Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-28

| Xe was NOT ID I00 WOOOos anu - 1ppe0
It .Carney's a. passed for drink
Elvira's bedridden old mother heart
me. and she was so crazy for some one
% tnIk With ] stepped In Z minute. ]
saw Robert come down the path. NJ
virn saw him, too, and she ran oat Of
the house to head him or. He brg.,xs.t
her his violin and told her to get ready
and meet him in the woods with 1t that
night and they would 60 to dance.
She took It and hid It in the little loft
to the wellhouse and promised she'd
CO."
.Are you done1- demanded MrA.
Conlstock.
mo. I am going to tell you the whole
story. You don't spare Elnora any
thing. shan't spare you. ! went to
Elvira, told her what knew and made
her give me C0mstock's violin for FL
nora over three years ago. She's been
playing It ever since. Iwon't re her
sighted and abused another day on
account Of man who would have bro
ken your heart II he had lived. He was
one Of those men who couldn't trust
himself, and so no. woman was safe
with him. Now, will you drop griev-
ing over him and do Elnora justice?''
Mrs. Conlstock gripped the hoe tight
or, and, turning. she went down the
walk and started across the woods to
the home Of Elvira Carney. With
averted head she passed the pool, stead
fly pursuing her way. Elvira Carney.
hanging towels across the, back fence,
saw her coming and went toward the
gate to meer her. Twenty years she
had dreaded : It visit. Mrs. Comstock's
face and hair were 30 white that her
dark e. seemed burned into their
setting. Silently she stared at the wo-
man before her a long time.
Il might have saved myself the trou-
BILE Of coming" she said at last. Il see
you are guilty as sin"
What has Mag Sinton been telling
your painted the miserable woman,
gripping the fencs
The TRUTH. answered Mrs. Com
stock succfnctly. Guilt is in every
line Of your face, in your eyes, all over
your wretched body"
w
Suffered 2? teered Mrs. ComstocK.
That's interesting. And pray. what
have you siide1odT
"AH the neighbors have suspected
and been down on me. amt had
friend. I've always felt guilty Of his
death! I've seen him go down thou
sand times, plain as ever you did.
Many's the night I've stood on the
Sther bank Of that pool and listened
to you. and tried to throw myself in
to keep from hearing you, but didn't
dare. knew God would send me to
burn forever. but I'D better done It.
for now he has set the burning on my
body, and every hour. It b slowly eat
ing the life ont sof me- The doctor
| says RS q cancer
Mrs. Comstock exhaied long breath.
Her grip on..the hoe relaxed. and her
stature lifted to towering height.
II didn't know or care when came
here Just what l. did 3. she said: hut
my way Is beginning to clear. II the
guilt Of your soul has come to head
in q cancer on your body. it looks a.
II the Almighty didn't need any Of ny
help In melting out his punishments.
really couldn't fx up anything to
come anywhere near that. II you are
going to burn until your life goes out
with that sort Of fire, You don't owe
me anything.
III you Win gather lot Of red clover
bloom and make Q tea strong a. lys Of
It and drink quarts I think likely It
VIII help you, II you ere not too far
gone. Anyway. It will cool your blood
and make the burning easier to bear"
Then she swiftly walked home. In
ter the lonely cabin she could not.
neither could she sit outside and think.
She attacked bed Of beets and hoed
until the perspiration ran from her
face and body, then she began on the
potatoes. When she wee too tired to
take another stroke she bathed and
put on dry clothing. In securing her
dress she noticed her husbands care
fully preserved clothing lining one
wall. She gathered It IN a great arm
load and carried 1t Tout to the swamp.
Piece BY piece she pitched into the
sreen nav Of the quagmtre all those
articles she had busted carefully and
fought moths from for years and stood
watehing a. L slowly sucked them
down. She went hack 10 her room
and gathered every scrap that bad IN
any way belonged to Robert Com
stock, excepting hi gun and revolver,
and threw Il into the swsDN Then
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