Hilda's Home: A Story of Woman's Emancipation

The time was a lovely June evening. The moon was at its full, wrapping everything in a silvery haze, while the air was laden with the sweet perfume of roses and of new-mown hay....

Nothing unusual; interwoven only with a story such as has darkened many another young girl’s life. The history of one woman’s life, the threads of which were woven so closely wi...

Such had been the early life of Imelda Ellwood. Surely not the best of environments for the development of a young character, but, singularly enough, Imelda’s was so sweet and p...

After the body of her mother had been laid away, by the side of that of her dead husband, with the youngest of eight children clasped in her arms, Imelda changed her home to a l...

“But if my mother thought she was now freed from her husband’s persecutions she was soon to be undeceived. He dared not enter her father’s home but when the shades of evening ca...

Just as the city clocks were striking the hour of two Imelda neared the seat that the two girls had occupied a few evenings previous. Margaret was already awaiting her and a bri...

“Now walk with me a few blocks onward. A different portion of the city is reached. Here are carriages filled with ladies dressed in velvets and furs. Their dainty persons adorne...

A long drawn sigh flattered from the trembling lips of Imelda while Margaret’s face glowed with excitement equaled only by that of the speaker. When the excitement which followe...

There was not much applause this time, when the speaker resumed his seat. Some few laughed, but here and there, as you cast your eye over the audience, you could see compressed...

For an instant Imelda was startled. She had never seen Mrs. Leland and had pictured to herself a different woman; but as she looked again she could see the likeness between moth...

As the meeting was dismissed, all in a moment the earnest truth-seekers were transformed into a social assemblage. Hearty handshaking abounded and equally hearty laughter was he...

Then had come the hour of temptation to him. Sweet Margaret had come into his life, and he found himself shaken to the very depths of his being, but he came forth conqueror. He...

Thus matters went on. The cruel, piercing winter months had waned; balmy spring with her flattering promises had again visited the land, and in turn was now giving place to the...

The evening found her with her friends. After supper Wilbur came and was told of the projected change. He bent a quick searching glance upon Imelda and in the eyes that met his...

The morning hours passed. The sun rose high in the heavens and still Imelda slept; slept until the noonday rays fell across the fair flushed face. The heat soon made the room un...

Imelda had seen Margaret in similar moods before, and she knew of the intensity that sometimes lurked beneath the smiling exterior. She knew Margaret’s most dearly cherished des...

While such thoughts surged through the brain of Imelda, what was it that clouded the brow of fair Alice, causing now and then the ruby lips to part with a tremulous sigh? What c...

Quite a while she lay thus, for the first time giving full vent to her feelings. She had not intended to do so, but of what avail are good resolutions when the heart is full to...

“Mrs. Westcot will be getting uneasy if we tarry longer and indeed we certainly will have no time to lose if we wish to meet our little friend at the appointed hour.”

Thus had come the beginning of the new life and the past lay enshrouded in shadows. Almost at the threshold of that new life Imelda was met by him whose coming Wilbur had, in la...

This was too much, and Alice burst into tears. That Imelda was surprised was a mild way of expressing her emotion. A dim suspicion was born in her mind, which, however, she trie...

Without a single word Alice turned and walked back to the house with her husband at her side, but when they returned to the brightly lighted rooms they found them empty. Norman...

For the first time Imelda’s mind was free. She had left Alice sleeping. Not in a dull, feverish stupor, constantly interrupted with delirious mutterings but sleeping, actually a...

“MY DARLING: The fact that I am writing this to you must of necessity be proof that Margaret has laid before me your letter containing the news that already the event has come i...

The sultry summer day was at its close, and Norman Carlton had just finished reading the letter that Imelda had written the night before. A troubled look was upon the frank and...

But now? One thing Imelda had achieved. She had led Norman into the realms of thought. She had made him think as he had never thought before. He now began to see the real cause...

Since recording the events of the last chapter, weeks of summer sunshine have passed away. Alice, dressed in a soft fleecy white cashmere wrapper, is reclining in her own cozy r...

“Frank! You? Where did you come from?” turning to the form that from the darkness had stepped to her side. The old reckless laugh rang upon the still night air:

The events recorded in the last chapter had for a while caused to be forced into the background the desire in Imelda’s heart to become acquainted with the sisters of Wilbur. The...

“Here we will be undisturbed, and you can tell me all you wish to impart. But I wish you to understand that I expect you to say nothing that may cause you pain to recall. The fa...

In the days and nights that followed Imelda had every opportunity for studying this sister pair, with whom her manner of becoming acquainted was so different from that she had p...

From this explanation it was evident that neither of the two elder daughters had any too much love for the stepmother, who was domineering in character. Of late years the freedo...

Long ere this the assurance had been Imelda’s that Edith and Hilda were both true sisters of their brother Wilbur, and that they espoused sex reform in its highest sense, and wh...

Cora and Norman had not seen any of this by-play. He had taken her by the hand and led her to a tete-a-tete, and seating himself by her side soon had drawn her into conversation...

The brown curly head was resting on the snowy pillow. The maimed arm had been tenderly cared for, and already the tired eyes were drooping. It had been such an exciting day. So...

Neither of the men could quite understand the last words that passed between the girls, but Norman understood enough to know that whatever might be their meaning no ignoble subj...

Heaving bosoms, concealing madly beating hearts, were hidden under the heavy fur-lined wrappings. In the excitement and bustle of the jostling throng our waiting friends greatly...

So the inanimate form was lifted and carried inside, not to the heated rooms but to one where the fire had gone out, leaving it cold and chill. Imelda and Cora stood with claspe...

Edith gave a gasp when she saw the noble form of her brother enter the door at her father’s side; but she welcomed him by laying her white round arm about his neck and kissing h...

In the great eastern metropolis, on the sunny banks of the beautiful Hudson, almost hidden within a grove of wild plum and cherry trees, stands a cosy cottage. Snowy lace curtai...

“In a short time we were married. But my dream of happiness was short lived. My wife and my mother had little in common, and often the passionate red lips would utter words that...

And thus it is that the threads of our story once more unite. Again the figure of a man is pacing up and down the platform, awaiting the incoming train and, at last it comes thu...

From that day forth a new life entered the charmed and charming circle. Lawrence proved to be the architect required, though he had never called his talent in this line to a pra...

Another winter came and still the home was not finished, but now the work on the buildings could still go on, as it was mainly within doors and under shelter. In the heated room...

At the close of a warm sunny day they alighted at “Willow Grove,” the name of the station nearest their future home. Wagons were in waiting, upon which their effects were loaded.

Five years have passed since the dedication of that beautiful home; years that have brought their changes; as time invariably does. The mystic rooms—the sanctum of the expectant...