Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-05-12
VOLUME lO---NUMBER 20.

picture.
So he toiIed on toward her city, and
when faint with hunger, found horse t,
hold or a job TO do and earnt piuance
So, when he crawled into town, b,
bad shilling, and being faint, slunk in
to restaurant hard by to get glass o
ale. 1t was place frequented by Ger
mans, and with sanded floor and bare
pine tables. But it had its elygancies
too. And opposite the table where
John Rodman sat hung a square mirror
and two gaudy prints. John looked al
one of these, then at the other.
AT last toward the mirror.
He thought it was window and that
a man was looking at him through it, at
the first glance.
"What an Unlocking dog" thought
John. II wouldn'; trust him. How he
stares, poor wretch he don't seem hu-
man. All! Oh! my God Il is my
self"
1t was an awful moment. Death has
no more fearful pang. That miserable
creature was John Rodman--was the be.
ing of whom he said Il" That
! that-that-
He hid his head in his arms, and was
only saved a sane man by flood OF
tears.
The phlegmatic Germans only fancied
him at that stage in his cups, when weep.
ing comes quite natural. One, yellow
haired grocer, grinned and quite enjoyed
the joke-and that was all the notice
taken.
And John Rodman, broken hearted and
quite crushed, crept out into the street,
his own image haunting him like ghost.
Oh, the lost youth the bright. haired,
brighteyed boy who had loved Eva Fay,
where was be gone? Oh, the stalwart,
handsome man into whom that youth
should have changed Where was hi,
grave dug? Who was this, a blot on the
sunshine, creature stamped blackguard
--beggar-"miserable !"
John Rodman-John Rodman-John
RoGman-could it be?
The glimpse of his own face had been
enough, and with clenched hands and
blood shot eyes turned Hravenward, he
vowed never to see Eva Fay, never
while be lived to let her see and know
him.
"But perhaps l may in Heaven"
John Rodman muttered; "for God and
the angels know | suffered punishment
for a crime never committed, and that
| meant to be honest while | live"
Then the memory of time when he
had had the hopes and dreams that glad
den the lives of other men swept over
John Rodman's soul. He had expected
to be rich and famous, to have a wife
and children about his hearth, to be re-
spected living and remembered dead
and now, at thirty-fve, his hopes were
these a crust to eat, hole TO crawl in
TO by night, and most of all, that the eye
of the woman he yet worshipped as a
Catholic devotee adores his patron saint,
might never rest upon him.
ut would break my Eva's heart" be
said "to see what have come to-"
He sought for work next day. He
was splendid penman and a good ac-
countant. But men looked at his rags
and at the prison mould which seemed to
hang about him, and drew back. Men
in clean black coats were 10 be had I; !
idUOF WAS az ulsCouul' IL was IdNOF '
to grant it. One or two asked for his
letters of introduction, or references
He almost laughed in their faces, with a
bitter recollection of the fact that be had
been ten years in prison on false charge
Of theft.
And so days came and passed, and
other days, and with them no regular
employment. But somehow be picked
up enough for meals and lodging by
putting in coal or menal work of the
same kind.
He who had been-nay, was. for he
bad only been unfortunate--not guilty
a gentleman by birth and nature. He
'trove and prayed for patience and for
ieatb, until, at last, the deepest depth of
darkness came to him.
No food, no fire, no shelter, save a
iismal cellar way, for three long days
and nights. On the fourth, at dusk, he
,rept out TO beg. II did not matter who
knew him he could shame none.
He went to one great door. 1t was
in his face. He stopped an old
,antleman and was threatened with ar .