Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1913-01-16
AN
INTERRUPTION
By ANNABEL BRlNSMADE

was to be buried at II o'clock, and it
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 a
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 90 among those of her
own age, but when with them, instead
Of being the bright, CHEEKY girl Of a
year before, she was listless. The young
men and maidens who had grown up
with her endcayored for awhile to
draw her from her lethargy. but. find
ing their efforts futile, at last gave up
trying.
The family physician was, OF course,
consulted. He talked with Betty, ask
ed her a great many questions. pre-
scribed tonic to be taken three times
a day before meals" but told her moth
er that he could find no organic dis
ease He thought that change Of scene
might be beneficial, bat the Marquis
could not afford to take the patient
away Besides, she said she didn't care
to 20 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 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 loyesickness. 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 bad finally eloped with
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 II
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
b1I l..
The day passed with no word from
the missing girl she must have de-
parted in the night. for no one had
seen her 60. Every village i'm the
neighborhood received telephone mes
sages describing Betty's personal APP
pearance and inquiring if she had been
seen 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 coniectures by the discovery
Of body of a woman in the river. IL
was bloated beyond recognition, but it
was about Betty's height, and the hair
was about the same color MS hers. The
consensus of opinion was that it was
her remains, that I'm 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 it, An under
taker prepared it 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 a modu-
lated voice. when a young man and
woman turned corner and caught
view Of the hoarse and carriages
standing before the door The lady