0
The Planter's Daughter
25 FATE'S
By MRS. AUCB P.
Author of "A Waif from the Sea," "Her Brightest Hope,"
S llWltuirH Wlnn(FH " rn.tr.
REVENGE
CARRISTON
fcii
CHAPTEK X.-ConUnued.i
In spite of care. trouble and privation
the lady bore the undeniable stamp of
having once been beauty, and not very
many ywara ago either. She was tall
and slender, still graceful, and in ercry
movement a thorough lady. Her plain,
cheap attire could not conceal the fact
that sho hod not only seen better days,
but had kept that memory alive In her
heart, which Is more than many, who
are forced to descend the ladder, are
wise enough to do.
' With a wan smile that spoke of phy
sical weakness and repressed anxiety,
Mrs. Burgess crowed the kitchen to Mar
tha and placed the basket In the hands
of her faithful domestic.
"How is Miss Claire?" asked the
woman, eagerly.
"She seemU to be asleep when I looked
In upon her a moment ago," replied the
lady.
"Asleep at this hour!" exclaimed Mar
tha. "Then she must hare been up writ
Ins again last night!"
"I fear so," rejoined Mrs. Burgess,
sinking wearily into a chair befldo the
table; "oh, Martha, Martha, what can
this journal contain that she keeps so
mysteriously to herself? I must know!"
"So you shall some day, be sure;" then
to turn her thoughts Into another chin
ne)9 Martha added, "but what docs tills
basket contain?
"A few trifles for my husband's break'
fan. Open it and see."
The good woman removed the lid of
the basket and started back In amaze,
tnent.
"Oh, what extravagance, ma'am!" she
cried; "however could you afford It?"
"Don't scold me, Martha," answered
Mrs. Burges. with a wan smile; "it la so
long since my poor husbannd hits had a
respectable repast. Men cannot bear
privation as we women can. Besides,
I wisihcd to surprise htm; it Is his birth
day." In a burst of generous enthusiasm,
Martha caught her mistress' hand, and
was about to press it fervently to her lips
when she suddenly recoiled a step as she
exclaimed;
"Your ring, Mistress! Where Is It?
The one with the pearl! your engage
ment ring! Have you sold it?" whis
pered Martha, with dismay depicted up
on every feature.
"No, It Is only only pawned."
"Yes, as are your jewels, your silver,
your lace, everything even to the mat
tress off your bed! Ob, that miserable
pawnbroker"
"Hush, Martha," interrupted the lady;
"speak no III of htm, for he Is the only
friend from whom ono can borrow with
out a blush."
"And for whom?" cried Martha, for
getting her position in her Indignation;
"for one who never asks what it has cost
you to raise the money, so long as he has
it to waste!"
In an instant Mrs. Burgess was upon
her feet, dignity breathing in every at
titude. "Martha!" she exclaimed, warningly.
"I bog your pardon, Mistress," the
woman returned submissively; "Mr. Bur
gess has been a good master to me, and
you know that I would die for him, but
it wake me angry to see you so anxious,
while ho remains calm arjl Indifferent!
It is you. Mistress, who bears all the
burden. Why does not Mr. Burgess bor
row of his friends?"
"Because of a senso of pride, Martha,
which you cannot understand."
Mrs. Burgess laid her hand gently,
caressingly upon the arm of her faithful
friend, and with tears in her eyes, turn
ed abruptly and left the kitchen. As
she entered the little dining room, where
a snow-white cloth covered the table
which awaited such repast as Chance
might offer, Mrs. Burgess found her hus
band standing by the window, gazing ab
stractedly down Into the sunlit street.
Philip Burgess was still a handsome
man, though many years the senior of his
wife, and long past the prime of life. He
was dressed with that scrupulous care
that bespeaks the geutieman, and there
was none of the haggard anxiety In his
cheery face that had prematurely aged
his wife. As she entered be turned, and
coming to her, took her hands In lilr.
"Your eyes are red!" he exclaimed.
"And you are paler than usual! When
was Dr. Gresham hore last?"
"Yceterday, and bo agrees with me,
that it is not so much a positive Illness
as some secret grief that is preying upon
Claire's mind."
