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

nduQS ueiu uelpiessiy out DeioTc Icf
she gave a great Cry. and, staggering
back. eyed both her father and himself
in frenzy of Indignation that was al
the more uncomfortable from the su
perhuman effort which she hitherto
made TO suppress it. You, toor' she
shrieked. You, too. and l have just
sworn to love. honor and obey you
Love you. Honor you. the uncon.
scionable wretch who
But here Mr.. Gilchrist rose. weak,
tottering. quivering with something
more than anger. He approached his
daughter and laid his finger on her lips.
BE quiet" he said. philemon is
not to blame. A month ago he came &c
see me and prayed that, as relief &c
his mind l would tell him why you
had separated yourself from James.
He had always thought the match had
fallen through on account of some fool.
ish quarrel or incompatibility. but
ly he had feared there was something
more than he suspected in this break,
something that he should know. So !
told him why you had dismissed James.
and. whether he knew James better
than we did or whether he had seen
something In his long acquaintance
with these brothers which influenced
his judgment. he said at once: This
cannot he true of James. 1t is not in
his nature to defraud any man. but
John-I might believe 1t of John. Isn't
there some complication here?' I had
never thought of John and did not see
how John could be mixed up with an
affair l had supposed to be a secret be
tween James and myself. but when
Philemon laid the matter before James
he did not deny that John was guilty,
but asked that you be not told before
your marriage. He knew that you
were engaged to a good man, q man
that your father approved. man that
could and would make you happy. He
did not want to be the means of sec.
ond break, and besides-and this,
think. was at the bottom of the stand
he took, for James label was always
the proudest man | ever knew-he new
er could lear, he said. to give to ore
like Agatha a name which he knew
and she knew was not entirely free
from reproach. 1t would stand in the
way of his happiness and ultimately of
hers. His brothers dishonor was his.
So, while he loved you still. his only
prayer was that after you were safely
married and Philemon was sure of
your affection he should tell you that
the man you once regarded SO favor
ably was not unworthy Of that regard.
To obey him Philemon has kept silent
while Agatha. what are you doing
Are you mad, my childY
She looked so for the moment Tear.
ing off the ring she had worn but an
hour. she flung IL on the floor. Then
she threw her arms high up over her
head and burst out in an awful voice:
Curses on the father! Curses on the
husband who have combined to make
me rue the day / was born! The ia
Their l cannot disown, but the hus-
band
"Hushv'
1t was Mr.. Gilchrist who dared her /
fiery anger. Philemon said nothing.
flush! He may be the father of your /
children. Don't CURSE
But she only lowered the higher. and
her beauty from being simply majestic I
became appalling. Children she /
cried. IF ever | bear children to this |
man. may the blight Of heaven strike
them as it has struck me this day.
May they die as my hopes have died.
Or. il they live. may they bruise his
heart as mine is bruised and curse
heir father as
Here l fed the house / was shaking
Is If this awful denunciation had fall
IN on my own head. But before the
1oor closed behind me a different cry
JAILED me back. Mr.. Gilchrist was ly-
ng lifeless on the floor, and Philemon
he patient. tender Philemon. had TAX
N Agatha to his breast and was sooth-
ng her there as if the words she had
howered upon him had been blessings
instead of the most fearful curses
which had ever left the lips Of mortal
The next letter was in Agatha's
1t was dated some
months later and was stained and
more than any others in the
whole packet. Could Philemon once
ines the result of his tears falling fast
lpon them. tears Of 40 years ago. when
lie and she were young and love had
'een doubtful? Was the sheet so vel
owed and SO scanned because it had
cen worn on his breast and folded and
nfolded so often? Philemon. thou art
n thy grave. sleeping sweetly at last
y the side of her thou so idolized. but
hese i Ks of feeling still remain in
issolu..y connected with the words
hat gave them birth.
DEAR PHILEMoN-You are gone for
lay. and a night only, but it seems a
enlightened absence to me, meriting
title letter. You have been so good to
ne. Philemon. ever since that dreadful
our following our marriage | feel that
am beginning to love you and that
;od did not deal with me SO harshly
vhen he cast me into your arms. Yes
erday tried to tell you this when you
lmost kissed me at parting. but l was
fraid 1t was a momentary sentiment
atty and so kept still. But today such
warm wellspring Of joy rises in my
cart when l think that tomorrow the
ouse win be bright again and that in
lace of the empty wall opposite me at
able | shall see your kindly and for
caring face. | know that the heart
ad thought impregnable has begun to
al nd haf 6oil u nd