Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-10-29

AAOAlAs OOAnC Una IL AAo
has told him how unjust he was to us
to keep US in a state of anxiety. It's
a pity he did not think of it himself
when he wrote the first note. l wonder
II he Is any relation to Winifred?'
Like enough he de fadder. He mus
be mighty mean to keep de baby away
from de mudder."
I'VE are completely In the dark about
the matter, Chloe" replied Rosamond,
land there is no use In our specializing
about 1t. l expect, however, that ONE
day it will be explained. Winnie Is
evidently the daughter of parents of
the upper social strata. At any rate,
whoever is sending US money for her
use must be wealthy. Half of what
we receive would more than cover the
cost of keeping her."
Miss Deane might have added that
all the amounts received had gone into
a savings bank, to be used as a dowry
for the child when she should come to
womanhood.
One day Chloe, who was busting so
iercely that it was evident something
was irritating her, let out upon her
mistress:
Il don t'ink a woman wha' hab chill
len hab de right to marry ag'in no
how"
why, Chloe, what put that into your
headT'
"a s%tepfadder air pretty nigh as
bad as a stepmudder = sometimes
wo'se."
Come, Chloe, explain. What are
you drivin' atT'
EFF yo' marry Marse Childers like
enough he git all de money wha' yo'
put in de bank TO- WiIGie."
Good gracious, Chloe! What makes
you think I'm going to marry Mr..
Childers?"
EFF yo' amt goin' to marry Marse
Childers wha' 70 all de flowers he
sendin' 20, I 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 o 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 OBJ he own. Winnie hab
to take a back seat
Notwithstanding this protest Miss
Deane continued to accept the atten-
lions Of Mr.. Childers. He was evil
IDENTIFY a gentleman and seemed to be
comfortably situated in a financial
way. He was not a man of business,
seeming inclined, rather, to the agri-
cultural life of the south. He said that
he would like to manage a cotton plan
tation, and whenever one was for sale
it was offered TO him. Sui zone of
them seemed to be exactly what he
wanted. His main object seemed TO
be counting 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, it could not be
relied on. He left her, saying hat he
would convince her beyond a doubt.
The same evening a darky rode up
to the plantation house with an envel-
ope for Miss Deane. 1t was addressed
in Mr.. ChiLders' handwriting. She
took it to her room, where she would
be alone. to read.
1t contained a story too long to be
given here. The following is a synop-
sis of it: ROsamond's bosom friend.
who had gone abroad with her invalid
mother, had met a young American
whom she had soon come TO love and
who loved her. He had nothing of his
own, though his father was wealthy
md 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 a 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
%agescould be acknowledged. Her hus-
band was to take the little one to
America and leave it with her friend
Rosamond Deane. When the ehild'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
theirs death the son was abroad. His
wife had given him a sealed letter to