The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-10
(Continued.)


Lady Bassett submitted TO these stings
IN silence. They Were rare. and speedily
followed by touching regrets; and even
had II not been so she would have borne
them with resignation; for this mother
less wife loved her husband with all a
wffe's devotion and a mothers unselhsh
patience. Let this be remembered TO her
credit II In the truth and she may need
Il.
Her own yearning was too deep and
sad for fretfulness; yet though. unlike her
husbands, II never broke out In anger,
the day was gone by when she could keep
Il always silent. 1t welled out OF her at
times in ways that were truly womanly
and touching. When she called on wire
the lady was sure to parade her children.
The boasted tact OF women--a quality the
narrow compass OF which has escaped
their undiscriminating eulogists-was
sure 10 be swept away by Maternal ego
tism: and then poor Lady Bassett would
admire the children loudly and kiss
them, 10 please the cruel egotist, and hide
the tears that rose TO her own eyes: but
she would shorten her visit. When a
child died in the village Mary Wells was
sure 10 be sent with words OF comfort and
substantial marks OF sympathy. Scarcely
q day passed that something or other did
not happen 10 make the wound bleed; but
will conflne myself 10 two occasions, on
each OF which her hearts agony spoke
out and so revealed how much II must
have endured in silence.
, Since the day when Sir Charles allowed
her 10 sit in a little room close 10 his
study while he received Mr.. Wheelers
visit, she had fitted up that room, and Of
ten sat there TO be near Sir Charles; and
he would sometimes call her In and tell
:. her his justice cases. one day she was
= there when the constable brought In a.
prisoner and several witnesses. The ac-
cused was stout. florid girl. with plump
cheeks and pale gray eyes She seemed
ell health. stupidity, and simplicity. She
carried child on her left arm. No dwell
3 Ter In cities could suspect this face OF
crime As well indict calf.
Yet the witnesses proved beyond
doubt that she had been seen with her
baby in the neighborhood Of a certain old
well on a certain day at noon; that soon
after noon she had been seen on the road
: without her baby. and being asked what
had become OF IL. had said she had left It
with her aunt, ten miles of: and that
about an hour after that a faint cry had
been heard at the bottom OF the old WELL
II was ninety feet deep; people had as
sembled, and a brave farmers boy had
been lowered in the blight OF a cart rope,
and had brought up a dead hen. and a
live child. bleeding at the cheek, having
fallen on a heap or faggots at the bottom
3 er's
Sir Charles had the evidence written
down. and then told the accused she
might make a counter statement II she
chose. but II would he wiser to say moth
ing at all.
Thereupon the accused dropped him a
little short courtesy, looked him steadily
in the face with her pale gray eyes, and
delivered herself as follows:
IF you please, sir. I was a-sitting by
tn old WELL with baby IN my arms: and
] was mortal tired. ! was, wi carrying
OF him. he be uncommon heavy for his
e age; and, IL you please sir. he is uncom-
: mon resolute; and while / was so he
give a leap right out OF my arms, and
fell down the old well screams and runs
away to tell my brothers wife. az lives at
d. the top OF the hill: but she was gone into
North Wood for dry sticks to light her
. oven; and when l comes back they got
q him out OF the well, and I claims him di-
rectly: and the constable said we must
come before you.l sir; so here we be-"
This she deliveted very gibly, without
ftremulousness hesitation. or the shadow
OF n blush. and dropped another little
courtesy at the end to sir Charles. There
upon he said not one word to her but
committed her for trial and gave the
? farmers boy a sovereign.
The people were no sooner gone than
Lady Bassett came In, with the tears
streaming. and threw herself at her hus-
r bands knees. "Oh. Charles! can such
things be? Does God give n child 10 a
woman that has the heart TO kill II. and
refuse one 10 me, who would give my
hearts blood to save a hair OF its little
head? oh, what have we done that he
singles us out TO be 30 cruel to us7"
Then Sir Charles tried TO comfort her
but could not, and the childess ones wept
together
IL began TO he whispered that Mrs. Bas-
sett was In the family way Neither Sir
% Charles nor Lady Basestt mentioned this
rumor. IL would have been rubbing vitriol
into their own wounds. But this reserve
was broken through one day.
IL was sunny afternoon in June. Just
IL months after Mr.. Bassetts wedding
Lady Bassett was with her husband In his
study settling invitations for a ball and
writing them-when the church bells
struck up a merry peal They both left
OF, and looked at each other eloquently.
Lady Bassett went out. but soon return
ed, looking very pale and wild.
o. Yes! said she with forced calmness
= Then, suddenly losing her self-command.
she broke out. pointing through the win
dow at Highmore. He has got fine boy
to take our place here. XIII me, Charles!
Send me 10 heaven 10 pray for YOU and
take another wife that will love YOU less
but he like other wives That villain has
married fruitful vine and" Oifting both
arms 10 heaven with n gesture unspeak-
ably piteous. poetic, and touching) II am
stOck