Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1916-12-15

beOWlluRl speaking 10 no Oub Ia inc
town, he had been seen about the
house. Then one evening the village
was startled by a new disclosure.
The father, with little Airline by his
side. had been seen to go aboard the
river steamer Puritan. An hour later
Mrs. Prescott came rushing to the
wharf to make inquiries. She was
frantic. half beside herself. Two
hours later this circumstance was OBJ.
scuged by the message flashed from
a point fifty miles down the river, that
the boiler of the Puritan had blown
up in midstream and of the one hun
dred passengers aboard less than
twenty had been rescued About fifty
bodies were recovered. In the list OF
those not found the names of James
and Airline Prescott we're listed.
In the village 1t was supposed that
Prescott had been taking his child on
a casual down-the-riyer trip. Alas.
poor, bereaved Mary Prescott alone
knew the agitafing Incidents that led
up TO the tragedy that Swallowed her
already dreary life.
She had never loved James Pres
colt. 1t seemed as II some adverse
mockery of fate had conspired to
make her accept his attentions back
In her home village of Leclaire. Just
before Prescott appeared upon the
scene Mary had received a proposal
OF marriage from a most estimable
young man named Paul Barry. She
had not known her heart at the time,
but later, when the full measure OF
her sorrowful miseries overwhelmed
her, she realized that her hesitation,
which had driven him away. had been
lifetime mistake Mary smothered
her disappointment. however, giving
! her full love to little Airline and by pa
thence and LOYALTY striving to win
some measure of kindness from her
husband.
IN this she signally failed Prescott.
pretending to be a man OF means, had
influenced Mary's father to favor the
marriage. Just after the wedding her
father died His estate was quite
small and was divided between his
daughter and crippled stepbrother,
Snon Prescott had squandered his
wife's portion. Then he tried TO in
cuce her to contest the legacy to her
fathers stepbrother, or induce the la
tor to lend her some OF his small
means.
Mary refused II was then that
Prescott had threatened to break her
spirit il she did not meet his wishes.
IL was then that he started out with
Airline. to hide the child away from
her mother until Mary relented.
Then. overcome with this fearful
climax of misfortunes. Mrs. Prescott
had resigned herself to her fate as
lonely. brokenhearted being without
friend in the world.
So she thought and settled down to
work for seamstress in the town.
In her estimate OF friendiessness. how
ever, she had not counted on the indy
ing fidelity of noble man.
Paul Barry had rot forgotten her.
News had come 10 his ears. an intui-
ton of the worthlessness OF Pres
colt. He had secretly visited and in
vestigated and had found himself
powerless to better things or come be-
tween husband and wife. He came
again when he learned OF the sup
posed death of father and child,
Then he made strange discovery.
This was the statement from a friend
that he had seen Prescott in a dis
tant city two weeks after the sinking
of the steamer. Barry started new
investigation.
Whatever he learned IL resulted in
his visiting Wartham upon that same
evening when Mrs. Prescott had
bought the tiny candles to celebrate
the third anniversary of the birthday
OF little Airline.
Under the cover of darkness he how
cred about the boarding house where
Mrs. Prescott occupied room. He
located the apartment from the out
side. At a table he made out Mrs.
Prescott. seated at table upon which
was a cake with three lighted candles
on 1t.
great wave of pity and love swept
his soul as he comprehended the
meaning of the lonely scene. Then
Barry entered the house. He consult
ed the landlady. She was TO manage
TO get Mrs. Prescott out OF her room
Tor a brief spell, while he sped 70 the
village hotel. to return and smuggle
imto the room a little child. Barry
seated her at the table. went down
stairs and gave an agreed on signal