The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-12-17

turbed. As the evening passed, the
phraseology Of the message throbbed
to and fro within her brain like the
relentless swing of a pendulum, The
child is dying. Have you the heart
to still remain away?"
The reception was . social event
In the gilded throng and polite tur-
moil within the member from Utah
read success, and his eye kindled anew
as he saw how appropriate was its tri-
umph and its meaning to the queenly
person, manners and aspirations of his
latest wife. She was the social center
OF yelled feminine jealousy, and open
masculine admiration, which under
certain conditions cannot be otherwise
than purely ecstatic to a properly con-
sututed female mind. But as the even
ing progressed she grew unaccountably
nervous. Her eyes often turned to-
ward the drawing room portals, and
as late arrivals occasionally entered,
her face would momentar1ly grow pale.
Long after midnight, when the rooms
were thronged and the member from
Utah was feeling unusually gay and
jolly, slight sommotion in the hall
gently surged its way towards the
drawing rooms. Then the tall, faded
woman in black pushed her way for
ward, despite the decorous efforts at
detention on the part Of the hired ush-
erS.
The hostess, noting her pallid, des-
perate air, shrank aghast behind heI
husband, whose CONSERVATION mani
tested itself in frowning displessure.
But the intruder would not be denied.
Joseph" she said, in quick, panied
tones, the child is dead, and yet you
would not GOMEZ"
AS the dreadful meaning Of her
words stabbed it's way through his
comprehension, the faces of his guests
seemed to fade away, and he saw only
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 Sefore?"
Three times l sent to you. Oh.
Joseph" A sob that was half a Shrek
choked her utterance, declared to the
guests that grim tragedy was at hand
and that society had suddenly become
de trop.
The guests began to steal awkwardly
away, as the bald facts of the situa-
ton grew mistily apparent. Society
suddenly realizing what it had been
countenancing by It's presence, began
% -;
need of whipping.
Where are those messages?" de-
manded the member from Utah, turn
ing savagely to the woman covering at
his side
She fumbled at fold of her dress,
but he impatiently thrust his hand
within and drawing them forth read
each in its dreadful sequence, THE
child is no better" THE child is
worse" THE child is dying"
Il feel as if you had murdered my
boy" he groaned, staring helplessly at
his latest wife.
Your only son; my only child"
said the woman in black. ooh, Jo-
seph!" she walled again.
Then her face hardened as the form
of the other woman, still covering in
her splendid evening draperies, pre-
scented itself to her despairing gaze.
She pointed towards the door, where
the latest guest was already disappear
ing.
Col" she commanded in a tone ir-
resistable with the accumulated
wrongs of years.
And the other went without a word.
The member from Utah, crushed under
the strenuous and complicated agony
of the situation, stared helplessly.
81 alone am your lawful wife, said
the woman in black. THE body of the
child awaits us. Come"
And she led him forth, while the
lights still flared drought the deserted
drawing rooms and the servants,
struggling their shoulders, wondered.
CARING FOR locomotives.