The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-10-24

ulllOu AOI DtlleI Ut WoIGes do |
y the fates may go. Others have |
their modes of life changed |
for them. Helen Gray belonged to this
latter class. It happened before the
flour incident of a snowy day in mid
winter, and it happens now. But you
may read and know
Long ago, or long it seems now. |
though but few years have passed |
since then, Helen played with her doll
under a great elm tree which shook its |
branches in front of a Southern home
and cast it's shadow across the broad |
veranda and Corinthian pillars. A
few years went by and Helens skirts
heightened, and her hair, which in
former summers had been left to curl,
was knotted on her head. and she put
in her time with hammocks and books
when the great tree threw its shadow
along the house. Then she had callers,
Helen did, gentlemen friends of her
early youth, and gradually they fell
away to two, who became suitOrs and
rivals One was long of face and hair
which was straight-and talked Of
authors and flowers. The other was
tall. had smiles for everything, his
curly hair dancing over a shining face.
Mrs. Gray liked this dandy of the
South. Helen was more favOrably I'M
pressed with the former. Their names
were Frederick Hudson and Harold
Stetson. Frederick was a young at
torney of the town, and Harold-well,
he had nothing to do and did nothing,
for his father was rich.
Helen's gown touched the floor and
trailed far out as she came down to
dinner one Sunday afternoon, the day
she was to tell Harold his pleadings
had been heard and his prayers grant
ed. 1t had been a long struggle, and
had lasted more than a year Freder-
lex found in Helen's face and voice the
thing that kept him so long. That
which he saw came from the heart and
he knew it.
The mother won.
When the bells rang out for Christ
mas Helen and Harold walked slowly
ND the aisle of the church while the or
gan piped out it's wedding march.
Bright were the lights and rich the
gowns: beautiful were the flowers and
sparkling the gems that night. And all
the tears were tears of Joy and all that
was said were congratulations. But
in the back of the church sat a young
man, somewhat by himself and
watched the march to and from the al
tar. and who had heard the words that
made the two one for all time After
the procession had passed out Of the
door he, too, rose and went away. II
was Frederick Hudson, lawyer, hui
the place knew him no more, for thai
night he went away into the Nortl
and snow.
One night in the early spring follow
ing the wedding Harold was brought
home by his companions He was
breathing hard, and when Heller
stopped over him the men laughed anC
she smelled liquor on her husband
From then on he drank hard and sa
late before the green cloth. After
time old Mr.. Stetson died and HarolC
was left with the mills and the estat
of his father. But he ran through !
all like the fire that got in his cottol
gin. and had nothing Neither did Helel
have a thing to add, for she had give
him all she had and all her mother ha
left. even to the house with the ELI
tree where the girl had spent her baby
hood.
AS for working. Harold knew littl
and cared less. The young man though
if he could get away from his asst
ciates he could get to work. and eve
if it was that of a day laborer
would be the entering wedge"
was that which caused them to Sc
off the household furniture and the d.
sire to get away from all who knee
them that drove them to Chicag
where for a time they struggle
against fate. and where Harold fe
among those who We're like the ass
GATES he had left. He got to drinkin
and gambling and one stormy day Il
woman was summoned to the morgu
Harold was there. dead The poli'
had found his form in a doorway. II
grave was in the potters field.
After the funeal-simple in the e,