Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-11-16


! him and the household.
From the moment she is FIRST introduc
| ed to Edward Morant she conceiyes a
hatred for him. The gay, light, mischiev-
Gus bearing, even subdueG as it is now
by the sorrow of his mothers death, is
| repulsive to her gloomy soul. There is
soon open war between then. But Ed
ward is no match for his powerful adj
versary. His father, under the prose
| lytism Of Madame Berne has become
as gloomy a fanatic as herself; all gaiety
! Of heart, all amusements, are sins in his
belief. The Willows soon become an
I uncomfortable home for the young man,
and were it not for one all-powerful at
traction, he would have quilted it long
ago.
That attraction is Frances. Madame
Berue's daughter, a beautiful. melan-
choly girl of sixteen. He loves her pas
Sonstely, possibly because she is so en-
tirely opposite to himself; and she loves
him, possibly for the same reason. In
the course of time Edward prevails on
Frances to consent 10 a clandestine mar
rage They are quietly married at a
suburban church. and return to The Viii
lows the anne night.
A fortnight afterwards, yielding to the
prayers Of his young wife, Edward de-
clares bis marriage to his father. The
old man is willing to forgive the act. but
Madame Berne is furious. Her daugh-
ter shall not be delivered over to the
satanic influences of this vicious man.
A terrible scene ensues. Edwards
fiery temper is thoroughly aroused, and
all the bitterness and hatred that have
been seething in his heart burst forth
There is not an Insult. an epithet Of
loathing. that he spares his enemy. The
end of all is a fathers curse, and his
expulsion from the home. the doors OF
which he win never darken again. He
would claim his wife by force of law. but
he has no home 70 take her tO--he is
pennless and an outeast. She IS kent
close prisoDer-he viii never SEQ ser
face again.
Very soon he falls into vages5ndage,
aad gnaweI by the burning sense OF the
wrong tnat has been done him-savage-
Is reckless. from vagabondage he sinks
into crime. becomes implicated, through
his associates, in a robbery. and is con-
dymned TO three years penal servituGe.
In the meantime q child has been
BORN To bin. Of whose existence. or prob
able existence. he is ignorant. 4 sad
life IS that Of the mother. Mr.. Morant
would have been kind and good to her,
hut Madame BeFne cannot pardon her.
Ia the eyes of that fanatic. she is a
lost soul-she has straysd rom the paths
OF righteousness, and to show tlerey to
her would be to participate in her guilt.
In this daughter she had hoped to ere
ate a second seIf-a perpetuation Of her
own austere bigotry-T mirror ia whose
reflection she could worship her own Inn
age.
Frances only consolation was her in
FAINT son; Madame Berne would have de-
prived he ven Of this had not Mr.. Mo-
rant interfered, and for once carried his
point, At the end Of three years the
poor girl died Of a lingering decline.
When, at the end OF his term of i'm
prisonment. the unfortunate husband,
now thoroughly vicious and hardened.
came back to The Willows to claim his
WIFE q funeral procession stopped the
way. An awful scene ensued not even
the sacred presence Of the dead could
check the wild tempest Of passion that
burst from the wretched mans lips. He
I ause Of all his suffering From that
time he was utterly lost--remorse. CON
science, every better feeling. were crush
ed out Of his nature.
After the mothers death, the child
against whom Madame Berne felt vir-
ulent hatred. only exceeded by that
which she felt for the father-spite Of
weak opposition on the part of Mr.. Mo-
rant, was banished to the care OF a
nurse Two years afterwards the poor
little unfortunate was consigned to the
guar6!iaush 10 OF the Rev Mr. Porter.
Madame Berne determined that Ed
ward Morant should never know OF it's
existence neither should the child be
made acquainted with its parentnge. Be.
fore IL left the care of the nurse a friend
Ut the lovers. aud who frequently paid
a secret visit to the child, sewed UP in
its frock Il locket containing its mothers
portrait and a lock OF her hair. adding
thereto the scrap If writing which Mont
gomery had now so strangely discnv-
cred. The Loo, ct had been given her by
poor Frances on her deathbed. II was
all SIZE could do--dared do. Slight as
was the link. IL might one day prove use
ful I the hoy III establishing ais ideI,-
TRY
When after his death. Mr. Morant's
will was opened Madame Berne was dis
covered TO have inherited his estate and
fortune, but attached was a codcil at
very recent dote. making chargeable up
on the Same ,.u annuity Of S2,50O a year
IN Siias Morant, known as Silas Cars
ton.
rFat