Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-01-23

that you have any claims upon him.
1t was like tearing the heart from my
breast with my own hand, but swore,
Philemon, and she in her turn stood
back. But suddenly she faced me
again, terror and doubt in all her looks.
"Your husband!' she whispered. Can
you keep such secret from him? You
will breathe it in your Dreams" 81
shall tell him." l answered. Tell him!"
The hair seemed to rise on her head,
and she shook so that feared she
would drop the babe. BE CAREFUL!
cried. "See, you brighten the babe.
My husband has but one heart with
me. What do he will subscribe to.
Do not fear Philemon" So promised
in your name. Gradually she grew
calmer. When saw she was steady
again, motioned her to go. Even my
more than mortal strength was failing,
and the baby-Philemon, have never
kissed it, and did not kiss it then. /
heard her feet draw slowly toward the
door. heard her hand fall on the
knob, heard it turn, uttered one cry
and then They found me an hour
after lying along the door clasping the
dead infant in my arms. / was in a
swoon, and they all think fell with
the child, as perhaps did, and that its
little life went out during my insensi-
bility. OF its little features, like and
yet unlike our boys, no one seems to
take heed. The nurse who cared for
it is gone, and who else would know
that little face but me? They are very
good to me and are full of self re-
proaches for leaving me SO long in my
part of the building alone But, though
they watch me now, have contrived
to write this letter, which you will get
with the one telling of the baby's
death and my own dangerous condi-
| ton.
Under it these words: Though bid
den to destroy this, have never dared
to do SO. Some day it may be of ines
Unable value to us or our boy.
PHILEMON WEBB.
This was the last letter found in the
packet. AS it was laid down sobs
were heard all over the room, and
Frederick, who for some time now had
been sitting with his head in his hands,
ventured to look up and say:
do you wonder that endeavored to
keep this secret, bought at such a
price and sealed by the death of her 1
thought my mother and of her who
really was? Gentlemen, Mr.. Suther-
land really loved his wife and honored
her memory. To tell him, as shall
| l-a..c to within the hour, that the child
she placed in his arms 25 years ago
was an alien and that all his love, his
care, his disappointment and his suf-
| ferings had been lavished on the son
of a neighbor, required greater courage
than to face doubt on the faces of my
fellow townsmen or anything, in short.
but absolute arraignment on the charge
| of murder. Hence my silence, hence
| my indecision, till this woman here
he pointed q scornful finger at Amabel
4 now shrinking in her chafr-"drove me
to it by secretly threatening me with q
1 testimony which would have made me
the murderer of my mother and the
lasting disgrace Of good man who
alone has been without blame from the
beginning to the end Of this desperate
affair. She was about to speak when I
| forestalled her"
That afternoon before the inquest
broke up the jury brought in their YER
dict. 1t was:
''Death by means of q wound inflict.
ed upon herself in moment of terror
and Misrepresentation"
4 It was all his fellow townsmen coult
do for Frederick.