The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1903-11-28

."rpo -, io' MIN, which ~
The child is no better" "too lsat
worse" but the handsome, styl, .a'a
tress of his house had laid the a ss
saying TO herself: as.
After my reception is over !,
so. 1t may disarrange orr ls y
disturb him now" PSls
But that night, as he anti.
brilliantly lighted house a M W. b
boy handed him in person ~ 'eass
low envelope and darted away NY. N
he could open it his wife took +, DsIo''
from him, saying: 1T is vo,,. avg
some household matter. Lot ~sl
tend to it." y
A lew moments later, when
she opened it and read: a'
THE child is dying. Have Vs.
heart to still remain away?p 3 as
A sudden pallor overspread H..
and for a moment she hesitataS ~
with an air of desperate resolve veg
IF | tell him it will spoil evern.
The moment the reception is ovaa
can 60"
She went about her duties outv,..
serene, though inwardly much :.
turbed. AS the evening passed NJ
phraseology Of the message tbro.,
to and fro within her brain Iiks y
relentless swing of pendulum ~Ts
child is dying. Have you the No..
to still remain away?"
The reception was a socia, er,.,
In the gilded throng and polite t
MOL within the member from M,
read success, and his eye kindled ana
as he saw how appropriate was its >,
umph and its meaning to the ouas,,
person, manners and aspirations Of n.
latest wife. She was the social cent?.
of yelled feminine Jealousy, and on.,
masculine admiration, which uns..
certain conditions cannot be otbervt,,
than purely ecstatic to a properly ~,
stituted female mind. But as the eys,
ing progressed she grew unaccovptsb,
nervous. Her eyes often turned IN
ward the drawing room portals AN.
as late arrivals occasionally eptersa
her face would momentarily grow nals
Long after midnight, when the room,
were thronged and the member from
Utah was feeling unusually gay and
jolly, slight commotion in the haD
gently surged its way towards h.
drawing rooms. Then the tall fade,
woman in black pushed her way for.
ward, despite the decorous efforts Al
detention on the part Of the hired ust.
| ers.
The hostess, noting her palid, ia.
perate air, shrank aghast behind hs
husband, whose CONSERVATION man.
tested itself in frowning displeasun
But the intruder would not be denied
Joseph" she said. In quick, painet
tones, the child is dead, and yet yog
! NOulu not come!
AS the dreadful meaning OF hv
words stabbed its way through his
comprehension, the faces Of his guests
seemed to fade away, and he saw olly
the two women he had wronged, who
trusted him. and hated each other
Il did not know" he stammered
Why did you not send word beiorr
Three times sent to you o.,
Joseph" A sob that was half shrek
choked her utterance. declared 10 the
guests that grim tragedy was at hand
and that society had suddenly become
de trop.
The guests began to steal awkwartly
away, as the bald facts Of the sltus'
ton grew mistily apparent Socisg
suddenly realizing what II had been
countenancing by its presence, began
to feel not unlike detected child 10
need OF whipping.
Where are those messages" de-
manded the member from Utah turn
ing sayagely TO the woman covering at
his side.
She fumbled at a fold OF her dress
but he impatiently thrust his band
within and drawing them forth read
each in It's dreadful sequence, The
child is no better" THE child 4
worse" The child IS dying"
u feel as II you had murdered ny
boy" he sroaned, staring helplessly Al
his latest wife
Your only son; my only child
said the woman In black, "Oh, "
seph'" she walled again,
Then her face hardened as the foru
Of the other woman. still covering !
her splendid evening draperles, pre-
scented Itself to her despairlng gaze
She pointed towards the door wne'
the latest guest was already disappear
ing
Got" she commanded In a tone U
resistabIe with the accumulae
wrongs Of yearA
And the other went without a wo'O
The member from Utah, crushed unoe
the strenuous and complicated %on
OF the situation, stared helplessly
Il alone am your Lawful wife, say
the woman In black THE body OF !"
child awaits us Come"
And she led him forth, while '0
lights stIll Jared throught the deserve
drawing rooms and tho Servants
Struggling their shoulders wondered