Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-08-21

have been deceived, if yon regret having
taken him to yourself, give him back to
me, madam? l ask no greater boon OF
heav an than to live for him, 9Th him"
Mrs. Courtlandt smiled frigidly as she
replied:
"Now that you have stated what you
would do for the boy, were he with you,
permit me to explain what | propose to
do for so much Of our blood as flows in
his veins. If you are truly good moth
or, have no reason to doubt your re-
Spouse. Would you be satisfied could
you know that your son could bear the
name and social rank of his father?"
"Of coursew
"Then all depends on YOU"
Upon me? Pray, what sacrifice do
you expect of me?'
But one thing-the liberty Of my
sonv'
Never! What possible interest can
you have in our separation? How can it
serve your plans?'
II wish my son to be able to recognize
his child; and as his marriage with you is
illegal, l propose to give him the hand
of a woman who will accept his child in
exchange for our name and fortune,
which has been reinstated Of late"
With broad defiance, Sylphide demand
ed:
Where will you find woman who
will consentY
THAT shall be my care"
Drawing herself up to her full height,
Sylphide rejoined:
Madam, 1 know not whether it be
test that you wish to submit me to, or
whether you have coldly resolved upon
the ruin of the only love that is left mo
in this world, but | can only tell you
with the calm of a fixed resolution that
what you demand is oIt of the question!
You cannot understand, madam, the ex-
tent of the outrage you propose"
II understand that it is of your son
that / speak," was the imperturbable re-
spouse, while you speak only of your
self. Pardon me, permit me to finish.
I came here to confer with a mother
concerning the well-being of her child,
and / find that I am bandying words
| with Nevertheless I wish you to
understand that my resolution Is I'M
shaken. l have merely indicated your
duty, and shall be happy to grant you
time for reflection"
Il refuse"
every we'll. I have merely to Inform
| you that my will is law. You evidently
| do not appreciate the annoyance it has
caused me to come here. My son, who
| has just returned from Louisiana, will
| understand it, | hope, better than you
do. 1t will be by no means difficult for
me to convince him now, that the woman
who is not a true mother can never be
good wife, even granting that she be
not slave! Good morning.
Dazed, bcwildered, riveted to the spot
upon which she stood, Sylphide watched
her tormentor slowly glide from her
presence. 1t was only when the door
had closed her hated form from view
that she suddenly recovered her senses.
Her first impulse was to dart after the
woman and demand an explanation OF
her blghting words, fasten her nails in
her flesh until she gave it; indeed she did
clear the intervening space between the
| chair by which she had stood and the
door at single bound; but suddenly,
even with her hand upon the knob, she
| recovered her better senses; she saw the
folly of any violent scene, felt in time
| the humiliation that a scandal in a house
| not her own must entail. She paused
and turned. and as she turned, she no
ticed that the door leading out upon the
| landing Of the private staircase was
open, while upon the threshold stood her
husband. Her first thought was:
He has heard ALL
CTo be continued.1