Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-12-14
HIS ATONEMENT
fOriginal.1

one day brother officer Of Bert
was wounded, and Bert remained be-
hind while the army pushed on. They
were near one Of those old plantations
with colonial residence in its center
common in Virginia. Trowbridge car
ried his friend there. The wounded
man was taken in, placed in one Of the
best rooms in the house and given
every attention. Bert left his compan-
ion in charge Of the inmates and went
out to the stable to see that their
horses were provided with fodder
When he returned, young girl was
carrying salver on which were dish
Of broth and some delicacies.
Elinor Digby was typical Virginia
maiden. Her complexion was olive,
her hair and eyes jet black, while her
cheeks were pair of roses. Trow-
bridge had been campaigning, with
men for his sole companions, and had
scarcely laid eyes on a woman for
more than year. The consequence
was that this apparition Of womanly
loneliness threw him into a sudden
fever. Without stopping to consider
the enormity Of the offense, the viola
ton Of hospitality, ingratitude for
kindness to himself and his wounded
friend, he exclaimed, "I'm going to
have kiss If die for itp' and, taking
the girl at the disadvantage of having
her hands employed, put his arms
around her neck and kissed her.
The moment he had offended he re-
allied what he had done. The hot
blood rushed into the girls face, and
her eyes cleaned with indignation,
. scorn and, what brought most remorse
to Trowbridge, the panied expression
for kindness.
"For shamev' she exclaimed. 1--WE
have received you into our home, we
are taking every care Of your friend,
/ am carrying him nourishment with
my own hands instead Of sending it by
one Of the women, and you, who look
like gentleman, treat me as II you
were vandal. Some day will make
you pay for this"
"And some day will do penance."
Without taking further notice Of him
the girl went on upstairs, and he heard
her enter the room Of his wounded
comrade.
The war ended without Trowbridge
again coming near the Digby planta-
ton or seeing Elinor Digby. He had
not forgotten her-he could never for
get her-but the episode seemed thing
of the past. Her threat to make him
,pay for the indignity he had offered
her and his promise of atonement
seemed now improbable Of realization.
The south had been Frustrated by
the war and was slowly recovering.
What recovery there was did not per-
tain to the original holders of land and
slave property, and planters who had
been wealthy since the time of Wash
ington were pennfless and their chill
dren obliged to seek a livelihood in the
cities Of the more prosperous north.
Trowbridge belonged to q wealthy
family in New York. After the war he
found himself in possession Of his in
heritance and set himself about its
management. One afternoon while
calling at the house Of one Of his
friends, sitting In one Of the dark
drawing rooms Of that brick and stone
city, a woman passed through the room.
She did not see Trowbridge, but TrOw-
bridge saw her, and at once knew her
for Elinor Digby. On inquiry he learn
ed that her ancestral estates were in
ruins, and she was governess In the
house he was visiting.
Trowbridge did not call again for
year, but the next morning Miss Digby
received a box of cut flowers. Where
they came from was a mystery, for no
card came with them. Soon after this
the lady whose children she taught be-
gan to invite her to go with her to
balls and receptions, insisting on pro-
viding her with suitable costumes.
Elinor protested, but the lady insisted,
and, having yielded once, she was
obliged to yield again and again. 1t
was not long before the governess was
on intimate terms with many Of the
best people Of New York. Those were
days when ITO the manner born"
counted for far more than it does now,
and the highbOrn mien Of Miss Digby,
combined with great sweetness Of dis
position, made her extremely popular.
Elinor was troubled because she
could not show her appreciation Of her
obligation to her benefactress. The
lady declared that she was entitled to
no credit whatever-that money was
object to her, and there was no
generosity where there was no sacri-
fee. At the end Of year, however,
she confessed that she had been lavish
ing the kindness Of another, she her.
'self being simply medium. Then she
appointed an evening when she would
introduce Elinor to her friend.
1t did not occur to Eiinor that that
friend could be other than some Vir-
ginian who knew her family, her ne
cessities and her pride. When she
entered the drawing room and saw
man whom by the uncertain light she
did not recognize she was astonished.
Then she saw that the visitor was her
old enemy Trowbridge.
miss Digby," he said, when l last
saw you you vowed revenge. I atone
ment I have come to give Won the