The herald., 1913-01-23
AN
INTERRUPTION
BY ANNABEL BRINSMADE.

funeral in the Margot family. The
body of Betty MargOt, aged eighteen.
was TO be buried at IL o'clock. and il
was now 10. A great deal Of sympathy
was shown the family, for there were
very sad circumstances attending the
young girls death. In fact, it was con-
sidered a case of suicide.
About a year before Betty began to
show signs OF dependency. She had
left school and was ready to take
social position among the young people
of the town in which she lived. Her
mother, partly TO divert her from her
condition of mind. did what she could
to induce her TO do so. Betty did
not refuse to go among those of her
own age, but when with them. instead
Of being the bright, CHEEKY girl Of
year before, she was listless. The young
men and maidens who had grown up
with her endeavOred for awhile TO
draw her from her lethargy, but. find
ing their efforts futile. at last gave up
trying.
consulted He talked with Betty, ask
ed her n great many questions. pre-
scribed a tonic to be taken three times
q day before meals" but told her moth
er that be could find no organic dis
ease. He thought that change of scene
might be beneficial. but the MargOts
could not afford 10 take the patient
away. Besides, she said she didn't care
to go away. The doctor suggested that
there might be a young man in the
case, but Mrs. Margot declared that
her daughter had never shown any pref
erences for any of her male acquaint-
ances To this the doctor replied that
first love on the part of a young girl
from sixteen to twenty was apt to as
sumo very singular forms. He had
treated cases of supposed physical NAL
ady which eventually had turned out
to be simply lovesickness. One Of his
patients had shown signs of break
ing down In health simply because she
could not make up her mind between
two suitors and had finally elOped with
a third. to whom her parent had no OBJ
lection whatever.
One morning when the good lady
went into her daughters room with
the usual toast and cOffee-she would
not permit Betty TO arise before IL
o'clock-the room was empty. The bed
had not been slept in. The frightened
matron rushed from the room. calling
her daughter wildly. The household,
Betty excepted. responded. and even
tually the whole town was reused.
The day passed with no word from
the missing girl She must have de-
parted in the night. for no one had
seen her go. Every village In the
neighborhood received telephone mes
sages describing Betty's personal ap-
pearance and inquiring If she had been
seem All her relatives far and near
were notified. Not a hopeful word
came from any point.
Mrs. Margot. after she became so
far Gained as to express an opinion on
the cause Of her daughters departure.
said she believed that Betty's mind
had been affected through some dis
ease which that stupid doctor" had
failed to discover. The people Of the
town had many and diverse opinions.
Mrs. Griffin, across the street. who had
heard Mrs. Margot-an impatient. ex-
citable woman-scold her daughter,
averred that the latter had been driven
away by cruelty. Some Of the neigh
bors-old maids or married women
who had adopted dogs in lieu Of chill
dren-said that Betty had not been
properly brought up and had gone to
the bad.
One day a fresh impetus was given
to these conjectures by the discovery
Of a body Of a woman In the river. 1t
was bloated beyond recognition, but 1t
was about Betty's height. and the hair
was about the same color as hers. The
consensus of opinion was that 1t was
her remains; that in a fit Of temporary
insanity she had escaped from home
and drowned herself. The sight was
so awful that the parents were per-
suaded not to look at 1t. An under
taker prepared 1t for burial, and this
brings us to the beginning of our story,
which is also the end.
Persons were assembling at the Mar
got home to pay their last respects to
the dead. The clergyman had arrived,
the undertaken was going about with
soft tread giving directions In modu'
lated voice. when a young man and
woman turned a corner and caught
view of the hearse and carriages
standing before the door. The lady
sank on the mans bosom with gasp;
but, recovering. the two pursued their
way to the house of the funeral. The
clergyman was mentioning some lovely
traits of the deceased when the chief
mourners uttered an exclamation OF
surprise ard made a bolt for the hall
where stood the newcomers.
"Oh, Betty" exclaimed both father
and mother in breath.
The obsequies were discontinued on
account of the appearance Of the OBJ
ject for which they were held. and a
great relief, great JOY. reigned in
their stead. This was Betty's EXPLAIN
ton:
| George met me when | was 2
schoolgirl. and we loved. Then that
horrid Kate Baxter came between US
and for a long while | was afraid She
get him away from me. But one day