Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-04-28
Continued.

lleVlHB HtT NeHu, IDTu CelWyu WOhlu
marry again; she had never looked
such contingency in the face. She
had never asked herself, II he did so,
what the fate OF that second wife and
her helpless children would be? 1t
was a view Of the matter that had not
occurred to her. During those long
past years she had thought Of her hus'
band continually, but II had always
been Of him as free from an incubus,
rising to high honors, mixing In the
society he was so well qualified TO
adorn. For weary years she had
filled her life as best she could-wth
prayers, with solemn thoughts, with
active duties and kindly needs-but
never once during that time had n
doubt as to her grand sacrifice come to
her
She had lived in that village OF
Shepton, never leaving It's precincts
never seeking for news OF the outer
world controlling with an iron will her
hungering longing to hear OF her hus
band and her son. A thousand times
the impulse was strong upon her TO
go over to Thornleigh, to linger In her
sad disguise round the hall and round
the church to catch one more glimpse
Of the face Of the man she loved 50
dearly AS to die for him; 10 look once
more upon the fair son, whose baby
head had nestled on her breast. So
strong had been the impulse, and so
strong the power to curb It. she paced
up and down her little room with great
fearless sobs, with white, parted lips,
with Wild, cleaning eyes, crying out,
II must gO." then clenching her hands
and Whispering, hoarsely, Il will not
for | am dead" She had never, dur.
ing this time. opened n newspaper, or
asked one single question Of the world
outside Shepton. She had no ltnowl.
edge Of her husbands second mar.
riage, she never once even dreamed
of It. She wondered, with hungry
longing. what her boy was like, and
how he had grown, and If he went
much into the world, whore one day he
had to take n front place In Its ranks,
"0ther mothers work for their chill
dren. she said. with great fearless
sob They toll for them, live for
them. For my son, and his welfare,
have died"
A content, something like peace,
with such desperate force had she con
trolled the desire to see those, her
loved ones, once again, that the strug.
gle grew less at last.
Then the day came when the good
rector, DR.. Rawston, In speaking to
her. asked her II she would like to
see n newspaper. He had one con.
tanning most touching story Of a
shipwreclS--it was that days paper
II she cared to see It, She thanked
him with grateful words, and he sent
the journal to her
She read the story. and then saw the
advertisement for school mistress at
Thernleigh All answers were to be
sent to DR. Hoarno. How we'll she
remembered him rs she read his
name a vision Of his kindly face rose
before her
Then came the strongest temptation
she had ever had Why should she
not apply for this situation? Then
the hungry longing to see her husband
and son would be gratiiled They
would never know her, never recognize
her under that disguise Her heart
heat high; she might do moro than
see her son. she might speak to him
a I,., ~. h.,,s lyt.
told the rector Of her desire to change
and, though sorry to lose her, he did
not raise any objection.
OF her success we know. but weak
her surprise when she heard that he
vas married to Beatrice Leigh Bca.
trice, the woman who had hated and
prosecuted her who had driven her to
her death, roigned in her place She
wondered In after years that she had
not died in that moment of sorrow
and pain, Her thoughts since then
had been one tumult of wonder and
passionate pain, uad now as she sat,
ON this fair summers morning, amidst
The dewy luvclincss ut flowers, Il douLt
came to her aS to whether she had
done rtght-a doubt for tine first time
MS to the right or the sacrifice she had
made she had believed II to he mag.
nticent horoism; now she asked her.
self was It not rather refined selfish
ness? She had found the burden Of
her life intolerable and, after her own
fashion, she had laid II down Deep
from her heart rose this question: Had
she laid II down TO secure the happi.
ness Of her husband and her son. or
10 save herself from that which she
could no longer bear?
She raised her sweet, patient face
to the morning skies. No answer was
there to her question She fell upon
her knees among the lilies, and cried
Father II have done wrong. oh,
pardon me! Thou l,nowost why II
was done"
Harlil the school bell ringing nine