Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-08-01

half wished he had been a better
man; but the good impulse vanished
almost before he kissed the little face.
He made his wife promise that she
would come to him if she could. and
she intended at any cost to keep her
word.
Magdalen Hurst never knew how
! the day passed that took her husband
away. 1t was one long dream of un-
utterable anguish. Awaking from it,
she found herself alone in the great
city of London-alone, save for her
little child. She would not go
home, where they would talk con-
tinually of the man she loved; where
every idle word uttered against him
would pierce her loving, faithful
heart. So for three years Magdalen
remained in the great city, working
hard to maintain herself and her child.
During that time Donald Burns and
his wife died. Miss Erskine. who
married Lord Hutton, returned with
him from abroad, and went to Bryn-
mar.
Then Magdalen received a letter
from her husband, begging her to go
out to him: but she had not the
means. She tried to save money. but
found it impossible out of her small
earnings. Another year passed. and
then Magdalen put aside her pride and
went back to Brynmar. She found
her foster-sister, Lady Hutton, in the
bitterest depths of sorrow. Her hus-
band and little child, to whom she was
passionately attached, were both
drowned by the upsetting of a boat
upon the lake. She stood upon the
bank and saw them die before her
eyes, unable to render them the least
assistance is. She saw her little daugh-
ter's golden head disappear in the
dark cold water. She saw her hus-
band struggle in vain to save himself
and his child
Many suns rose and set before Lady
Hutton saw anything again; and on
the very day that her husband and
child were brought home to Brynfnar
to be buried, Magdalen Hurst reached
the little cottage where her simple
happy childhood had been spent. She
waited there many long weeks I'M
til Lady Hutton was able to see her;
then. taking little Hilda by the hand.
she went to the Hall.
| Sorrow And ;11pacr Io5 -
pletely changed Lady Hutton that her
foster-sister hardly knew her again.
There was but little greeting between
them until Lady Hutton's eyes fell up
on the child. Then her pale face grew
winter, and her hands trembled.
J rs that your child, Magdalen?" she
asked. is that Stephen Hurst's
daughter?"
When Magdalen replied that it was,
Lady Hutton led her to her own room,
where hung the portrait of lovely
little girl, not unlike the one who
gazed upon it.
See" she said, your child is like
mine, Magdalen: you must give her
to me; look at the violet eyes and
the golden hair?"
There was indeed some faint re-
senlblance between the two fair little
faces.
You want money, Magdalen," said
Lady Hutton; money to take you to
your husband; you shall have it, as
much as you like to ask me for, If you
VIII give me your child. Let her be
NINE"
At first Magdalen Hurst was deaf
to ALI entreaties; she would not hear
of 1t; then the masrer-passion of her
life came into play. He whom she
loved had sent for her, and sent
again. She yielded at length, and
consented that Lady Hutton should
adopt her child. 1t was a hard strug-
gle; how hard, none knew but herself.
J 1t was arranged, at last, to give lit
tie Hilda trial; she was to visit
Lady Hutton; IL she appeared happy
and contented her mother agreed to
leave her there; II not, she would fore
go the great wish of her heart. But
Hilda was quite .contented; she liked
her new and pretty dresses, the grand
house, and above all, the stately lady
who was so cold to everyone else. and
SO kind to her; for Lady Hutton loved
the child with love beyond all words.
and when that little golden head
rested on her heart it seemed as
though her own Maud was there again.
Better, thousand times, the patter-
ing OF little feet than the hushed calm
OF house where no child lives; bet
ter the musical prattle of strangers
voice than the unbroken silence; bet
ter the clasp of . those tender little
arms, the kisses of the sweet childish
lips, than the haunting memories that
were never still.
/ So for three weeks Magdalen Hurst
lived alone in her little cottage, and
then consented to part with her child.
The conditions Lady Hutton made
wera hard npac hut oba mould 80 -