The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-07-04
A CRUEL
 DESERTION

was her daughter, Frances. Mrs. Franklin's gloom wore upon her daugh. ter, who was at that age when the world Is most dellclous-the age of keen interest, of warm friendships, of love. Nevertheless Frances bore with her mothers inarmities and made the best of the situation.
 Then came Langdon Carr. who fell desperately in love with Frances, she returning his affection. Carr was fin every respect capable of rendering her happy. He was brilliant, well started in his profession for so young man, heir to prospective wealth. Every one sald. At last poor Frances Is to be made happy"
 The lover during his courtship had observed the condition In the Franklin home and spoke of Mrs. Franklin as ''Afrs. Dismal" He was irrltated to and that it was impossible 10 get Fran ces out with him one evening. for her mother collected to being left alone. If be spent the evening at the house and he and Frances wandered away Into another room Mrs. Franklin would take on Q sour cOuntenance and after Langdon's departure accuse her daugh- ter of having no feeling for her. Carr resolved 10 end the unpleasant situation by marriage.
 "Frances." he said. eve will have no comfort until we set up for ourselves ln our own home. There we shall be free and independent"
 This speech set Frances to thinking. What would her mother do without herr Either Mrs. Franklin must live with her and her husband or sink un- der a load of loneliness and sorrow. Yet 1T she lived with them the daugh- ters condition would not be improved, while the son-in-law would be reduced to similar condition. Frances stud led to And a solution. but there was no solution. She must choose between her mother and her lover. She decided Co remain single.
 When La. Sdon Carr received her de- cislon he was very much troubled. However. he realized that Mrs. Dis nal" would make his married life mls- erable so long as she lived and felt that Frances was doing right to decide between them and her. Any other course would be an injustice to him. It was better that she should sacrifice him and herself and cling to her moth CT than drag that mother into her mar ried life
 sweetheart" he said. your act only makes lt harder for me to give you up since it shows your nobility"
 Five years passed and Langdon Carr did not marry. "He Is waiting for Mrs. Dismal to die" said his friends. Then the doctors recommended a trip abroad for Mrs. Franklin, and on the steamer who should appear but Lang don Carr He showed great surprise at meeting the Frankllns. but this did not deceive Mrs. Franklin. She feigned seasickness, remaining in her berth and keeping Frances fin constant at- tendance.
 One night in a fog there was q sud den jar, a stopping of machinery, hur' rylng footsteps on deck, shouting or or ders. Langdon Carr slipped on his clothes and rushed up the companion way to find that there had been a col lislon with a sailing ship, and the steamer was supposed to be sinking. Hurrylng back to the cabin, be sought Frances In her stateroom with her mother and begged them to come with him. Mrs. Franklin declared that she did not wish to live and begged her daughter to remain and die with her, whereupon Langdon took the old wom- an fin his arms and carried her on deck. A boat was receiving the women. It was the last boat at hand, and there was none left for the men. Langdon put Mrs. Franklin fin 1t, then turned to hand in Frances. Frances hesitated.
 "Get ln." he said.
 'No. I once decided between you and mother fin her favor. Now 1t is your turn. I shall stay with you"
 Tn another moment the boat was low cred Into the water.
 Langdon was SO happy that even the death which threatened both Frances and himself had not the expected ter TOT for him. He tried hard to keep from a muttered prayer that the boat containing Mrs. Dlsmar would be lost. But there was little time for any thing except preparation. Langdon SC cured life preservers. which he put on Frances and himself, then dashed Fran ees to a skylight. securing himself to It afterward. They then waited for the ship to go down. the happiest period el- ther had known In five years. But the ship did not go down. The breach was patrhed up. and she proceeded on her journey.
 As soon as the lovers reached Eng land they learned that the boat in which Mrs. Franklin had left the steam CT had landed on Newfoundland. Fran ces cabled Co know if she was well. A reply came;
 "For your cruel desertion I can never forgive you"
 That was the feather that broke the eamers back" Frances concluded to sacrifice neither herself nor her lover any ionger. md they were married an