"A secret grief!" rejoined the gentle
man; "our poverty, perhaps."
"So; Claire is too noble, too proud for
that; It Is not for our lost fortune that
she weeps; a deeper grief weighs upon
her heart. Our poor child Is most un
fortunate, since she is in love, and loves
in vain!"
Philip Burgees started In amazement.
"I have divined her secret. I tfhould
have respected It, had I not seen that
the hopelMM tears ehe thed were short
ening the few day that remain to her in
this world. She consecrate almost ev
ery night to writing, and seems to take
little comfort in Inscribing her thoughts,
hope end fears. I have been able to
gain possession of one or two pages of
this mysterious manuscript, written with
a trembling band, and blotted with tears.
Thus I have discovered," continued the
lady, "that Claire loves, but love In
vain."
"Loves whom?"
"I do not know, but rest assured that
I shnll discover soon. Hark! she Is com
ing. Not another word."
The next Instant Claire Burgess stood
before them. 1 1 ml It not been for her
excessive pallor, which the hectic flush
upon her wan cheeks heightened, Claire
Burgera might have been eo in Ulcer il n
rarely beautiful girl. To her slender,
stntely figure was added an exquisite
grace, while her fnce. of n dellcoto oval,
wan classic In mould, nnd shaded by
masse of rich goldeu-broiiae hair, which
were gathered Into a heavy coll at the
buck of her slender neck. Her full, gray
eyes were wonderful In their slzo and
brilliancy, seeming to embody all the life
which, at her ap she should have been
enjoying. At sight of her parents she
psused a moment; then, advancing a
step, exclaimed:
"Why do you look so sad! Mother,
there are tcara In your eyes!" And with
a deep-drawn sigh, she added: "Ah, I un
der.itand; you were speaking of me."
"My dear child, we are going to save
you: Dr. fSrenham has assured us that "
"Yes," Interrupted Claire, "he told mo
yesterday not to despair, but that Is the
word they use when they cannot say
hope."
"What folly. Claire!" cried her father.
with a suspicious tremor In his voice;
"why, my dear, I should have gone to the
dogs long ago. If I had not kept a bravo
heart in my breast. No, no; have cour
age; brighter days are In store for us."
"Do you thluk so, father?" she asked.
"I know so! Am ready to to swear It.
Hark! There Is tho bell ringing! Who
shall say that It Is not Dame Fortune
at our door?"
And an Instant later, Martha put her
head In the door.
"A lady to see you!" she announced.
"A lady!" exclainW Philip Burgesr.
gaily; "what did I tell you! Show her
in here, Martha."
And ere either Claire or her mother
could escape, the door was thrown open
to admit a lady, closely veiled.
"And although I nm unnrite to do so to f- t. - TfflnrJininO
day," continued Sylphlde, under the samo OUrUlg Jf UUIUMV
painful rcpresflon, "I can at least" ,, . . .,.. ..,, ,..imi mind
"Mother!" gasped Claire, in s.uhlon Thorn U no oilier season Hoi RO ml
dismay, checking her visitor's words! and tnodlclno Is io much noodod M III Uio
as pyipnmn turned irom one to tne outer i utirtnir
Tho blood l Impure, weak nnd
Impoverished tv condition Indicated
madam," ho said, with haughty prompt-, iy m.Ica nnd ollior eruptions on tho
imm, "and we regret that we are unahlo , . , ,,-,, vUttlltVi
imu nun .., t ,
loss of niipotlto, lnck of strength, ad
want of nulnintlon.
Hood's Sarsaparllla
and Pills
In astonishment, Philip Burgess mlvnnc-
ed.
"You nro fullllllng n noble mission,
to contribute to It a liberally as wo 1 Met) mm uuuy, uy uoiiuiuut ,. ,
might havo In the pnU."
"Contributor' cried Sylphlde, recoiling
A step.
"You must see that our circumstance
are somewhat cramped," continued tho
geutieman, without heeding her niiiase-
IIHMlt! MVIt Villi tlltlMt tll'riltL'tt IIM til poll.
tribute our mite to jour collection," and J Make- tho blood pure, vigorous and
us lie spoke lie drew irom his pocket a
one dollar hill, the Inst cent he possessed
In the world, and with n courteous bow,
placed It In the silken bag.
