Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-09-06

~ tHe otnef hand, which he for the
1lrst time realized, with a faint emotion
ol shame, to be almost as sadly in
Ieed OF washing as the other had been.
When Bessie came the next day. she
lollced that 1t was almost as white as
her own.
Every day for fou1 weeks Bessie
visited the Wildburns on her GRAND
OF mercy. undismayed by old Wildburn.
OF the ridicule of her friends.
Il should have lost it, I dare say. if
IT hadn't been for you. Miss Bessie
Fred said. the last day she came. I'm
a miserable wretch, Heaven knows;
but l shan't ever forget this touching
his arm.
Il am so glad I could help you" she
said, gently.
Well. you're the first one" he said.
a little bitterly.
AS said. this was ten years before,
and, though the years had brought
many changes. the ameliorating infu-
ences had been few in the life of Fred
Nlldburn. The drunken father and
invalid mother had both died. leaving
Fred quite alone in the miserable.
shabby old house where he lived. He
mad not improved with the years: on
the contrary, he had grown more reck-
less and disorderly. until people said
he was utterly and totally depraved.
without Il good impulse in his heart.
One thing had happened during these
ten years. Bessie Brandon had mar
ried Henry Upton; but no one ever
knew of the terrible night which Fred
Wildburn passed when he heard of it.
Nobody eve should know what a
miserable fool he had been" he said.
fiercely.
He need not have feared his secret
was safe-fOr no one ever was wild
enough to suspect him of feeling or
sentiment, particularly where the
petted daughter of Squire Brandon was
concerned.
Henry Upton was an honored and
highly respected citizen. He was in
telligent, educated and wealthy. and
if he looked down from his sublime
height of virtue and attainment a little
contemptuously upon poor. miserable
Fred WildbUrn, it was certainly no
more than his neighbors did. And if,
By any possibility, there had been any
little trickery Or unfairness in the set
Element of that legacy, he could easily
excuse himself upon the plea that it
would only be a curse to Wildburn if
he had it, leading him into deeper de-
bauchery. whereas he could use it
wisely, and for the benefit of morality
and religion. The fact that WildDurn
did not see it in just that light was
only another proof of his innate de-
pravity, people said, piously.
Upton had a mill some four miles
from Milestone, by the main road, but
scarcely three by a cut across country.
1t was little more than a bride path,
though Upton sometimes drove through
with his light drag. He started with it
II wild, chilly December morning,
promising his wife to return early if
j. came on to snow, rs it promised to.
1t was piercingly cold, and the wind
blew in fierce, fitful gusts all the fore
noon. Just after noon it began snow
ing-not as usual, in fine, light parti-
cles, but with Il wild, tempestuous
force that carried all before it. Long
before night the streets were block
AIDED, and The wind roared and shrieked
up and down them like a mailman.
Bessie Upton paced the floor of her
pretty sitting room, more excited and
nervous than she had ever been in her
life before. She had. naturally, a cool.
quiet temperament.
"If only he had not started" she said.
anXiously; eff he saw the fierceness of
the storm in season to stop at the mill.
instead of attempting to brave it,"
The night came down early: but the
mill owner came not. and his wife,
though still anxious, had settled down
to the belief that he would not come
till morning.
Suddenly a loud neigh, falling be-
tween the pauses of the tempest, struck
her ear.
"Henry has come now" she ex-
claimed; and, catching up a lamp, she
hurried to the side door.
Only a painting, terrified horse, the
broken harness dangling from his
foamy sides. met her appalled, vision.
For 4 moment she sank, dizzy and
faint, in a chair. She was alone; her
one servant, having gone away for the
day. had been prevented from return.
ing by the storm.