The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-12-10


lamented, had not enjoyed the best OF
regulations when Mrs. Stenerson mar
Red him She was warned how II
would be- She might have forgotten
1t, but all her friends told her so.
They knew that the kind Of son Stef'
ferson had shown himself to be would
not make the best kind of husband.
The undutlful son had proved to
be a fathless husband. Marriage, so
far from curbing his appetite for
strong liquors, seemed to have re
moved any slight restraint he might
have felt
He was relieved of the necessity OF
working for a living because Mrs.
Stefferson had money Luckily, it
was tied up in such way that she
was unable to touch the principal
1t was nearly two years after that
Mrs. Steiferson had altogether dis
carded her mourning, The rest had
done her good. She was getting com
fortably stout and had regained quite
a little of her youthful good looks.
She was sitting in her prettily fur
nished little parlor attired in par
ticularly becoming house gown. a
large Angora cat was purring in her
lap, occasionally turning a lazy yellow
eye up at the cheerfully trilling ca
nary. The piano was open and there
was music on the rack A vase on a
bookcase held some vivid La France
roses and on the sill Of the sunny bay
window there were embroidery mate.
rials and a box of bonbons.
Mrs. Stelferson laid down her novel
when her visitor was announced and
got up, to the profound disgust of the
cat. The visitor was an elderly, gray
haired woman, with q decided chin.
Mrs. Stefferson embraced her quite
affectionately and asked her to take
off her things
mo, thank you. my dear said the
elderly woman. I've only a very few
minutes to stay. No; no tea, thank
you My, but it's pleasant in here!
It looks a little different from
BESSIE, that's what / called to see
you about | heard something today
that shocked me more than | can tel
you | didn't believe it, and | won't
believe it, until you tell me it's true
Bessie. dear, you're not going to get
married again, are you"'
Mrs Stefferson smiled, blushed and
nodded
The visitor gasped But not-noi
Mr. Crawley? On. Bessie, hope you
are not going to do anything so foolish
as that"
Mrs. Stefferson colored again, but
this time with indignation. Il think J
am the best Judge of whether it is
foolish or not" she said. Il don't con
slider that it will be foolish at al,
expect to be perfectly happy and If I'm
happy | don't think it is anybody else's
business"
But you can't possibly know what
you are doing persisted the elderly
woman. Bessie, you know that ! am
Il friend Of yours and ! wouldn't have
you anything but happy. You may
not think it's my business. but | feel
1t Is my duty to tell you that Mr.
Crawley is a bad, bad man"
"Oh, not at heart"
AT heart and all through My dear
do you know his habits? DO you know
his character? Neither could be worse
It's my plain duty to tell you that, and
II you have the least doubt of it can
prove 1t TO you"
I'm not going to listen to you" said
Mrs. Steffersan. You don't know him
as do. Nobody does. I've heard all
those tales about him, and | don't say
that no has been perfect. but what he
needs. and always has needed, is a
good woman's influence
"Pah," exclaimed the visitor "Bes.
sic. you must be fool Is 1t possible
that after all the misery you expert
enced in your first marriage you can
still delude yourself with that idea?
Did your influence help Stefterson?"
Mrs Steiiorson sighed You forget
my dear, that he died." she said gen
tly DO you know, | often think that
If he had lived might have made him
see his faults and repent of them. Who