A crimson IliifJi dyed Sylphlde Coura
mont's beautiful face to the very root
of her black hair.
rich, crcnto atmotlto, give- vitality
strcngth nnd nulmntlou, mid euro
nil eruptions. Havo tho wholo family
bcj;lii to tako thrm today.
" Hood's flarsapatlll has been used In
I (l.nnk v.i'.i. .t. . im...,. r.v oar family for tomo time, and always nlth
faintly; and turning abruptly, she left Rood results. Last spring I was all run
the room. down and got a bottle of It, and as uiual
.U.I...I ...... I Kj,nflt Mill IISULAH
She was completely dumbfounded,
stilling with mortltlrstlon, and not until
ho reached the lauding was she ablo to
regain her breath.
The figure of n man came lightly up
tho stairs and confronted her, urnl, too
late to conceal her Identity, she found
herself fnce to face with Dr. llresham.
"You here!" ho
back In surprise.
received great benefit." Nu ulam
Hover, Slowe, VI.
Hood' Snrtnpnrllla promise! to
euro and koopa tho promlso.
CIIAITIJIt XI.
The veiled lady was none other than
Sylphlde Courtlandt, or Sylphlde Coura
mont, as a cruel fate had decreed that
nhe should henceforth be known; and
she had come to tills humble home to
see with her own eyes the woman who
was destined to take her place and be
come the mother of her child.
So anxious and excited was she to sat
isfy herself that Dr. Gresham bad not
led her Into a trap, that her first move
ment was to snatch the veil from before
her face and rivet her eyes upon Cislre.
A little amazed himself at tills rtrange
proceeding, Philip Burgess sdvanced and
demanded, politely:
"May 'I ask, madam, to what we owe
the honor of this visit?"
"I will tell you with pleasure, sir
only I am not well and so many flight
of rtalrs "
"I beg your pardon, madam," exclaim
ed the gentleman, quickly offering tho
most comfortable ohalr that the room
afforded; "will you be seated?"
Sylphlde bowed and sank Into the
chair, glancing about her with the mental
ejaculation:
"What misery! I wish I bad brought
fire hundred dollars Inrteod of ono!"
While Burgees, whose eyes were not
yet blind to the beautiful, thought:
"What a remarkably fine woman!"
"I do not live so far away as not to
be considered a neighbor, and I havo
often heard your family spoken of your
former affluence and present distress."
Drawing himself up proudly, Philip
Burges replied:
"Then you have been informed, mad
am "
"Of how nobly you boar this iHstrem,"
said Sylphlde; and with glance at Mrs.
Burgess, "and you, nlso Mrs. Burgess,
I supposo? And this Is your daugh
ter?" "Yes, I am Claire Burgess," replied the
young girl, with such unwonted flnnuets
that her father glanced quickly at her.
"Will you bo good enough to inform us
whom we have the honor of receiving?"
"My name Is Hastings Mrs. Hast
ings I am connected with a charitable
Institution."
She did not dare to raise her glance to
the three pairs of eyes that were fixed
upon her until the voice of Philip Bur
gess broke the silence.
"Ah! A charitable Institution," he said;
"then I presume you came, madam "
Quickly opening the silken bag which
hung upon her arm, Sylphlde Interrupt
ed the tpeaker with:
"I am making my usual rounds; I have
received my share this morning, and am
now durtrlbutlng It."
"Do I understand that you are dis
tributing alms?" inquired the gentle
man, a bright gleum darting into hi blue
eyes.
"Bay, rather, assistance," she answer
ed; "there Is an honorablo grade of pov
erty which object to the terra alms, I
believe."
"You are correct, madam," was tho
firm rejoinder.
"I regret to nay," faltered Sylphlde,
"that the assistance I have to dispense
Is not as great as I could wish. There
are certain unfortunate whoso suffer
ings I should be glad to relieve."
"What doe she mean?" breathed
Claire, drawing nearer to ber mother.
KliMttrlo Mulit nml I'lililo HpenhliiK.
