The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-11-07
x-Continued
ID

Is
TITS about that man your mothe
wanted you to marry?" Ellen suggest
ed, after awhile, her arm still abou
Lizzie's shoulders. The girl noodles
without looking up. And Lizzie
should you marry hlm?" Ellen ven
tured.
II love him !" Lizzie answered, IN
cboked and angry voice, after
shamed pause
you love him You poor child
And he wants to marry your"
"He says he Will" Lizzie haC
writhed about so that her back wal
almost turned TO Ellen, who had t,
bend forward TO catch a glimpse o
the flushed face and inhamed Y
"And don't you think you would be
happier" Ellen pursued sweetly
"don't you think you would be hap
pier, If he loves you. and you"
"He don't love me-" Lizzie inter
rupted sullenly.
but you said"
81 said he'd marry mel"
The blood came to Ellen's face, and
she sat back, feeling a little sick. She
had read of the old tragedy a thou.
sand times, but how much more poig-
nant was this first encounter with It,
this sickening realization of what II
means to the to sue She
aad loved, and she had given, and
now ii was his royal prerogative TO
lift her up, and make her honest
Or to drive her to self-murder. All,
life was hard enough for the Ellens,
who keep a mans respect, but lose
his love. But for the Lizzies-i
Lizzie" she asked timidly. "Are
you-you're mott"
Lizzie had dried her swollen eyes,
and their misery was turned toward
Ellen.
mo, ma'am," she answered, with
returning ~self-control, "if there was a
baby coming. I'd marry him tomorrow.
But he-he's a good man, Mrs. jesse
Ign, and he'd never be anything but
shamed and kept down by a girl like
me. And we done what we done like
children might do something wrong"
poor Lizzie added, with her yes brim-
ming again, land all the time he was
In love with another LADY, knew he
was, but he didn't know himself how
he had come to think about her-and
so when we-when we said we
wouldn't see each other no more, |
thought that it was all I've and done
with-except for the way | felt. But
but ma guessed it, and she was aw-
full mean TO me-" the girl said simply.
"and nothing ever seemed right again.
l didn't want to go with any of the
other boys, and | KEEP feeling what If
I should marry some day, and have q
little girl"
She began to cry again softly. Ellen.
whose face had grown ashen, sat star
ing at her blindly. Her heart was
pounding her brain in a whirl. She
had heard those terms before-Lizzie
had been Aunt Elsie's maid through
an illness last winter
"When was this. Lizzie? ?" she asked.
clearing her throat.
Last winter. Mrs. Josselyn."
Look at me-" Ellen said. after a
pause. Look at me. Lizzie. Was II
Joe? Was 1t Mr.. Latimer?"
She saw the answer in Lizzie's eyes
before the girl said quickly:
mo, ma'aml Oh, no, ma'am!"
Ellen could smile sadly us she shook
her head.
"He told me about 1t, Lizzie. He
told me all about 1t. but he didn't say
It was you. I'm so sorry. I'm so des-
perately sorry. You-you do love
"Oh. my Cd, how could help itY
the girl answered. with sudden VIC
81 had never worked before.
Mrs. Josselyn. and at home Ii was
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES My father
drinks and my sisters husband drinks
I've seen him hit her a few days be.
'ore her children comet And your
iunt was so good to me, and the cap
ain treated me Ike | was his grand
laughter, and everything was so pleas
INT and warm. And Joe always anx-
Gus for me to get enough TO eat, and
me with kindlilg and all, and
me night tying up my finger where
ID cut IL. and sometimes he'd kiss me-.
-ou know, and tell me ! looked nice,
Ind then one night he wasn't coming
lome. and the captain wanted some
obacco. and | run up street for II.
Ifter supper, and when ] come back
ny feet were all sopping, and after
d ~undressed. ! come down in a wrap
'er. to get RIM
Ellen could see the old Main street
Iouse. Her eyes we're shining.
1--WE done that a thousand times =
he said. half-aloud.
"And Joe come in" pursued Lizzie.
il was after nine. but he hadn't had
IS supper. And him and me went out
got something to eat"
Her voice fell. Ellen did not speak
Hes going Il marry Miss Lathrop."