The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1905-06-09
CHAPTER xxx.
THE CONFESSION.

CHAPTER xxx.
THE CONFESSION.
every well, johnson, 1 will excuse
you," the lady said, and johnson
bowed himself out of the room while
Mrs. Murriatte broke open the envel-
ope and drawing forth its contents
read this note which was enclosed in
the letter:
TALLAHASSEE, FLA, July IS, Is
"MRs. NEWELL MURRIATTE.
81 take the liberty of sending you
the enclosed letter which l received
yesterday. as am convinced its con-
tents concern your happiness even
more deeply than they do my own.
''Very respectfully,
CAMILLA WHITMAN,
"(nee Bennett)."
Mrs. Murriatte had so accustomed
herself to self-control chat even her
daughter who was lying on the couch
near her mothers side did not
suspect that there was anything in
the letter to disturb her as she calmly
folded the note in it's envelope, laid
it in her lap and unfolding the letter
began to read it. 1t was written in
Gvernoor Murriatte's hand aid ran
thus:
s'LAs VAGAs, N. NJ. July II. 1S-
'sMRs. RAPHAEL WHITMAN,
Tallahassee, Fla
What strange and unlocked for
events happen to mortals in this
world. That should write to you
and make the confession am about
make was something had never
imagined would fall to my lot. But
when q man realizes that death is
approaching him with rapid footsteps
he will, If he has any care for his
souls salvation, make restitution
as far as lies in his power for the mis-
deeds he has committed.
s'The confession have to make
concerns your sainted mother and
yourself, and 1 feel even at this late
day that to you I must make this
confession, and beg from you the
pardon which, God be praised, l feel
He has accorded me.
"When 1 was young man not yet
having reached my twenty-second
year, 1 met, loved and married your
mother, Miss Ruth Bennett, in New
York City. 1t was case of love at
first sight, and in six weeks after l
was introduced to her she left the
stage to become my wife. A better,
purer, truer woman than your
mother never graced Gods green
earth. That / should have deserted
her, knowing her as such, and real
izing the depth of her love for me as
/ did, is only another evidence of how
far the Evil One can lead man
astray when once he has claimed his
victim. 1 was only a clerk on small
salary at the time of our marriage
small rooms in All unpretentlOu'
street. in New York, but my sweet
wife was always happy, courageOu:
and industrious, and our little home
was ever in the most perfect ordel
and my wife ready to welcome mt
home after my days work was over
"When we had been married !;
year, God sent you, Camilla, to blnt
our hearts still closer together. On
had l been true to my vows as hus
band and father, and loyal to the
young wife who looked upon me a.
the embodiment of manly courage
truth and honor, what awful hours o
agony and remorse would l have
been spared But it was not 50, ant
now, 1, your father, Camilla, comics
to you that all true happiness fiet
from my life when l permitted m,
worldly ambition to lead me ava,
from the paths of rectitude ant
honor.
81 was head clerk in law firm
and was sent to ST. Louis by my EN-
ployerS to transact some business 70
them when you had only reached tn
first milestone in your ife's journey
While in ST. Louis / met some oil,
friends of my father who had lef
Tallahassee directly after the wa
and settled in the former city. B,
them L. was introduced TO a yer,
wealthy young widow, Mrs. Alv;
Shaw. This Young lady, who hat
only reached her twentieth year a
the time of nv introduction TO her