The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09

the fury in the woman's face. -Don't
girlP"
Lily repeated the address
Tell her to look out for herself was
the response OF the woman, who had begun
to dry her hands and had loosened the
wet apron about her dress, "and tell Tom
not to dare to marry any woman. The
boy in that cot there wants him for his
father and l want him for my husband
Lily hurried away, half regretting the
vengeance she had set in motion. She
knew that the red-haired woman was
already on the track Of the two and she
dared not 60 near the house.
The fury descended on the family that
afternoon. Tom, having enjoyed an ex-
cellent dinner flched from the boarding
house., was resting on the lounge smoking
cigar picked up In the room Of bachelor
guest and reading the sporting page OF a
yellow newspaper. Florence was seated
in rocking chair looking at the fashion
cleaning pitcher which was to be trans
ported by the gracious Tom to the corner
whenever he got thirsty enough to make
the exertion worth while.
Into this group, 80 typical Of basement
domesticity In the summer time, the woman
came suddenly. Tom swore at her and then
covered. Florence stared at her mutely,
glancing In the less strenuous intervals at
the picture OF a white nuns yelling gown
that was just her idea of wedding dress.
Her mother wept until Tom sneaked out
OF the room, while the eloquence Of the
forsaken one was directed on the placid
Florence
One good feature OF Burnss departure
was realized when the intruder started
after him and left the mother and daugh-
tar. at nNsN,r nj ABB 80 Ar
"You see, now the older woman said.
you'll have to get married quick and
quiet"
The wounds left by that visitation burned
for week. Only Florence seemed to escape
them. She was as placid as ever, but ex-
hibited Some interest In having the weddin 3
on the following Sunday, If she could finish
differently. and the arrangements were
carried out by her mother
One of her daughters was married, and
was then, fortunately, acting as careta ker
in large house. II was settled that the
wedding supper Of twelve persons should
take place there.
Lily found her way once more to the
home of the redheaded woman and her
fatherless child. The forsaken one was
over the wash tubs again. The child was
seated in soap box on the floor, struggling
to climb over it's sides.
"When is it," She had looked up and
recognized her visitor, then resumed her
work.
The girl told her Once more the woman &
face turned crimson, and the other shrank,
terrified, away, from her.
"Oh, hope you're not going 10 harm
them. or do anything that will disgrac &c
them Lily began, bitterly regretting now
that she had told the woman the time and
place Of tho ceremony. "You look so
$al ahk atHW ha ma ~
riage II you want To without so much-so
much"
Much WHAT" asked the other. Much
hell, | suppose you mean. Oh, I'll not harm
'eml Oh, no! All I'll do will be 10 take
that child in my arms and go to that church
on Sunday afternoon. I'll stand and wait
until they come, If they have the gal! to
out into the street. when the priest
hears my story and sees our boy. I'll tell
Tom Burns that II he wants to marry any
body on Sunday, it'll have to be me: !"
She had raised her hands in the air. ard
her voice sounded like a shrek Lily
shuddered at the fate in store for the we'd
ding party, and already pitied Tom Burns.
You'll see went on the avenger, you'll
see, Mr. Thomas Burns, that if I'm good
enough to be your child's mother, I'm good
enough to be your wife. Or else, by God,
nobody will bell
She walked back to the tubs that She
had left in her excitement.
What church did you say? ] forgot
Was it the Cathedral?" She was quiet again.
Now Lily had become rather frightened
az the course things were taking. Here
was chance TO repair all the harm she had
done and foil the evil influences she had
set In motion. Lily had named another
church in distant part Of the town, She
would save Tom and Florence, even II she
could nof kaeD him for herself
-Yes,' said the girl. "the Cathedral, at
o'clock in the evening Don't forget,
Then she hurried away almost delighted
that the wedding was really TO take place
at the other end Of the town four hours
earlier than the time she had named, Flor
ence's mother had thought il wouldn't be a
bit like wedding to ride only few blocks
to the Cathedral in carriages. So she had
picked out the furthest church she knew
As the bills were going to her, Tom Burns
didn't object.
So 1t happened that red-haired woman
with a child in her arms stood on the
Cathedral steps until the early night, bur saw
nobody she was searching for. She carried
the boy few blocks away, and peered
in the basement windows Of a house she had
visited once before. There were no signs
Of life there, and through the curtains she
could see rooms empty.
Nobody was al home, for Florence and
Tom, with a small gathering Of the family
were taking their wedding supper in the
house of the absent family for whom her
sister was caretaker. Florence's mother
alternately slipped mixed ale and wept
when she thought of the way Lily told
her she wouldn't come to the wedding.