The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-05-17

Taking me by the hand, he said: My
girl, they are saying in the village that
you have grown tired OF me, and that
a man has come between u.s. have
come to give you your freedom. am
glad you have chance to marry fine
gentleman, for | was fool to think |
was worthy OF you. | hope you will be
happy, but shall not forget you, las
sic; and wherever you may go to live,
remember I shall always be your friend,
for | love you with all my heart
i blushed before his honest eyes, but
| could not deny the truth. | was In
love with the city young man and want
ed to marry him, so l thanked my old
lover for his kindness and babe him
good-by. | shall never forget his look
OF pain and sorrow as he took my hand
and said: 'Good-by.' and the real tears
in his honest eyes troubled me for many
a day.
Well. married my New York lover
and went to the city to live. At first
| was happy, but as the weeks went
by found out that my husband had
many vices. learned with horror that
he was gambler, and was also dis
honest. The stylish clothes which he
always wore were not obtained honest
ly. He drank and gambled a good deal.
He was always in debt and trouble.
discovered with keen sorrow that the
winter he had spent in the country was
while he was avoiding the law. He had
many disreputable companions, and
often l was obliged to listen to fiendish
plots. | was heartsick and discouraged
and knew not what to do. Twice dur
ing the first year of my marriage he
struck me while under the influence Of
drink. In less than two years he de-
serted me. Deserted me for another
fair young girl whom he had won BY
fattering speeches as he had won me
He left me without penny, and with
baby girl only a few weeks old.
God alone knows what ! went
through then. | was a sad, broken
hearted woman. grown old in two short
years. | was weak and i'll, utterly poor
and so terribly wretched that prayed
earnestly for God to let me and my poor
baby die. But we did not die. A poor
woman who lived in the home with me
| was kind to me and nursed my wee baby
for me. l could pay her nothirs; she
knew that. but she helped me because
she was a woman and knew what
4 woman could suffer.
Two months after my husband de-
serted me read of his death. He was
killed in a gambling saloon by man
whom he had robbed, and all the New
York papers published scandalous ac-
counts Of it. How suffered then! But
had he lived l should never have seen
him, for he had cast me aside as easily
as he would have cast aside suit of
worn clothing.
With no money or friends in New
York, knew l could only starve or beg
in the streets. so for my baby's sake l
wrote and told my father everything.
and he came to New York and brought
me home, back to the Berkshire hills.
How sorry l was that | had ever left
the dear, peaceful old placei
The news of my husbands disgrace
full death had preceded me. and every
one in the village knew that he had
been gambler and had shamefully de-
serted his wife. 1t was an awful blow
to my high spirits and pride. and to my
old father too, for all the townspeople
had thought l had married so well. The
neighbors were all kind and good to ne.
and | learned then that countrv-hred
people are not the kind to love you in
prosperity and hate you in adversely.
found / had many good friends at
| !
loyal than my old rejected lover.
"A year after l. returned home nv
father died and his old place YVES sold
for the mortgage. Again my baby and
were without a home Then my old
lover came to me and, taking my hand
he said: 1 love you. my lassie. the
same as ever Be my wife and forget
all the trouble you have had. The babv
needs a father, and my home is all
ready and waiting for you both. Will
you Gomez
We were married soon after that
and came to live in this farmhouse. I
fully appreciated then all my old low
er's manliness and goodness of heart.
l loved him dearly then and love him
dearly now. He has been kindness
itself to me all these years and has
made me happy wife He has made
me very happy here and done for us all
he could. He has been so affectionate
to my own little baby girl that she has
never known that he was not her own
dear father, and now she is a grown
woman and has lovers of her own.
There, dear. do rot cry; it was best
that you should know the story. Fa,
Their and have known all along how
you have felt about your lovers, and We
want you to marry John
What is that you are whispering
lsssie? You have loved John the besl
all the time, and that Ae is coming to-
night for his answer, and you are sure
now what it will be? All. know YOU
will never be sorry, for John is good
lad and true, and father is as ford
of him as he would have been of hi:
own son."
For a moment there was silence
then as distant step was heard as il
some one were approaching, the moth
er arose from her armchair and said:
ggVa