Slngeri). actum nml public perform-
exclaimed, starting cm generally m nblo to speak with
Inllnli i.ritiitit, niiin nml ,-tfllllfort III tl
"Silence!" she breathed, pmalonntely; I ,Pllll(K ,.,, wlh t.otftrlclty thnn
"I never witnessed such pride and mls-i, ?..,.". .1..,.. 1- 1 1.. ,1...
try! But the girl is dylng-you may '" u" """" K""""1'" ""' " "
safely marry her to my-to I.uclan!" 'ormrr cnao Urn temperature of 10
While this brief but significant Inter-! w,,ol building 'r "I11"- n," "
view was taking place upon the stairs rl"k f catching cold Is consequently
beyond the closed door a scene of hys- .diminished. The snakcr Is cooler, doe
terleal relief was being enacted. The not perspire, his thmnt Is not parched,
moment their routed benefactresa had and hi voice Is less liable to get
disappeared, Philip Burgess exclaimed, ' husky. It is said that since the Intro
proudly: ductlou of electric light public perform.
ou see! I am not such a spendthrift ' cn, nr , ,mleh ,,c,.r vo,w Chan they
after a!!. I have kept a dollar by m. . iu,fr
.,,.1 .!..,. .-1. i ... .1.- 1. .4 1. 1 1 1 were octore.
11 art iiiuiikii il 11 is la nil- inrv. si uni aiiirii 1
us from a great Iniiiilllntbuit"
Throwing her arms about his neck,
Claire cried, with a sob In her voice:
"It was your noblr heart, dear father,
that has saved us!"
Opinion AVnntnt.
He Yon are an authority on flowers,
I am told.
She Well, not exactly an authority,
"Go-io you7 rZns. Mh of you!" ex- at't r"'"
nnd If so, sho shall not depart until she
has satlnfied my suspicions!"
Scarcely had Claire and her mother
vanUhed when the door ojiened to admit
Dr. Gresham. With an exclamation of
that
to U
society bud?
demanded
In the Spring,
Lowndes, Mo., April -Ith. Mrs. II.
surprlso and pleasure. Philip BurK.,s 0. Marty of this place, wys:
turned to the scarcely chwd door. "'" 'm I ' very bad health.
hvery spring I would gel so low that I
una unahlo to do my own work. 1
seemed to be worni In the spring than
any other time of the year. I wn
very weak nml mlserahlo and had miicl
pain In my back nnd head. I nw
Dold'M Kidney Tills advertised last
"Where sre you going?"
Gresham, abruptly.
"To call the ladle Iwek." replied Mr.
Burgcns; "they have Just left in."
"Do nothing of the kind! It Is you
whom I wish to see firtt of all, upon n
matter of the utmost Importance to
SrtW&V I.J7l tKabe'Xno '""'f a" treatmentof the,,,,,.,
for Claire Is to render her declining day ",y have certainly dono mo more goal
comfortable. Stay! hear me out. Sho ,,lnn "y"K "v or num.
requires other quarters than this mis-! "I was ll right last spring and Ml
erahle tenement; she needs luxuries, at- tatter than I havo for over ten years
tentlon, a carriage. I will place them I nm fifty year of ago nnd am stronger
at your disposal, and you have only to ' today than I bnvo been for many year
accept them." nm J Kvo Dodd'n Kidney Pills credit
"What do you mean? What must I for (l0 wonderful improvement."
uor uommami me! Tho statement of Mn.. llarty Is only
of ,?? f.? rif "n tri7l0t lrmf.rv "" one of Krcat many where I).Id'a Kid-
"certZl'y fdi WAS? S ' "," Pm' '"f "T T? T, '"
since." I ",0 vcrJr 1 I,r'nK medicine. They
"Leaving a widow ami ono son. For a ' Bro unsurpassed aa a tonic and are the
while their property was depreciate!, but Y medlclno used In thousands of
recently It has come Into value, and Lu- families.
clan Courtlandt Is one of the wealthiest
young men In the city."
During leap year every eligible
young man should be equipped with a
chaperon.
CAT CANNOT PUCK UriEATM,
Old Hiuiarstltlnu I tlimat lijr i
Itlulioat Medical AiillinrltUs.
Can u cat really suck the breath of n
child?
Wo havo nlwnys henrd Hint It could.
