and
scattered them to the winds within
q block of Johns lodging, yet she
could not bear that her mother should
cherish hopes which she knew were
destined to grevious disappointment.
SO she tried to temporize while cogi-
tating how to meet the difficulties OF
the situation.
II don't think he could do any good
III he were here, mamma" she said
coldly.
Mrs. Hall deliberately put on her
spectacles and stared at her, as If she
found il difficult to believe the report
of her ears alone.
Since when have you had that idea
about John?" she demanded.
well, what could he do, mamma?"
responded the girl evasively. THE LETT
ter affords no clew. The man either
will respond to your advertisement or
he will not. il he does, no John la
than will be needed to hunt him up.
IL he does not, and chooses to con-
tinue hiding himself, no John Latham
can find him."
I'm not Sd sure about that. And,
moreover, I'm free to admit hat 1T
would be some comfort TO me as well
as to you to see John and talk to him.
ut wouldn't be any comfort to me,
] don't want ever to see him again. j
wish l never had"
"Why Adele Miranda Hall! What
on earth are you sayingP'
well / just don't. So there. And ]
don't care a bit"
And, doubtless as conclusive evil
dence that she did not care, she burst
into tears. The old lady, meditatively
rubbing the side of her nose with q
long forefinger, pondered and gave
time for the outburst to subside. Then
she said gently and with a little
trembling in her voice:
you are all that the Lord has seer
fit to leave to me Addie, and il makes
me n little afraid sometimes to think
that maybe / love you better than
should; that l am prouder of my no
bic, pu~re-souled, beautiful girl thar
| ought to be, and that, without
meaning it, / may be putting the crea
ture before the Creator in my affec
tions and calling down an awful chas
tening judgment upon myself. If
have sinned, it is through my sin tina
my punishment will come to me, anC
may God grant me strength to bow
to his will. But do not maxi me SUI
fer in suspense, my child. Tell nj
the reason for your sudden change o.
feeling toward John Latham. Wha'
has he done? Why do you say tina
you never want to see Linn again.
"Oh, mammal" sobbed the girl, lay
ing her fearful face upon her mother
shoulder, I" ! hoped | would not have
to tell you, but | believed him so good
and-and-L was wrong"
The old woman's face grew yer.
pale, her lips quivered and the tears
filled her eyes. She could not speak
but one arm stole around her child
form with n caress hat conveyed
mothers pardon and unalterable love
That tenderness melted away TIL
slight barrier Of reserve that hac
stood in the way Of perfect conf
dence.
"When I went to leave that not,
where John lives" Addie sobbed, i"
understood from the servant VIII
opened the door and who speaks hard
ly any English, that he had got hom
and was there at the time. | though
il would be better for me to see him
if only for a moment, so | ran up an'
knocked on his door, and-and-
found another girl there, n bold crea
ture, who appeared to be at home
And | never want to see his fac
again.
"And-is that all?"
"All! Isn't that enough? That
should have been deceived by him 81
!, shamefully!"
; The revulsion of feeling so over
came the anxious mother that sh
! Historically laughed and sobbed a
once, trembling like a w~ind-tosse'
leaf. Addie, who did not at all under
stand her extraordinary excitement
was terrified, and cried:
Mammal! Mammal! What is tn
B matter?"
She dabbled the old woman's fac
with cologne, filled her mouth wit
) water, famed her, and ere long ha'
the relief Of seeing the violent symI
toms pass off in a fit of gentle weer
B ing, and then in smiles.
When again she could trust hersel
TO speak, the good mother, affection
ately patting her daughters head an,
/ caressing her, said:
"Do not, upon possibly delusive az
pearances, sacrifice your own happi
ness, my child, by condemning III
Z heard the man you love. When job
: comes, we will welcome him and le
, him speak for himself, and somethin
I tells me you will love him none tn
less for anything he has done"
[ Addie shook her head doubtful1y
She would have liked to believe j.
John, but she could not Danish fror
) her mental vision the picture of tn
yellow headed girl in possession j
, Johns room, and said TO herself tina
, his explanation would have TO be
very good one indeed to put him upo
his former footing with her.