The Washington herald., 1911-01-01

\
In England twenty years ago there
have been shoemakers for many genera
lions. and jeremiah Brown. Alice's faith
er. still makes the shoes for the parish Of
Medomsley. County Of Durham, and prac-
tically the entire countryside. It was in
Medomsley that Alice lived until she be-
came . woman, and it is in Medomsley
| that this tale had Ms beginning. Like
any thrifty. well-raised English maid
Alice was trained in all the domestic arts
from girlhood. She could cook and was
perfect housekeeper. Besides all this.
she was pretty. 1t is little wonder then
that she was the belle Of the county and
that her hand was sought by half the
young men of the parish. Her beauty
and goodness Of heart made her almost
queen among the simple folk Of Me-
domsley. and IT Ii still told there how
Alice was halted on the highway one day
by the lord and lady Of the manor and
how she once stayed at their great house
for weeks. But that Is another story.
There came to Medomsley in the fall of
the year 1889 Frank Milburn, q sailoA lad
from Liverpool. He was not handsome
nor was he possessed Of worldly goods in
cination Of personality about the man
that enthralled the heart Of the country
maid. Never having known love. Alice
Brown felt the power Of the man, and
when he made love to her she accepted
his attentions and they became engaged.
Perhaps 1t was done rather in q spirit Of
pride at having conquered the heart Of
the stranger that led her on. At any
rate. the engagement continued and In
February, 1880. they were married.
OF Exemplary Behavior.
Until then Milburn's actions had been
exemplary. His manner had won not
only the heart Of the girl. but Of her
father and mother and brothers and sis
ters besides. The couple went to live in
a nearby town Of the same parish and
for time all was contentment and hap
piness. Although Milburn did not work.
ne seemed always to have money enough
for their simple needs, and Alice, girl
like-she was not yet twenty-never stop
ped to worry about the source.
Then the trouble began. One day q few
months after the wedding an officer from
another county appeared at the door Of
the little home with q warrant for the
arrest Of Milburn for a penal ofense
committed year before in q distant part
OF Britain.
Shame and CONSERVATION took posses
sion Of the girl wife when she learned
u,
whom she had trusted so implicitly and
thoroughly. could be guilty of a crime!
She knew not where to turn for help.
Finally she allowed the officer to enter
and tottered. fainting. into a chair. This
was Milburn's opportunity In the rear
Of the little. house he had been listening
TO the conversation, and when the OFF,
Ger. filled with pity by the sight Of the
girls trouble. stopped to assist her. Mil
h,,r sill ~
When Alice regained consciousness and
the man with the papers turned his at
tention to the completion Of the business
that had led him all over England his
prey had disappeared. According to Eng
lish law. however. the warrant having
been served at the home of the accused,
he was sentenced to imprisonment for
five years in South Shields Jail. Since
that time Milburn, although much Of his
time has been spent in England, has
evaded the English police
Returned to Her Father.
Alice returned to her fathers home in
Medomsely. Her heart was broken. AL
though treated kindly by her family and
her old associates, she knew that all was
changed. Love for Milburn she had
none, and now that he was gone. calm
reflection told her that she never had
loved him. Yet the thought Of him filled
her with a strange sensation. Terrible
were these thoughts. and yet she longed
to see and talk tc him. To this day she
cannot explain the nature Of the mans
weird power over her. yet it was always
present.
After a while time soothed her heart
and she began to see some degree Of
happiness in the future with her baby
girl, Emaline, who had been born after
Milburn's departure. She began to for
get in a measure the man whose subtle
power had ruined her life. Then sud-
denly. one night after she had retired.
the old longing and fascination came
over her and she knew Milburn was
near. Arising. she went downstairs, her
heart crying out in terror, yet unable to
resist the spell. He was there and de-
clared that he still loved her devotedly.
She forgot all he had done and listened.
At daybreak he went away.
When Alice arose in the morning all
the'lightness of heart that had come up
on her had vanished. The mans power
she felt more strongly than ever. His
visits were repeated. always secretly,
and none but the girl ever knew Of his
presence in the parish. She dreaded his