Awny hack In early childhood wo dis
tinctly remember of frequent wnrn.
lugs to look out for tho eat. Do nut
allow tho cat to get Into lied with thn
bit by. ns It In liable to suck tho baby'
breath, which would cnusu tho baby to
die.
Is there nuy foundation for such rt
notion na Ihls? V never could ills,
cover nuy real meaning to the belief
that n cat can suck the brciith of a
child. Indeed, the sentence la totally
unintelligible.
What U men nt by sucking tho
breath? It may be trtio (hat tho cat,
nttructed by the breath of a child
who had recently been nursing, might
attempt to Interfere In Boum mnuiier
with thn child's mouth. 1 11 young ru
the Impulse to nurse might be eiclte
by tho smell of tho child' breath.
It Is barely possible that the cat might
I mi seised with n desire to bite or to de
vour tho chilli's lips or tongue, I urnl
on by the smell of milk, Wo nrn not
In a position to deny these posslhlll.
ties. Maybe they ore true.
Hut not any of these suppositions
furnish n basis for the statement that
the cat Is liable to suck thn child's
breath. Wo have always heard this
Htutement with n shudder of horror.
It seems to (tiitrey some weird, hor
rible tragedy that can hardly ho Imag
ined. Hut It Is n mere fancy, tho ori
gin of which Is hard to eiplaln.
Ynt wo would ndvlse mother to be
careful nlxnit leaving thn Infant with
n cat. Wo do not favor the Idea of
cats sleeping with children. Nor do
wo favor tho practice of children play,
lug with cats, handling them, mopping
them around the floor, fondling them,
dressing them up as dolls. It Is not
good for the cnt. It Is not good for
the child. Neither cuts nor du ought
to bo treated lu this manlier. They are
nil right In their place, but they nro
not fit for plaything.
If thn superstition that a cat can
suck n child's breath has operated as a
preventive to mother nltewlng their
children to play with rats It has served
n very good pune, hut sueh childish
notions are hardly cumNitlble with ma
ture reflection. It Is owe of tint old
wlvos' falde which may have served
n guod puriHue, hut It Is too ridiculous
'or iviM'tltlon. There are other and
Vtter rensons why the cat ami baby
tliould not lx left together thin tint
vague, unintelligible fear that the rat
will suck the child's breath. Medical
Talk.
Addlnir I'ool 10 llii rininn.
"See here, ymi okl addle pated duffer,"
Mdalninl the Irate iHtllfMual, as he en
tered the f.lltorlsl ssKrlum ef a vlllst
wrekly, "I am l4d that U csllr.1 III
toafiir In ymir last Ihc."
'Sir," replied Ike r.lltur. ralmty, "ytvi
have been islilnfiinnwl, W prtut only
the latest news"
Ills Limit.
Her Patkr Yihjhx man, Is your
flnsiwlal condition aH-h s will enahls
you to upHirt family?
Young Man (tlmldlyi Why, lerlhal
Is, I waseronly flcuriug on supporting
Jennie. I rrniipp-.H joa would eon
tlnue to suptKirt tl'o rest of Hit family,
KHCUMilTISM
MOT A SKBN Bl&EA&E.
"Well, well go on!" urged Burgess.
eagerly.
"Unfortunately, Luclan became fasci
nated by a young woman In tho South,
and hastily married her. It now trans
pired that his supposed wife U the daugh
ter of a slave, Vt no wife at all. Oonno
quently ho has corae to his sennet), and
is looking for a wlfu in his own station
in life. II has commissioned me to ask
the hsnd of your daughter In marriage.
