The Cairo bulletin., 1909-08-30
TTOO LATE.

| y
I "Mother, when Charles Mayhem
comes here tonight. you must tell
him | will not marry him"
what has happened?" screamed
the terrified woman, doubtful of her
hearing.
Again the cold, relentless tones.
with accents clear and certain as the
voice OF fate itself repeated tho
message.
Hannah, I cannot! cannot!
Why, it will break his heart. What
do you mean?" demanded the fright.
ened mother.
Il will not marry him." and with
this final decision Hannah Blair
turned and went to her room, where
her mother heard her turn the key.
How Mrs. Blair ever managed to
break the startling news to Charles
Mayhem when he came that evening
she never could tell. At first it was
received with startled incredibly
and she was compelled TO repeat it
again and again. TO recall Hannah's
words, her actions.
After this Charles gave way to
such angry grief that Mrs. Blair
onged for her husbands return.
Finally Charles rushed out of the
house and so passed out OF Hannah's
life.
Ten years later Hannah married
John Maxwell, well-to-do bachelor
from Newtield, He was 40 years of
age and man of irreproaehable
character. Hannah was handsome
women and her husband was really
in love with her, but In her heart
and failed utterly to respond TO his
feeling. Not even the little daugh-
ter born the second year OF their
married life, thawed out her frozen
heart. Dorothy was a health', happy,
rosy child. and as she grew 10 wom-
anhood her sweet disposition was a
comfort TO her father. She had plen-
ty Of admirers and it was but natur.
al that she should marry young
When she did wed young man in
the neighborhood the couple settled
down to live with Dorothy's parents
As they wished her to remain in the
Did home.
But all this time Mrs. Maxwell
preserved the calm austerity of her
manner, even to her daughter. She
prepared for the marriage with
liberal hand but with nc caress, no
sympathy. Her life was a matter OF
business. 1t was an old habit at 60
and she was over that age when, as
she sat reading the evening paper
one night she started suddenly from
ner chair and with cry fell faint,
ng to the floor,
Dorothy ran to her mothers as.
sistance, but as she returned to con-
3ciousness Mrs. Maxwell whispered,
Don't call anyone" and leaning on
her daughters shoulder, her whole
BODY shaking with agonized sobs,
he suffering woman told a strange
story, At last her heart of granite
lad broken.
Fins day On which she was 10 have !
married Charles Mayhem she had re- |
,eived letter from an unknown |
writer and the information it con- |
aimed caused her to doubt her lover. |
The statements were TO strong as |
% leave no doubt in her mind "Oh, |
Dorothy sobbed the unhappy wom
IN, when | heard Charles Mayhem
leaving the house my heart was
Erung with anguish. Had seen him
. must have gone down and do what
thought sin. so | steeled myself |
% resist, although | thought | could |
iot stand it, | meant to do the
light thing. Dorothy, but today when
saw in the paper that he died last
week in a lonely hospital without
friends, my heart came out of it's
grave and smote me. Had | been
more sympathetic | might have
helped him to do right | might
laye saved him. love him SOL
And thus the mother passed away
n her daughters arms.