The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-30
(Continued.N

choose. TO set things right secretly In his
own interests II may surprise you 10
hear that what ne really did 20 the mar
riage-register was done on the spur OF
the moment-done on second thoughts.
His first notion was only.to tear the
leaf out dn the right year and MONTH,
to DESTROY II privately. 10 go back to
London, and TO tell the lawyers 10 get
him the necessary certificate OF his faith
er's marriage. innocently referring them.
OF course, 10 the date on the leaf that
was gone. Nobody could say his father
and mother had not been married after
that-and whether, under the circum-
stances, they would stretch point or not
about lending him the money The thought
they would. he had his answer ready at
all events. II a question was ever raised
about his right 10 the name and the es-
tate.
But when he came TO look privately at
the register for himself. he found at the
bottom OF one of the pages for the year
eighteen hundred and three a blank space
left, seemingly through there being no
room 10 make a long entry there. which
was made instead at the top of the next
page. The sight OF this chance altered all
his plans 1t was an opportunity he had
never hoped for, or thought of-and ne
took II, you know how. The blank space,
10 have exactly tailed with his birth-cer-
tihcate, ought 10 have occurred In the
July part OF the regsterIt occurred in the
September part Instead. However. In this
case. II suspicious questions were asked.
the answer was not hard 10 ind He had
only 10 describe himself as seven
months child
was fool enough, when he told me his
stor,s 10 feel some interest and some pity
for him-which was just what he calcula-
ted on. as you will see. thought him
hardly used. 1t was not his fault that his
father and mother were not married: and
II was not his fathers and mothers fault
either. A more scrupulous woman than
was-a woman who had not set her heart
on a gold watch and chain-would have
found some excuses for him. AT all
events, / held my tongue. and helped 10
screen what he was about.
He was some time getting the ink the
right color (mixing II over and over
again in pots and bottles OF uine). ano.
come time afterward, in practicing the
handwriting But he succeeded in the
end-and made an honest woman OF his
mother after she was dead in her grave!
So far. don't deny that he behaved hon
orably enough 10 myself. He gave me my
watch and chain, and spared no expense
in buying them; both were Of superior
workmanship. and very expensive. I have
ly.
You said the other day. that Mrs.
Clements had told you everything she
knew. In that case. there is no need for
me TO write about the trumpery scandal
by which l was the sufferer-the inno-
cent sufferer positively assert. You
must know as well as l do what the no
ton was which my husband took into his
head. when he found me and my fine gen.
tleman acquaintance meeting each other
privately. and talking secrets together.
But what YOU don't know. Is how II end
ed between that same gentleman and my
self Your shall read, and see how he be-
haved to me.
The first words I said 10 him, when
saw the turn things had taken, were,
do me justice; clear my character OF
stain on Il which you know don't de-
serve. / don't want you 10 make clean
breast OF IL TO my husband only tell him
on your word OF honor as gentleman.
that he is wrong, and that / am not TO
blame in the way he thinks | am. Do
me that Justice, at least, after all have
done for you" He fatty refused, In so
many words. He told me. plainly, that 1t
was his interest TO let my husband and
all my neighbors believe the falsehood--
because. as long as they did so. they were
quite certain never TO suspect the truth.
/ had a spirit OF my own; and told him
they should know the truth from my lips.
His reply was short and to the point. II
| spoke. was lost woman, as certainly
as he was lost man.
Yes, IL had come to that He had de-
ceived me about the risk ran In helping
him. He had practiced on my ignorance:
he had tempted me with his gifts: he had
interested me with his story-and the re-
suit of IL was that he had made me his
accomplice. He owned this coolly; and
anAHd roa ha Are ma
what the frightful punishment really was
for his offense. and for any one who help
ed him TO commit II. In those days. the
law was not so tender-hearted as hear
IL Is now. Murderers were not the only
people liable 10 be hanged: and women
convicts were not treated like ladies In
undeserved distress. confess he fright
ened me-the mean imposter! the coward
ly blackguard. Do you understand, now,
l hated him? Do you understand why I
am taking all this trouble-tha nkfully
taking ito crafty the curiosity OF the
meritorious young gentleman who hunted
him down.
Well. to go on. He was hardly fool
enough to drive me to downright despera-
tion. was not the sort OF woman whom
II was quite safe 10 hunt into a corner
he knew that. and wisely quieted me with
proposals for the future
! deserved some reward che was kind
enough TO say) for the service had done
him. and some compensation Che was 90
obliging as 10 add for what had
suffered He was quite wilins-generous
scoundrel!-to make me handsome
yearly allowance, payable quarterly, on
two conditions. First. was to hold my
tongue--in my own interests as well as
in his. Secondly. was not 10 stir away
from Welmingham without FIRST letting
him know. and waiting until I obts IN cd
his permission. In my own neighbor-
hood no virtuous female friends would
tempt me into dangerous eossiping at the
tea table. In my own neighborhood. he
would always know where TO find me
A hard condition, that second one--but
I accepted IL.
What else was I 10 do? was left
helpless. with a prospect Of coming
incumbrance In the shapssof child What
else was TO do? Cast myself on the
mercy Of my runaway idiot Of n husband
who had raised the scandal against me T?
would have died first. Besides. the
allowance was n handsome one I had
|