Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-05-29
When Rhoda
Atoned
BY JACK LAYTON



Paul Webster was a never-endfng
source of interest-and speculation
to his townspeople. For though he
had grown up among them, and many
remembered the days of his care-free
boyhood, Paul had among them no In
innate or confidant. Even a natural
affection for the opposite sex seemed
to have been denied him.
Paul, falling into the succeeding line
of lawyers in his family, took up the
business where his father laid it down,
and modestly started upon his career,
with neither alteration nor improve
ment of the old, well-known office. But
in Paul's practice there was this differ
ence money was not an important fac
tor his ambition was to remedy mat
ters where most needed. And his free
consultations were a great benefit to
the countryside The hOusekeeper
who prepared Paul's meals in the I'M
changed home of his father spoke adj
miringly of his sweet and patient dis
position.
Many maidens who secretly admired
his fine dark eyes and the whitening
wavy hair on his forehead, sighed dis
consolately at his Indifference. PauPs
distinguished bearing and manner of
speech must always bring to him an
admiration, neither sought nor desired.
Rhoda Caruth in her stately man
sion at the end of the towns avenue,
had come the nearest to winning
Pauls friendship. But as years
passed even that friendship seemed to
drift into a sort of perfunctOry ac-
quaintance.
It was not strange that Paul's inter
est to his townspeople remained.
Rhoda was altogether charming; even
now with her first youth past, the
charm remained. And RhOda was
! wealthy, sole heir to her Aunt
Agathas fortune.
One evening, when the early moon
light turned the tall poplars to sill
yer, Rhoda came forth in her white
! gown and, descending the broad stone
steps of her home, walked swiftly
down the long street to where a light
still burned in Paul Webster's office
window. And when she had climbed
the narrow stair to his door, she stood
breathless and pale, awaiting his APP
pearance. Paul, too, was pale when
he saw her there, but he bowed cOur-
teously as she stated her errand.
81 have come" said Rhoda, "tO have
you straighten out some property pa
pers. l am going tO-dispose of my
home"
"Your homer echoed Paul. Abb
sently he drew forth q chair, and
Rhoda sat down and looked into his
eyes. It was very long since they had
sat like this. Paul arose abruptly.
RhOda smiled.
81 WISH" she said, "to donate my
home for city hospital, and you, to
arrange the matter Wait" she inter-
rupted Paul's evident intention to
speak. 81 want to explain myself"
"You, who knew me in my girlhood,
will remember Aunt Agatha's complete
dominion over me. There were those
who put false construction upon my
docility, believing the hope of obtain
ing aunt's property to be my motive.
But this was never so. Only one in
my place could realize the penalty Of
disObedence to her wishes. In one Of
aunt's frightful hysterical attacks
I don't know what else to call them
annoyance or disregard for her will
would be sure to bring on q spasm
which might last for hours, leaving
both her physician and myself ex-
hausted. And sO-when I fell in love,
not with a girls passing fancy, but
as a woman must love but once and
forever, failed to acknowledge the
truth to my aunt, knowing that her
wish was to keep me free-unmar-
ried, as she had been, and the con-
tinued dispenser Of her charities.
But-my lover was also dominating
and his cause was just.
Impatient at my dallying, he took
me with him one summer day to
country parsonage, and-We were mar
ried You see, I cannot yet speak Of
that time without break in my voice,
and tears in my eyes. l loved him
so, yet like one other traitor-I had
denied him within the hour Master
fully my husband announced the fact
of our marriage standing beside my
Aunt's chair, and while her face al
ready growing livid turned to mine
/ denied the truth-pOOr, fearful,
trembling coward that I was. My
husband had gone, would have called
him back. But the shocking announce
ment brought On one Of aunt's pro-
longed attacks. And-when she had
gone, they read to me the will. Be-
cause of my allegiance to her, was
sole heir to her fortune.
When my husband heard, he be-
lieved what all had believed before
him but with deeper reason. 1 was
so despicable in his sight that my let
tiers to him came back unopened, and
no SOUL save an old country minister,
ever knew of our marriage. SO now,
Paul, come to you to help me to dis