The Washington herald., 1912-01-12
By JULIA CHANDLER MANz.

question:
DO YOU think a man or woman has a
right TO marry into a family where can
Ger has developed in four generationsT'
will tell you a story that is true-one
that I think will answer this question
more forcibly than all the sermonizinE In
the world could do.
We'll. I suppose you know that con-
sumption has developed in three genera
tions Of George Scott's family?" ques-
toned the gossip.
Il know" answered the mother of Mar
garet Wells quietly.
And Margaret knows?" continued the
visitor
yes" was the Unconditional reply,
Margaret knows"
And YOU will not interfere?' went on
the gossip. determined to probe the moth
ers feelings
..Margaret's life is her own to give. She
must decide its own Xital questions
But" insisted the gossip, suppose
there are Children
The mother of Margeret Wells did not
answer.
The girl, reading in the next room,
heard
Mother Could Not Help.
The first part of the conversation
amused her She knew the gossip's way.
And she had gone through with all the
struggle before she gave George Scott
her promise. The subject had received
grave and candid discussion with her
mother-a reticent. reserved woman who
left her daughter at the end OF the talk
with no consciousness Of having been
helped by her to see the right.
But suppose there are children: the
Eossip's last Interrogation unanswered
by her mother repeated itself in Mar
Raret's mind.
In her discussion of the situation with
her mother. there had been no such
question. Her mother had not suggested
such a possibility, and the girl had not
thought. OF it. 1t was with her
merely a matter Of personal concern.
The heritage of the young man
had already laid a grim hand upon
him. just a slight touch Of Ghostly fin
ger. to suggest to him that he was
marked for other things than marriage.
But he was young. Margaret was young
and had so much vital strength. They
v "i.Id 20 away to the heights, and shake
OF the ghOstly finger that already touch
ed his life. The love Of the young made
f. seem so possible. and heroic element
entered the girls decision TO stand by
the man al all costs to herself.
lhe
But suppose there are children" the
gossip suggested to the mother Of Mar
Earet Wells.
The girl reading in the room beyond,
pushed the suggestion aside as she turn
ed a Page. She read a paragraph, and
between the printed lines ran the words:
But suppose there are children
She went for a walk in the crisp win
ter air, called in TO see a friend, made
every effort to- force the suggestion
from her mind. but il ClunE. II became
as \ plant that stretched out its ten
drills and wovc them into the wOof of
the girls life and so tenaciOusly did
they cling and so fast did they grow,
that they crowded out other flowers of
thought like an ugly weed
And when the weed had drawn all
there was TO draw from the girls con-
sCious being it grew into her subcon-
seriousness. haunting her in dreams at
night.
Got Ready for Wedding.
Preparations went forward for the
wedding The invitations were in the
house. but had not been addressed or
mailed. The man whom the ghostly her
itage had marked for other things than
marriage came and went happily. and il
he wondered at the girls brooding he
gave no sign.
They would address the invitations to-
Eethcr on the morrow, he told her few
weeks before the wedding day, and she
had gone to bed with the memory Of his
confident smile doing battle with the
memory of the visitors words that had
become a sentient thing in her life.
1t was far toward the dawn when the
dream spirit came and touched her. The
afiianced bride Of the consumptive man
followed the spirit out into the shadows.
The Dream.
Suddenly she stood on naked beach
drcar. cold, wind-swept The waves of
the ocean dashed their icy spray along
tho shore, and the sound was that as
Of children waiIing. A great darkness
settled over the land: that darkest hour
that comes before the dawn and the
great shadows Of the night seemed alike.
Then came the first gray streak across
the eastern sky, and the girl saw.
Along the shore ran little children,
thousands in number. They were naked. |
and great. brawny hand scourged the
little nude bodies as they ran, and the |
beach was red with their blood.
The girl covered her eyes with her
hands, but the Dream Spirit drew them |
down again.
They are the thousands of such little |
children, and I'm the majority of the cases |
their mothers knew before they married |
that most likely they would bring chill |
dren into the world scourged down to |
death by the hand of inherited disease.
Doomed from BeEinninE.
Little, little children the Dream |
Spirit went on, children meant to be |
happy; children meant to have strong /