Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-04

| baby girl only a few weeks old
 God alone knows what went through then. I was sad, broken hearted woman, grown old in two short years. l was weak and i'll, utterly poor and so terribly wretched that prayed earnestly for God to let me and my poor baby die. But we did not die. A poor. woman who lived in the home with me was kind to me and nursed my wee baby for me. I could pay her nothing; she knew, that, but she helped me because she was a woman and knew what a woman could suffer
 Two months after my husband de- serted me read of his death. He was killed in gambling saloon by man whom he had robbed, and all the New l York papers published scandalous ac- l counts of it. How suffered then! But had he lived should never have seen 1 him, for he had cast me aside as easily as he would have cast aside suit of l worn clothing.
 With no money or friends in New York, knew could only starve or beg In the streets, so for my baby's sake l wrote and told my father everything and he came to New York and brought me home, back to the Berkshire hills. 1 How sorry I was that I had ever left the dear, peaceful old place! (, ] "The news of my husbands disgrace 1 tl1l death had preceded me, and every, one in the village knew that he had been gambler and had shamefu1ly de- l serted his wife. It was an awful blow to my high spirits and pride, and to my old father too, for all the townspeople had thought had married so we'll The l neighbors were all kind and good to me, and learned then that country-bred people are not the kind to love you in prosperity and hate you in aduersity. found I had many good friends at home, and no one was more true and I loyal than my old rejected lover "A year after returned home my father died and his old place was sold for the mortgage. Again my baby and were without a home. Then my old lover came to me. and, taking my hand, he said: I love you, my lassie, the same as ever. Be my wife and forget all the trouble you have had. The baby needs a father, and my home is all ready and waiting for you both Will you come?'
 We were married soon after that l and came to live in this farmhouse fully appreciated then all my old lov- l er's manliness and goodness of heart loved him dearly then and Hove him dearly now He has been Kindness itself to me all these years and has made me happy wife. He has made | r1n bEr fa1.- he could He has been so affectionate to my own little baby girl that she has never known that he was not her own dear father, and now she is grown woman and has lovers of her own. l There, dear, do not cry; 1t was best l that you should know tie story Fa- ther and I have known all along how you have felt about your lovers, and we want you to marry John.
 l What is that you are whispering | lassie? You have loved John the best all the time, and that he Is coming to-
 night for his answer, and you are sure now what 1t will be? An, I know you l will never be sorry, for John is good
 lad and true, and father is as fond of him as he would have been of his own son"
 For moment there was silence
 then as a distant step was heard as if
 some one were approaching, the moth CT arose from her armchair and said:
 sIt has grown quite dark already, and there is some one coming through the
 orchard. Yes, dear, I know it is John
 coming for his answer, and you may
 run into the orchard and meet him and ask him to come into the house to tea
 Listen-he is whistling Annie Laurie
 How happy the dear boy is!"-Troy | Times.
 The golf championship or New Zea.
 land was won the other day by Maori
 player named Tarcha, belonging to the Hawkes. Bay district Hawkes. Bay is
 the nursery of Maori sport, and it Is
 thence that most of the native football
 lers come. re Aute college for Maor
 and ha1f-caste youth the chief of thu native schools in the colony, is also
 Al