Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-12-23

Davenport, his voice ringing with glad
excitement. You have seen the mar
rage record. 1t is dated June =,
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"
81 Object!" bawled the dumfounded
ed district attorney. THE witness has
become confused and"
ITS true It's true!" wept Mrs.
Mason, all at once breaking into q
spasm of hysteria, and springing up
from the witness chair. 1T is true
/ 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 l.
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 l could
he was in Europe went to the FOun-
ding asylum at Butter, and-adopted
Rose. She was so little and puny,
that l could tell him she was three
months younger than she really was.
And 1 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 stranger in the town
They gave me the records of Rose:
birth at the asylum and"
| She sank back in her chair, cry
! ing and writing, In helpless abandon
ment.
Amid the uproar which the judge:
gavel failed to check, Tom Fletche
for the first time let his eyes rest OF
/ Roses. To the Mortified girl his loOl
of stark amaze was one Of disgust
She covered before it and pressed hel
hands over her eyes.
Let him take her!" sEarled Ma
sons strident voice, above the din
"a founding brat is fit wife for 4
son of Stephen Fletcher"
| IL
er, in q gush Of contempt. 1--WE dom
marry nameless foundlings, we Fletch
ersl I'll have the marriage annullet
and"
Rose waited to hear no more. Will
the gasping moan Of a hurt ami
NAL, she ran from the room.
Tom, getting a glimpse Of her face
sprang after her. But the attendant
thrust him back.
"wait till you're formally dis
charged. younster growled a police
man. They'll turn you loose plenty
soon, now"
Out into the street rushed the ter
rified girl. In her ears rang the bitter
insults of Mason and Fletcher
Stamped deep into her tortured mem
ory was the supposed disgust she had
read In Toms eyes.
She was nameless, outcast, loathed
And the burden was greater than she
could bear.
On she ran without definite aim OF
purpose. knowing only that a curse
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. at the towns edge. Before her,
| rippled the blue waters. And beneath
those waters Undergraduates and
peace.
The horror-spasm was smoothed
from the white young face. The agony
no longer racked her tormented soul.
Here was refuge from everything.
Slowly, but as calmly and joyous
" as n 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 tragedy
the greater question was left unan'
swered-the question OF who's
GuiltyT
(END OF TENTH STORY)