Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
BY STANLEY OLMSTED

arms Yes, it there that became her murderer!'
in the wind and rain she had toled the ridge
this shelf of soil. The hut that for twenty-five
wears has sheltered then known hunting
lodge. But go too quickly. Do you understand? In
those days was reckoned sportsman. We had been
South Caronians Charlestonans, proud of family,
Jealous of its traditions NV will and her mothers will
were adamant. We had arranged daughters be-
trothal with young of choice who desired her
hand and whose wealth and caste satisfied of
the family honor Let it be said for extenuaton,
that this grave matter daughter had made neither
plea protest-th with closed lips, matching her
will against own, the while were deceived that
her heart consented That fourteen months before
her death-at my hands
"Grandfather- you know not what you say. You"
"Silence, Child! Hear me to the end. On the night
set for her betrothal feast she disappeared On the
same evening there vanished young emlgrant,-a
clearfeatured fellow, whom had thought honest and
showered with kindness and made overseer above my
hundred negro workmen. AS the weeks went by,
vague reached us of their marriage, OF their
fight with poverty, deep in the mountains OF some adj
joining State. But her name had been torn from the
holy book which now | cast from me. 1t was
crossed from speech With that unf1lnch1ng pride
which is perverted herosm, her mother upheld me- 1t
resolution to blot the girls memory from our
lives. Yet, after ALL she was our only child In our
unbending way we had loved her tendery. And so
the year had passed her mother sckened and died Life
had all at once no further meaning Alone and I'M
attended, | withdrew to my hunting lands in these
mountains. My wifes unmey death was as gall and
wornwood on my soul. | came hither that the breath
heart.
THEN, as have recounted, lone night she came me
1 through wind and rain. Father, she said oh,
father, it is |, your Elizabeth.
Il peered outside the door What do you here?'
| asked.
"'My husband he is hurt-he may die!'
80 Your husband!' | repeated; and my heart, which
had softened at sight of her babe turned again to flint
Did YOU not know, she tried explain, with his
savings, before marriage, he had bought strip of
timber the other side of the ridge beyond your
land For over wear now have fought the forests
and the cold, and sometimes the wild beasts and some
times hunger. Latterly we have known you
here only three miles beyond yet before have
we besought YOU. But nOw-ny husband-he
pinned beneath he felled it. freed him and
bndaged his wounds: but he lies helpless and pain
have nv baby. can't wander all the long miles back
and forth the village in the valley Oh Father for
give us, be friendl
".Step across my Threshold l babe her. and she
obeyed claspng her baby tightly.
a. Did YOU began, did you show either mercy or
compassion for your mother?
s.. My mother she made answer. Why Go you speak
Of herr Is something wrong? Is she i'll:
"'Nothing is wrong said l. and cruelty measured
my words that each syllable might bear its nsed of
anguish nothing IS wrong She IS not ILL., She hes
under slab of marble-at rest
Il had not meant to deny my aid and succor in the
end.-know that before God.-but was fam first to
awaken in her justified torture OF conscience was
button for the wound in Thus it was that became
a murderer.
For she stood staring at with glazed, unseeing
eyes 'Under-a-s lab-of- marble! she repeated
slowly. What do mean? You don't mean
your mother said l. she is dead. She died broken
hearted, because of you
'Mv-rnother- dead-because-o f-me!' Her words
were lifeess monotone. One long forced itself
from her breast but no tears followed Mother dead
because of mel
"From the sight of her standing thus with her babe