Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-09-28

One day Chloe, who was busting 30
fercely that 1t was evident something
was irritating her. let out upon her
mistress:
Il dom t'ink woman wha' hab chill
Len hab de-right to marry agin no
how"
why, Chloe. what put that into your
head7"
"a stepfadder air pretty nigh as
bad as stepmudder sometimes
wo'se."
"Come. Chloe, explain. What are
you drivin' att"
"Ef yo' marry Marse Childers like
enough he git oil de money wha' yo'
put In de bank TO- Winnie"
"Good gracious. Chloe! What makes
you think I'm going to marry Mr..
ChildersT
EFF yo' amt goin' to marry Marse
Childers wha' TO- all de flowers he
sendin' 20, lax to known
Rosamond's bushes indicated that
Chloe was not far from right. Henry
Childers had recently come into the
vicinity, had met Miss Deane and had
soon begun to pay her marked atten-
ton. He was an attractive man, and
Miss Deane had not shown any dispo-
sition to turn him away.
"Chloe," she said soothingly, "Mr.
Childers Is very fond Of children. and
It Is the gentleness he shows toward
Winnie that has attracted me to him.
Fond O. chillun! Just yo' wait till
he git chillun ob he own. Winnie hab
to take back seat"
Notwithstanding this protest Miss
Deane continued to accept the atten-
lions Of Mr.. Childers. He was evi-
dently a gentleman and seemed to be
comfortably situated In financial
way. He was not man Of business,
seeming inclined, rather. to the agri-
cultural life Of the south. He said that
he would like to manage cotton plan
tation, and whenever one was for sale
It was offered to him. But none Of
them seemed to be exactly what he
wanted. His main object seemed to
be courting Miss Deane. At last he
proposed to her. She put him off by
repeating what Chloe had said about
Winifred He asked her If that was
the only, reason for her refusal Of him.
Rosamond admitted that it was. He
asked her If she would consent pro-
vided he would satisfy her that his
treatment of the little girl would be
always kind and affectionate. She re-
piled that no one could give any such
assurance or, at least. 1t could not be
relied on. He left her, saying that he
would convince her beyond doubt.
The same evening darky rode up
to the plantation house with an envel-
ope for Miss Deane. 1t was addressed
in Mr.. Childers' handwriting. She
took 1t to her room. where she would
be alone, to read.
1t contained story too long to be
given here. The following Is synop-
sis of it: Rosamonds bosom friend,
who had gone abroad with her invalid
mother, had met young American
whom she had soon come to love and
who loved her. He had nothing Of his
own, though his father was wealthy
and allowed him an income, which he
was spending in travel. He had cabled
his father that he was about to wed an
American girl Of no fortune. The reply
was, "If you do your income will be
cut off and you will be disinherited."
The result was q secret marriage.
The only person In the secret Of the
marriage was the young wife's mother
A baby came, and its mother died.
She had planned the future Of her child
in case of her death before Its parent
age could be acknowledged. Her hus-
band was to take the little one to
America and leave it with her friend
Rosamond Deane. When the child's
grandmother died he returned to Amer
lea and, not daring to give up his Sc
cret to any one, had the baby left on
Miss Deane's porch. His father died,
and his son came into the possession
Of a fortune. At the time Of the IA
Tiers death the son was abroad. His
wife had given him sealed letter to
be opened two years after her death.
1t was inclosed to RosamOnd with
the other manuscript. This letter ex-
pressed wish that he should marry
her friend Rosamond Deane and they
should bring up her child together. He
was Henry Childers.
Rosamond perused the narrative with
deep emotion. She wondered that her
friend had not given her hint Of her
marriage, but remembered that she
had no right to do so. She went over
what had passed since the advent Of
the child and could not but admire the
tare with which the secret had been
kept. A singular decree Of fate was
that she had named the founding for
her absent friend, its mother.
When Mr.. Childers came the next
day, on meeting Rosamond he asked:
"Are you convinced?"
For reply she suffered him to take
hor IN hfo arTna