The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-10-06

ask, "Wilt thou have this woman for
thy welded wife7" In the gray old
house Of God, a distinct and near voice
spoke in the silence Of the empty
church:
1.-THE marriage cannot 60 on: de-
clare the existence Of an impeachment.
Asked by the clergyman for the
facts, the speaker showed a document
to prove that Mr.. Rochester had mar
ried Bertha Mason, fifteen years be-
fore, in Spanish Town, jamaica; and
produced Mr.. Mason to witness that
the woman was alive and at Thorn
field.
Edward Rochester confessed hardly
and recklessly that he had married, az
the lawyer asserted; that his wife was
still living; and that he had kept her
secretly Mt Thornfield for years. She
was mad: and she came Of a mad
family; idiots and maniacs for three
generations. He had been inveigled
into the marriage by her family. with
the connivance Of his father and broth
or, who had desired him to marry
fortune. He invited the clergyman, the
lawyer, and Mr.. Mason to come up to
Thornfield and see what sort of be-
ing he had been cheated into espOus-
ing. and judge whether or not he had
right to break the compact.
At ThOrnfield he took them to the
third story. In room without WIN
dow, there burnt fire, guarded by
high and strong fender, and a lamp
suspended from the ceiling by chain.
A trusty maid servant bent over the
fire. apparently cooking something. In
the deep shade, at the further end of
| the room, a figure ran backwards and
forwards. What 1t was, at first sight,
one could not tell; 1t grOvelled, SEEM
ingly. on all fOurs; 1t snatched and
growled like some strange wild ami
NAL but 1t was covered with clothing;
and a quantity of dark, grizzled hair,
wild as name, hid its head and face.
"That is my wife," said Mr.. ROches-
ter.
Then all withdrew.
That night Jane stole away from
Thornfield. The few shillings that she
possessed she gave to the driver of the
first coach she saw, to take her as far
as he would for the money. Thirty.
4 81. hours later he let her off at Il
crossroads in the mOorlands. Into the
heather she walked. That night she
nte bilberries, and slept under "rag.
Two days later, famished and
drenched she was taken into Marsh
End, the house Of Rev. st. John Rivers,
a young and ambitious clergyman in
the ne,ghbOring village of Morton. His
two sisters, Mary and Diana, were
more than kind to Jane They were
soon to return to their work as gov
ernesses in large south Of England
city.
st. John secured employment for
Jane as mistress of the new girls
school in Morton. His plan was to be-
come a missionary in India. He asked
Jane to become his wife and go with
him. But something kept her from
cOnsenting: he did not really love her
he felt the call to missionary work, but
she did not.
Then he discovered for her that hei
uncle had died, leaving her 100000
This was confirmed by Mr.. Briggs, the
solicitor in London. She discovered
too, that the mother of st. John ant
Mary and Diana had been her fathers
sister. so that they too should have
been heirs to her uncle in Madeira. She
insisted on division of the legacy
with them.
One night st. John was pressing hel
for her final decision. The one candle
was dying out /: the room was full o
moonlight. She heard voice from
somewhere cry
"Jane! Jane! Janet"
Next day she was on her way t.
: Thornfield. In thirty-six hours she ar
: rived at ''The Rochester Arms" tw,
: miles away. With much misgiving sh
walked up to Thornfield-to find onl
a blackened ruin.
), Back at the inn she learned tina
Thornfield Hall had burned down abou
:, harvest time In the previous year. TIL
fire had broken out in the dead O
night. Mr.. Rochester had tried to res
. cue his wife, She had climbed ont
II the roof, where she had stood wavin
her arms. and shouting out till the
y could hear her mile off. Mr.. Roches
ter had assembled through the skyligh
II The crowd had heard him call, "Bel
tina" They had seen him approac
= her: and then she had yelled, and giN
en- spring, and the next minute sh
N had lain dead on the pavement.
4 Mr.. Rochester had been taken frol
I. the ruins. alive, but sadly hurt; on
II eye had been knocked out, and on
p hand so crushed that the surgeon Ia
Is had to amputate 1t directly. The Othe
eye inflamed; he lost the sight Of thu
u also.
~ He was now at Ferndean. manC
house on farm he had, about thirt
miles off quite desolate spot. Thel
n Jane found him, sad, helpless and cril
ie pied. She married him. Eventual
10 the sight returned to his eye so th'
" when his first-born was put into h
T. arms he could see that the boy ha