Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-01-12
LIFE'S REMORSE.
00000000Q000099 0a00000Qoa000a00oe0a ~
cHApTEl Lv.-(Continued.)
= y BY THE DUCHESS - -

Then suddenly, as if the real meaning of
il has at last entered into her, she goes
over 10 Mrs Vaudrey, and kneeling down
beside her, lays her head against her
shoulder.
"Poor. poor fellow" sobs Mrs. Vau-
3rey. oh my dear, what a godsend to
usl And do you see how he thought it
ali ont? 1t is TO me he leaves il, in trust
for the children. He loved Reginald
Int he knew him too. He was wei! aware
that if he left the money to Reginald
it would all drift away. sooner or later,
to the poor of the parish. He knew him
and loved him, and was determined 10
make him comfortable in spite of him
self"
What a heart." says Evelyn in a low
tone Her own tears are falling fast.
Gold, gold. my dear. We none of US
appreciated him half enough, though you
and |, Evelyn, always saw the sweetness
Of his disposition. | thank God for that
now. To remember that | had ever been
unjust TO him even in my thoughts would
have broken my heart now"
Il was not unjust, but | might have
been more loving"
My DEAR | really don't think you have
anything to reproach yourself with. He
was a different man from the day you
accepted him. He was satisfied with you
in every way. 1t is certain that you
made his last days entirely happy That
he should leave you all he could, is rea-
sonable enough, because we could see how
ne adored you; but that he should think
Of u.s..
There is a long pause, during which the
two women cry silently and give tender
reyerential thoughts to the dead man.
1T lifts US out of poverty" says Mrs.
Vaudrey at length. in low tone NO
one" with a touch of bitterness, will
be able to look down upon us now.
shall be able to get Reginald a new even
ing suit at once. There will be no sneers
at him in future.
1t is plain that the old sore is ranking
still, but with it is Il blessed sense of re-
lief-of hitherto unknown prosperity.
Crawford when making this generous
gift. hardly realized the intensity of the
delight it would afford its recipients.
He can give away his old waiSte0atS
now if he WILL goes on Mrs. Vaudrey,
ton. Il shall always be able to replace
them. 1t is in my power from this day
forth to keep decent clothes on his i'm
provident back. It's a kind back, how
ever, Evelyn, isn't it now?'
Good fortune has made her lenient
even to Reginald
1T is, indeed" says Evelyn gravely
Another time she might have smiled
Smiles are beyond her now. He has left
her all In life he had given her all that
remained! And she? In word she had
been true to him, in spirit
Something has been weighing on me
ever since l heard it, Evelyn. 1t is that
him how | feel. How he has lifted one
poor woman from perpetual worry to a
sense of security"
The poor soul is more grateful for her
10000 than many another has been for
twenty times thai sum.
ha+ fs ho art Of 7
have so much-so much to say to him."
says Evelyn, who is sobbing violently by
this time OH | ought not to take his
money. He did not know, he could not!
And l should have told him: | should
have left it to himself whether"
She stops abruptly. After all, it is i'm
possible to explain to anyone all that is
in her heart. One small grain of comfort
remains to her. She has been true to
him. She had given up Eaton. She had
been willing to sacrifice her whole life.
Oh! if now he knows, he cannot be very
angry with heri
MY dear, he knew that you We're the
woman he could really love" says Mrs.
Vaudrey, who has providentially, and
quite as might be expected of her, got on
the wrong scent. And as he has left his
money to you, and as there are no direct
heirs l consider it would be a flying in
the face of Providence to refuse what he
was so anxious to give you. And would it
he kind either? He is dead-poor, poor
MAINLAND can make no protest. Is not
that a reason why one should be the
more careful to respect his last wishes!
1t would grieye him, Evelyn, if he could
know that the good he meant to do you
had been undone, and by you of all 9th
ers."
Yes, suppose so. Oh! 1 hope made
him happy while he was here"
No one who ever say him with you
could doubt that. What a gentle smile
he had, Evelyn. | don't believe there
so charitable, so sympathetic.'
He was a saint, | think says Evelyn
TREMENDOUSLY "Oh. Mrs. Vaudrey, / can't
forget that last evening he was here
the very evening he-he died! There was
something in his face as he said
back at me from the doorway
that goes to my heart now as l remem--
Der it. / feel | was cruel to him, that |
should not have let him go. Perhaps
perhaps at that very moment lie was
suffering! His heart may have been dis
treSSsing him., and. | saw notthing|saIid
nothing. l let him go-to his lonely
deathn'
There is a terrible self-reproach in her
tone She remembers how glad she had
been to let him go. How she had longed
for solitude to dwell on her lost happi-
lltsS-IO commune WIN neFSelI. one Hdu
indeed forgotten all but self. There the
sting lies.
If had called him back" says She
My dear girl. you should not let such
thoughts take hold of you. If he had
come back, with the hand of the Lord
thus heavy ON him, how would it have
been? Why. he--it might have occurred
here, with you. Reginald says it would
have been shock too great for a child
like you. and that therefore heaven in
its mercy ayerted it, This seems to
have been a good deal for the silent Reg
inald to have said. Believe me, my
dear, all is for the best"
1T is unsatisfactory says Evelyn.
Sorrowfully. How can it be for the
hest when good man like Mr.. Craw-
ford is suddenly cut off from life? He
was charitable, kind, loving; he was no
respecter of persons. The poor were as
dear in his sight as the rich. | don't be
heve he was ever guilty of an unkindly
action He was fautless!"
"A good thing to bear in mind Of one
who dies suddenly says Mrs. Vaudrey.
with a curious but unmeant assumption
Of her husbands manner Sudden
death is always fearsome. But as for
nm, he frUlv was ready 10 ca hpfnra his