Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-12-28
he Sins of
the dTherS
BY FLORENCE A LOPEZ

7 HE woman folded and sealed the
last circular and placed Il with
The pile before her, then dropped her
lead YEARLY on the table.
"oh am So tired she moaned,
so terribly, terribly tired"
The man opposite laid down his
newspaper and looked at her anx-
iously
Poor little woman he said. ten
serly.
4 fear have been very rude. How
ard forgot you we're here. she an
swered, drearily. Won't you forgive
me?"
Forgive You Helene Why dear. II
breaks my heart 10 see you look So
ia9ed and dispirted Is il far to your
sell. or fair 10 NEE"
There IS no fairness about H." the
woman replied dejectedly "The law
is old enough TO be Inevitable. The
sins OF the fathers. you know
In the silence that followed, the man
rose and began to pace The door rest
lessly.
The room vas small and plain al
most 20 baroness. without even pic
tnre to detract from the dinsy monot-
| eng OF tle c8l0rless wall paper The
floor wa uncovered. the little folding
bed shamelessly bare Of Disgusting
curtains-and the table az which
Helen worked was only OF plain pine
small ana unyarnished.
The man ceased his aimless walk
and paused irresoiutely by me mo
tionless figure.
Helen, how long have you lived
here like this" with a glance al the
empty room. "toiling, shaving away
the best years Of your life? How long
has II BEEN p
Ever since he died. l5 years ago.
Fifteen hong. bitter years, In which /
often wondered why my strength held
out day by day. Why / never sickened
and died under the sain; why my
brain even, did not fail | suppose il
was meant for me to finish my task.
and when that Is done, then"
Then what?" asked the man,
grimly.
"Oh, then I can rest In peace! Rest
with an easy conscience, Then, How
ard. maybe | can even die like other
people. and rest forever in my grave
Hushi" the man cried, hoarsely
"Hush. Helen; / cannot bear to hear
you talk like that You are young
yet"
Young the woman echoed. Yes
as peorle reckon years. perhaps I'm
young-fve and thirty is not old-and
yet ever since that night 10 years
ago. I've felt old. 80 old. Howard, tnal
/ wonder my hair did not turn gray
to correspond with the awful weigh
OF years I've carried in my heart.
Howard did not answer; he stool
By her chair and stroked the boWe'
head with loving tenderness.
Helen" he said at last Il wan
to talk to you tonight about some
thing important. WIN ii tire you TOO
much to listen?"
mo. dear. your voice will rest me-
she answered. quietly.
Il want 10 tell YOU story, he said
"shan / begin it like the old fair
tales: once upon timer
She smiled family. and still STAND
ing by her side, he began:
Once upon time. then, there wa
a young girl-the sweetest loYelies
girl In an the world She mad neFe
known a sorrow. for, though mother
less. the devotion Of her father wa
"a complete that she never missed o
wanted a mothers care.
Unto this girls life there came
man who stole her heart away. n
matter how unworthy
: "Never unworthy, Howard IN
woman interrupted, lovingly,
!. mo one could be worthy OF her
u the man replied. emphaticaliy bu
J. as / said. no matter how unworthy, IN
+ eirl gave him Ter love trustingly an
completely. and on her twentlet
!, birthday they were berothed.
: happy we're they in their youthi'
I naradise that they never dreame
aught could come TO change theI
bl.ss. Hand in hand in the din
lighted parlor they waited tor her II
> ther. whose consent and blessing ON
were needed 70 crown their happ
], ness
Howard. Howard, you mustn 'e
that story," the woman cried, su'
8, denly. 4 cannot bear it.
In all these years, dear we nav
never touched on that night, but ot
! yo1 10 listen to me now. ! viii spai
= you all | eau" -
rhe woman hid her face in N
hands as he continued:
y They were waiting for liNins L
Their TO bring his blessing-and tn'
brought his body home they We
trusting in a heritage of honor al
y ,hey found a legacy of shame; th'
we're living in a paradise whieh w
:, tumbled down about them by the ma
y VINO Law dead of his own act too CO.
-, live and face the punlsnmel