The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-11-23

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The Senator Discovers the Newspa-
per Attack on Him.
Davenport, his voice ringing with glad
excitement. You have seen the mar
riage record. 1t Is dated June 2,
1916. At the time of her marriage
Rose Mason was eighteen years and
one day old. She was of legal age to
marry. The charge OF abduction falls
to pieces. The"
IL object! !" bawled the ~dumfounded
ed district attorney. 1.-The witness has
become confused and"
Its true! It's true" wept Mrs.
Mason, all at ace breaking into a
spasm of hysteria, and springing up
from the witness chair. 1T Is true!
l can't lie to the Almighty. Rose was
eighteen last month. And-and she
isn't my child at all. We had been
married seven years, Hiram and /.
We had no children. He longed for
a child. And we were drawing apart,
because we had none. He was get
ting tired of me. l thought / could
hold his love If we had a child. While
he was in Europe l went to the Foun-
ding asylum at Butter, and-adopted
Rose. She was SO little and puny.
that / could tell him she was three
months younger than she really was.
And l wrote it that way In our Bible.
She wasn't my baby at all. l don't
know whose she was. Her mother
died at the hospital when she was
born. She was a stranger in the town.
They gave me the records of Roses
birth at the asylum and"
She sank back in her chair, cry
ing and writhing. in helpless abandon
ment.
Amid the uproar which the judges
gavel failed to check, Tom Fletcher
for the first time let his eyes rest on
Roses. To the Mortified girl his look
of stark amaze IA one of disgust.
She covered before II and pressed her
hands over her eyes.
Let him take her :" snarled Ma
sons strident voice, above the din
"A founding brat is fit wife for q
son of Stephen Fletcher"
"Fit for my SOM" shouted Fetch
er, in a gush Of contempt. 1--WE don't
marry nameless foundlings, we Fetch
ers! I'll have the marriage annulled
and"
Rose waited to hear nc more. With
the gasping moan of q hurt ami
NAL, she raj from the room.
v~op, rattfno q oyt>-no - r..
sprang after her. But the attendant
thrust him back.
wait till you're formally dis
charged. yOunster! I" growled a police
man. They'll turn you loose plenty
soon, now"
Out into the street rushed the ter
ritied girl. In her ears rang the bitter
insults of Mason and Fletcher.
Stamped deep into her tortured men,
DRY was the supposed disgust she had
read in Toms eyes.
She was nameless, outcast, loathed!
And the burden was greater thar she
could bear.
On she ran without definite aim or
purpose, knowing only hat a curse 7
had fallen upon her and that her
loved ones had thrust her from them.
Presently she came to a halt. She
had strayed to the very brink Of the
lake, ut the towns edge. Before her,
rippled the blue waters. And beneath
those waters lay-forgetfulness and
peace.
The horror-spasm was smoothed
from the white young face. The agony
no longer racked her ~torfnented soul.
Here was refuge from everything.
Slowly, but as calmly and joyous
ly as a maid to her bridal. she stepped
forth into the sparklingly inviting rip
pies.
The water caressingly Tapped her
tired feet. Now 1t encircled the slen-
der waist, and now 1t had risen to The
white young throat.
Onward she went, bravely, eagerly.
And the plying waves closed above
her.
While the doom of the young bride
troubled the consciences OF those en-
acting various roles In the tra:edy.
the greater question was left unan-
s~wered-the question of who's
Guiltyg"
lend OF TENTH STORY,