Year: 1875

.,-+ti ne. ~ !. us.


.a
10 STAB nie 50 crdeify rem se.ts
ago! That must have been in Miles
college days. And this woman was
his wife while II had no legal
claim to the rights had tried to vim
dicate with such naughty arrogance.
Too frcnzicd to rave or faint, l reali-
zed it all quietly, standing there
alone in thcnight. There was moth
ing to palliate the enormity Of
the great wrong Miles Clegris
had done me. had been
purposely and miserabiy duped-an
innocent girl-now a mother, whose
mourning for her first born had been
rudcly disturbed by the horrid fact
that she was not even wife. |
flung open the blind, and threw the
Satan-sent missivc far out into the
yard.


Icould not upbraid my husband
with the discovery | had made, nor
proclaim it to the world, for it was
the seal to my own infamy. Neither
could Iignorc it, though for q mo-
ment something had whispered:
''Keep the certificate ard say nothing
about it, and the world will always
believe, as it does now, that You are
his wife, since there will be no proof
to the contrary, and the old clergy
man is dead" Only the cxperienc-
ed, who know of what bitterness the
human heart is capable, can dream
what suffering came to me there.
Presently | realized that the family
were astir and crept to my bed, not
to sleep, but to experience that semi
unconscious state that comes Of utter
prostration. Two of theservant girls
came to my room, and as they moved
cautiously about, putting things in
order, knew they were preparing
the house for the funeral ceremonies,
which were to take place early in the
oE whispered 10 lthe
other that Miss Slayton had told at
the breakfast table how some one had
entered her room during the night
and had rified every drawer and box,
and that even the pockets other dress
es had been visited. Of course they
were full of CONSERVATION and Won
der, and in talking about it quite
forgot their sleeping mistress as they
supposed. After they had left the
room Miles entered and stood by my
bedside. He bent down and softly
kissed my forehead as l lay, with
closed eyes, and then l heard him
sigh deeply and walk away.


Miss Slayton met him in the hall
and said in her sinuous voice: q
think if last nights burglar had
searched the yard first he wouldhave
been more successful, for | have an
idea that | found, this morning, the
article he wished for" and her low
snecring laugh came in through the
open door. | dressed myself and sat
with the others while the minister
read of Gods goodness and his kind
ly chastening, and prayed for the af-
ficted hearts, all the while nearly
wild for the hatred of God and man
that ranked in my bosom.


Miles tenderness maddened me,
and when l sank, half fainting, from
the coffin and he held ne in his
strong arms while his hot tears fell
upon my cheeks, l longed to dash my
hands in his face,


When it was alloverandt the house
was stilled again for the night, |
donned my bonnet and shawl, and
taking my portmonnaie, which was
always well supplied, walked to the
station and took the train for Your
city. I remember the long ride
through hours and hours, and the
breaking of the morning, but that is
all; for | had been many weeks in
your hospital cared for by public ex-
pcnsc, when l next awokc to cons
ciousncss. Atlast ! was able to leave
its shcltering walls, and it was with
such lonelincssof heart as | pray You
and yours may never know, that ].
set out to find some mcansof support.
At first it seemed a hopeless task
for where a man may walk inquest
ioned, woman is subjected to the
most rigorous scrutiny, andwhat she
will not reveal is registered for her
condemnation unhcard. | thought
it. expedient for many reasons to re-
tain Mr.. Clerris' name, and then the
appellation Of a married woman
might offer a better protection than
the "MiSS Nelson" Of my glrihood.


Aftermany, many, ,discouragements
two years ago secured the situation
l now hold. 1t is remunerative and
it affords as pleasant a living as ]
can hope ever to have. | have often
wondered by what means Miss slay-
ton was ever induced to occupy the
position she didin Mile Clerris' home,
for she fully realized that she was
his legal wife. If a human heart
may be divided in its affection it
would seem that he sincerely loved
US both, though none the less 4 vii
lain.