It la also understood that unless he -ar
from me within an hour he will pnent
iilmseir hero during the morning, and
the wedding can bo arranged to tako ' It is natural to rub the npot that hurts, and when rheumatic
P PhllS lurgesr,ro?8 like one routing ' Pain3 a?c haoiin through the joints and tmisclca and they are
from aaze'idream , namcd and sore, tho luffcrer is apt to turn to linimcnt.1 and plasters
"Are you mad. or moklng sport of "" relief ; and while such treatment may quiet lite pain temporarily",
me?" he "muttered. "You cannot havo ' no amount of rubbing or blistcritig' can cure Klicutmitism, becnusc it
forgotten that even In my abasement I Js not a skin disease, but is in the blood and all IhroUL'h the uyntem,
of a dying woman?" ili ,r8t attack, you arc iroitijr to have another, and Rheumatism
"Because he has a son who cannot 1 Will last JUSt as lotltf aS tile poison is ill thti blood. 1111 inrtttiT what
bear his name, since its motiier is a you apply externally. Too much acid in the blood is one cause of
"I
: t-tl ! Ilf
Mrs. Courtlandt has thn nron., ..f .-i which brinfr on this painful dis
ease, uuciuiBc 1 iic mood uccomca
understand!" retorted Burs. wh SS '' tS! dlL'eHti0n' " "
rhnr nareaMn; "since tho .rsent i?tJ,. ,.' V ?..?"''-, f.?".',?9 DSAiu rn ht. ,,.
lililn.v. Ohio, Aurust SO. 1003.
A fow months ago I was fsslluir wsak
and rundown ana uusbl to KstsTp
iillht. I fU estromsly bul.and also had
Ing freel some day from slavery, her
husband does not wish to be too long
hampered with a second wife, nnd ho has
commissioned you to select a wlfu for
him from among your most hopcltwa pa
tients, ami you have chosen us becauro
we ore dying of hunger. Well, my dear
sir, go to Mr, Courtlandt and tell him
that I am his servant, but that, though
my poor child may bo lost to me, sh
Is not to bo sold!"
"My good friend." said the doctor,
calmly, "I do not doubt you have the
right to condemn yourself to misery, but
I question your Justice In condemning
your family to death. I offer you renew
ed health for your wife and pence and
cmnfort for your daughter, who is a.
ready spent by the privations which she
has suffered."
"All of which I reject In the name of
my wife and daughter," cried the old
man, excitedly; "stay! hero Is my wife
ask her if sho has tho courage to accept
the term!"
To b continued.) ., f
Til. Dollar.
"She's as bright as a dollar."
"Isn't Bhe a bit forwurd at times?"
"Well, you know, a dollar gow far
ther, them? days, than It did when wa
were glrU."
rfisuintttio palus In mr Joint ,nd tnus.
pins, tiio miislu I used icava tun only
ii"iiorrr ronsi si utaii sosreln U.n
iilgniy reooiiiiusudsit for suclt troy
tilts, I bagsti lu uss, nd sftor uklnr II
lorsoin tlins wsa wtli nU.,.,1 uiihll.1
rssult, Inlldswsy wim tits rhsumatlf
psliis, guvs ma rerrsahlna- stssp sni
built un iny irsnsral syslsiu, KlvlnsT (
trsnirtliamlonsrav, ltlssuuoa id1I
oln, wltlioul doubt, and 1 tak ll
uralnnudoralntrlt.
K.IMJ.N0.1,
0, a. IIOUUIITOW.
tainted with the poisonous mat
ter which these organs fail to
carry out of the system. Cer
tain oecret diseases will produce
Rheumatism, and of all forms
this is the most stubborn and
severe, for it seems to affect
every bone and muscle in the
body. The blood is the medium
by which the poisons and acids
nrc carried through the system, and it doesn't matter what kind 0!
Rheumatism' you have, it must be treated through the blood, or you
w VVirge Pcrmanc,nt,y M of U. As a cure for rheumatic trou
Si r; il'J if " Kcr V?,enUalIcd' II doesn't inflame the atomacli
and ruin the digestion like Potash, Alkalies and other Htrongdru
viu tones up tne general Health, genu;
ititnulatcs the sluggish organs, and at
the same time antidotes and filters oul
of the blood all poisonous acids and
effete matter of every kind ; and whet?
S. S. S. has restored the blood to iU
nntiirril wjjfl!tl. At. !uf.- t .tall
Joints and the sore and tender muscles are immediately relieved.
J!! n,bf on Rheumatism will be malledffrce to tho
tS 2 i'!Sir Pf ry8jcJansJw,iU chrf7 answer all letters askfoj
for special information or advice, for which no charge is made.
rUCMWIFTSPtCinO CO.. AUAMTAs 9