Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-07-05
A Sin That Brought
A Blessing
BY OSCAR cox


er was very much troubled for fear
would marry some girl with nothing to
recommend her but q pretty face. l
used to think that she wished me to
marry Margaret Deane, who knew how
to sew and cook and do lot of practi-
cal things in which l took no interest.
l rather admired Gwendolin Germain
Gwendolin was tender flower. Just
such a girl as a man likes to take up.
der his protection. Her cheek was no;
round and rosy, but there was a littlt
pale red in its center like rosebud
painted on china cup, with lips of the
same hue.
The time came when l made up nv
mind that unless could win Gwendo-
lin my life would be failure. 1 was
but twenty, and that's very young for
a man to feel that his happiness is
bound up for life in one person. How
ever, l proved my constancy by years
or devotion to the image had set up
in my heart. Fearing that l could not
express myself with sufficient delicacy
to impress one so young so modest, so
tender, wrote my proposal in letter.
l was several days composing it, and
when finished l left it for another day
on my desk in order to read it once
more before posting it.
l was suddenly called away, and
when l returned the letter was gone.
L asked my mother what had become
or 1t, and she said that it had been
posted with batch Of letters that had
been sent to the mail while 1 was
away from home. With this 1 was
content and confident that Gwendolin
had received it and waited anxiously
for a reply.
When l met my love again 1 was
much embarrassed. My Imagination
made her seem to me cold, even Of
tended, and as she made no reference
TO my letter 1t occurred to me that fof
some reason-I imagined a dozen-she
was displeased with my proposal.
did not call again, and within a year
her family left the place where lived,
and she went with them. My heart
went with her. l lived on a bachelor.
My mother frequently invited Mar
garet Deane to our house, and l could
see that she was Intentionally placing
her in my way. Margaret accepted
whatever attention l gave her, which
was not much, but when 1 was un-
mindful of her she did not seem to
notice it. AS the year passed 1 made
friend Of her, but it did not occur to
me to make love to her.
When 1 was thirty my mother died
Before her death she made me a con.
fession.
MY dearest boy,'' she said, 'before
die 1 wish your forgiveness. Ten
years ago 1 saw that you were about to
choose companion for life who would
not make you happy. 1 kept the letter
you wrote to Gwendolin Germain, hop
Ing to gain time to direct your atten-
tion to Margaret Deane. Ten years
have passed, and every year have in
tended to send your letter to Gwen
dolin. l have never done SO till today
BY tomorrow morning she will know
for the first time of your proposal, but
by that time l shall have left you free
to choose for yourself"
And so my mother, to whom was so
devoted, had caused me ten years of
misery. l forgave her and did not utter
a word OF complaint. Indeed, the pain
I suffered at her loss neutralized any
feeling of regret for my long suffering.
The day after laid her in the grave
l took up number of letters that had
accumulated-mostly of coincidence
and among them was one from Gwen
dolin. 1t brought the first of different
sensations from what had experienced
since the beginning of my mothers i'll
ness. But with it came the remem-
brance of what my mother must have
endured from her distaste for my
choice. Margaret had been with her
constantly in her last days and had
cOmforted her as if she had been her
own daughter.
felt an inclination to complete the
sacrifice my mother had brought about
by acceding to her wishes and giving
Margaret the option Of being my wife.
But was bound in honor to Gwendo-
lin as well as by love. In her letter she
asked me to come and see her if felt
so inclined.
A Few days later 1 went to see her.
She still lived with her family, who
were wealthy-more so than when I
had parted from her-in a stately man.
sion. 1t was evening when called,
and l was ushered into private par.
lor. In few minutes a bony, sallow,
scrawny woman came into the room,
dressed in the height Of fashion, be-
decked with jewels, her hands covered
with rings. 1 barely recognized Gwen
dolin and would not have done so had
she not preserved the rosebud in her
cheek by touch of paint.
$50 your poor mother has gone" she
said. What silly thing to keep your
letter from me! Just as if 1 were
counting on you. You were lovely as a
boy, admit; but, you know, papa has
always brought me up to understand