The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-14
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CHAPTER XVIII.
RS, Carew shook her bend.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Mrs. Carew shook her head.
Truth Is often stranger than felton,"
she said. "You will not be surprised to
hear that my husband and did not agree
for one hour. Before the sun had set on
my wedding day, felt sure that had
made myself miserable for life. We could
not agree-we could not understand each
other. He seemed to me o grim, stern
guardian; appeared to him foolish, I'M
disciplined child; and, after a time, the
usual result was attained-the very in
tensity of his love changed into dislike.
Our first violent quarrel took pace
about the time my father died. l had
wept as one who could never be comfort
ed. 1t seemed, however, to my childish
mind, n source of some comfort to reject
that my father should have one Of the
finest monuments in Lima. My husband
refused to listen to my request; 1t was all
nonsense, sentimental rubbish-a plain
headstone would do just as well as MAI
BILE monument. One hard word led to an
other. We had the most violent quarrel
Of our lives. 1t all seems very childish
to me now, and very foolish; but then 1t
was terrible tragedy. We did not speak
ut ny fathers funeral, but when 1t was
over he came to comfort me. i was lying,
sick at heart, on couch, and he tried to
kiss me. DO not cry so bitterly, Grace,
he said; 4 will try to be very kind to
you DO not touch mel hate you,
cried DO you mean that, Gracer he
asked. Yes, mean it. / am sorry that
/ ever saw you'll am sorry that l mar
ried you. l wish that could be freed
from you. and never see you again-I
wish that lay dead by my fathers side!
He stood quite still while the torrent of
my wrath rolled over him. When he
turned to me again his face was as the
face of the dead. Had he acted wisely,
he would have borne with me until my
humor had changed; as it was, he invest
ed childish passion with the dignity of u
woman's anger. He repeated, DO you
mean that, GraceT I mean ten thou
sand times more replied; and he bowed
and left me.
AFTER that we rarely spoke; when we
did, II was to quarrel most violently-and
I never failed to tell him how intensely
hated him. I believe you hate me, poor
child he said to me once; "and it Is a
hard belief, too. married you because
loved YOU so dearly cried out that
had never. wanted his love. I believe
that, too he said; but why did you let
me marry you IL you knew how little you
cared for mer Because l was child,
and foolish one l cried; and am so
Miserable now that I wish a thousand
times over that were dead He looked
90 strangely at ME that ! was frightened;
there was n terrible expression on his
face: his eyes seemed to flame. i saw the
fingers Of his hand clinch.
".ArA you going to kill me, PeterT l
asked; Il do not know, he replied. AT
times I, think that the wisest thing l can
do IL to kill you first and myself after
matchmaking would be better than this
terrible pain which you make me suffer-
And from that moment felt sure that he
would murder me. I resolved upon run
ming away. All the stories. that had ever
read of jealous, angry husbands Staying
their wives, all tho horrible tragedies ever
penetrated, came back to me, and l felt
quite sure that some such story would one
day be told about me. = am no coward,
but this idea took morbid hold of me. l
packed a small bag, collected the little
sums of money that from time to time he
bad given me, and went away, hoping new
or in this world to see lis face again. 1t
was a strange coincidence, but on that
very day favorite and confidential clerk
of my husbands ran away; and from the
advertisements that saw, had a strong
conviction that my husband thought we
had gone away together.
"From that day that left the house of
Peter Lennox, frightened, terrible child,
In fear and trembling, have never held
any communication with him. was even
coward enough to be pleased that he
should have a completely bad opinion of
me. l left Lima, and, with the few
pounds that had, came over to England.
Then something occurred that altered my
whole life. Five months after left my
husbands house my dear son Beltran was
born
Lady Ailsa uttered low cry Of sur
prise; and for the first time during the
telling OF her story, Mrs. Carew's voice
trembled and faltered.
81 did wrong, them" she said--"you will
and II hard to forgive me. Mind, when l
left Peter Lennox, was but foolish,
Ignorant child Still did wrong to con-
ceal from my husband the fact that he
had son. ought to have written to him
at once, and told him, even had hidden
the child from his sight forever. l loved
my little Beltran SO dearly; be was fine,
handsome child, and in my passionate love
for him swore that he should be my own
forever and that no one should ever share
In his love. Before that time had called
myself Mrs. Lcnnox; now resolved upon
calling myself by my maiden name of Ca
rev. l took all precautions, though. about
my son--the registration of his birth, the
certificate. go to prove the truth of what
I shy. Though swore that Peter Len
nox should never know even of his birth,
still arranged everything so that at any
moment could prove my boys claims"
cit is wonderful story" said Bea-
trix. In low voice.
II have but little more TO add" contin-
ned Mrs. Carew. "When. after being In
society for many years. heard at last OF
peter Lennox of Erceldean, the great
millionaire, It did not occur to me that II
was my husband OF twenty-four years be-
fore. / thought the name was.a strange
eoIncidcnce-that was oil. The reality DID