The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-05-21
nan. and old for his years.


been SO admirably centered under its
own vine and fig tree, 1t might have
become divided against itself without
much of an effort.
Mrs. Redmond Wrandall was the
vine and fig tree.
And now they had brought her dear
ly beloved son home to her, murdered
and-disgraced. If 1t had been either
of the others, she could have said:
Goods will be DONE" Instead, she
cried out that God had turned against
her.
Leslie had had the bad taste-or
perhaps 1t was misfortune-to blurt
out an agonized 81 told you SO" at a
time when the family was sitting
numb and hushed under the blight of
the first horrid blow. He did not mean
to be unfeeling. 1t was the truth burst
ing from his unhappy lips.
Il knew Chal would come to this
1 knew it," he had said. His arm was
about the quivering shoulders of his
mother as he said it.
She looked up, a sob breaking in
into the face Of her second son.
How can you-how dare you say
such thing as that?" she cried,
aghast.
He colored, and drew her closer to
him.
Il didn't mean it," he faltered.
"You have always taken sides
against him." began his mother.
Please, mother" he cried miser-
ably.
You say this to me now" she went
on. you who are left to take his
place in my affection-why, Leslie, l
/ p
Vivian interposed. Les is upset,
mamma darling. You know he loved
Challis as deeply as any of US loved
him"
Afterwards the girl said to Leslie
when they were quite alone: she
will never forgive you for that, Les.
It was beastly thing to say"
: He bit his lip, which trembled.
I"Shes never cared for me as she caret
for Chal I'm sorry if I've made i
worse"
See here, Leslie, was Chal So
So"
"Yes. l meant what said a while
ago. 1t was sure to happen to hin
one time or another. Sara's mad 10
to put up with"
Sara! If she had been the righ
sort of wife, this never would have
happened"
After all is said and done, Vivie
Sara's in position to rub 1t in on u
if she's of mind to do 80. She won'
do 1t, of course, butt wonder If she
isn't gloating, just the same"
Haven't we treated her as one o.
us?" demanded she, dabbing her hand
kerchief in her eyes. "Since the wed
ding, | mean. Haven't we been kline
to herr"
"Oh, l think she understands III
perfectly" said her brother.
81 wonder what she will do now?'
mused Vivian, in that speech casting
her sister-in-law out of her narrow
little world as one would throw aside
| a DurnJ-OuC maLCn.
she will profit by experience" sale
he, with some pleasure in superior
wisdom.
In Mrs. Wrandall's sitting room a.
the top of the broad stairway sat the
family-that is to say, the immediate
family-a solemn-faced footman II
front of the door that stood fully ajal
so that the occupants might hear the
words of the minister as they ascend
ed, sonorous and precise, from the hal
below. A minister was he who knew
the buttered side of his bread. His
discourse was to be a beautiful one
He stood at the front of the stairs ant
faced the assembled listeners in the
hall, the drawing room and the entire
sol, but his infinitely touching words
went up one fight and lodged.
Sara Wrandall sat little to the lef
of and behind Mrs. Redmond Wran
dali, about whom were grouped the
three remaining Wrandalls, father, sor
and daughter, closely drawn together
Well to the fore were Wrandall uncles
and cousins and aunts, and one or two
carefully chosen blood relations to thu
mistress Of the house, whose hant
had long been set against kinsmen O.
less exalted promise.
Beside Sara Wrandall, on the small
pink divan, sat stranger in this som
Der company: a young woman II
black, whose pale face was uncovered
and whose lashes were lifted so rarel.
that one could not know of the deep
real pain that lay behind them, in he
Irish blue eyes.
She had arrived at the house al
hour or two before the time set TO
the ceremony, in company with tn,
widow. True to her resolution, thu
widow of Challis Wrandall had re
mained away from the home Of hi
people until the last hour. She ha'
been consulted, to be sure, in regar'
to the final arrangements, but tn
meetings had taken place in her owl
apartment, many blocks distant fron