The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-22


rs surrey. though mine IL q month oio.
err" And she stopped down and kissed
him. Philemon. he smiled for her.
though he never had for me. saw IL
with . greedy longing that almost
made me cry out Then l turned to
her. and we talked. or what? can
not remember now. At home we had
never been intimate friends. She is
from Sutherlandtown. and I am from
Dorchester. and the distance OF nine
miles is enough to estrange people.
But here. each with her husband alb
sent and a darling infant sleeping un-
der her eyes, interests we have never
thought identical drew us TO each 9TH
er. and we chatted with ever incrcas-
ing pleasure. Suddenly Mrs. Suther-
land jumped mp In terrible fright. The
infant she had been rocking on her
breast was blue: the next minute it
shuddercd: the next IL lay in her arms
dead.
hear the shrek yet with which she
fell with IL in her arms to the door.
Fortunately no other ears were open
to her cry. I alone saw her misery.
alone heard her tale. The child had
been poisoned. Philemon. poisoned by
her. She had mistaken a cup Of medi-
cine for a cup Of water and had given
the child q few drops In q spoon just
before setting out from her hotel. She
had not known at the time what she
had done. but now she remembered
that the fatal cup was just like the
other and that the two stood very near
together. Oh. her innocent child. and
oh. her husband! 1t seemed as If the
latter thought would drive her wild.
''He has 50 wished for q child" she
moaned. I'VE have been married ten
years and this baby seemed to have
been sent from heaven. He win curse
me; he will hate me: he will never be
able after this to bear me In his sight"
This was not true Of Mr.. Sutherland.
but IL was useless to argue with her.
Instead Of attempting II took another
way to stop her rawlings. Lifting the
child out OF her hands, nrst listened
at its heart and then finding It was
really dead-I have seen too many life-
less children not to know-I began
slowly to undress II. What are you
doingT' she cried. MRS. Webb. Mira.
Webb! What are you doingY For re-
ply pointed to the bed where two lit
tie arms could be seen feebly duttering.
"You shall have my child" / whisper
ed. 81 have carried too many babies
to the tomb to dare risk bringing up
another" And catching her poor wan.
dering spirit with my eye. I held her
while told her my story. Philemon.
saved that woman. Before had an
ished speaking I saw the reason re-
turn to her eye and the dawning OF .
pitiful hope In her passion drawn fAce.
She looked at the child In my arms,
and then she looked at the one IN the
bed. and the long drawn sigh with
which she finally bent down and wept
over our darling told me that my cause
won. The rest was easy. When the
clothes Of the two children had been
exchanged, she took our baby In her
arms and prepared TO leave. Then 4
stopped her. Swear" 1 cried. hold
ing her by the arm and lifting my
other hand to heaven. ''swear you will
be q mother to this child! Swear
you will love II ~ your own and rear
IL in the path Of truth and righteous
ness.'
The con~ulsive clasp with which she
drew the baby to her breast told me
palmer than her shuddering II swearr'
that her heart had already opened to
1t. 1 dropped her arm and covered my
face with my hands. 1 could not zee
my darling 20. 1t was worse than
death. ''Oh, God, save himT groan-
ed. God make him IN honor But
here she caught me by tho arm. Her
clutch was frenxied, and her teeth were
swear In your turn" she
gasped; swear that IL do . mothers
duty by this boy you will keep my
secret and never, never reveal To my
husband. to the boy or to the world
that you have any claims upon him."
1t was like tearing the heart from my
breast with my own hand. but I swore.
Philemon, and she IN her turn stood
back. But suddenly she faced me
4 gain. terror and doubt In all her looks.
Your husbandw she.whispered. Can
you keep such q secret from himf You
will breathe Il In your dreams" IL
shall tell him." I answered. Tell him.
The hair seemed to rise on her head.
and she shook 90 that I feared she
would drop tho babe. BE carefuly'
cried. "See. you brighten the babe.
My husband has but one heart With
Do not fear Philemon" So promised
In your name. Gradually she grew
calmer. When saw she was steady
again, I motioned her to 60. Even my
more than mortal strength was failing.
and the baby-Philemon. have never
kissed 1t, and did not kiss it then.
heard her feet draw slowly toward thu
door. I heard her hand fall on the
knob, heard 1t turn, uttered one cry
and then They found me m hour
after lying along the door clasping tbs
dead infant In my arms. was In 4
swoon, and they all think / fell with
the child. - perhaps did. and that its
little life went out during my insensi-
bility. OF its little features. like and
yet unlike our boys, no one seems to
take heed. The nurse who cared for
It is gone, and who else would know
that little face but met They are very
good to me and are full Of self re-
proaches for leaving me 30 long in my
part Of the building alone. But, though