The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-05-28
to his feet but made her no reply.
Henry, you arc not offended -

to his feet but made her no reply.
Henry, you arc not offended %
No." he said. He returned
her kiss and without another word
left the house and went to his store.
How strangely did circumstances
work to keep the idea his wife had
given him alive in his mind! That
very morning he met youth, the
son Of one Of his wealthy friends,
in state Of wild intoxication ; and
during the forenoon be heard that
young karon C. had died at
sea. He knew that Aaron had
been sent away from homo that he
might be reclaimed.
After the bank had closed, aud
as Henry Scaburn was thinking of
going to his dinner, he received
note through the penny post. It
was from a medical friend, and con-
tained a request that he would call
at the hospital on his way home.--
This hospital was not much out of
his way and he stopped there.
There is man in one Of the
lower wards who wishes to see you,"
said tho doctor.
"Does he know me 2" asked Sea-
burn.
He says he does.''
sSWho% Z. ~. ,.uo9 933
" He won't tell US. He goes by
the name of Smith but am sat-
is6ed that such is not his true name.
He is in the last stage Of consump-
tion and delirium. He has lucid
intervals but they do not last long.
He has been here a week. He was
picked up in the street and brought
here. He heard your name and
said he knew you once"
Mr.. Scaburn went to the room
where the patient lay and looked at
him. Surely he never knew that
man.! " There must be some mis-
take" he said.
The invalid heard him and opened
his eyes-sueh blood-shot, unearth-
ly eyes
" Harry" he whispered, trying
to lift himself upon his elbow =" is
this Henry Seaburn 20
"That is my name."
" And don't you know me 2"
I" ! am sure I do not" And he
would have said that he did not
wish to, only the man seemed so Ut
terly miserable that he would not
wound what little feeling he might
have left.
| "Have you forgotten your old
playmate in boyhood, Harry-your
friend in other years, your chum in
college? ?"
-" W.~> - s--r.a o.-L---. start
ing back aghast, for glimmer OF
the truth burst upon him. {" This
is not Alec Lomberg ?"
"All that is left Of him my Hail."
returned the poor fellow putting
forth his wasted, skeleton hand,
and smiling faint, quivering, dy-
ing smile.
Alexander Lomberg? said
Henry gazing into the bloated, dis
figured face before him.
.' You wouldn't havo known me,
Hal?"
"Indeed, no -
II know I am alterd."
but, Alec,' cried Seaburn,
"how is this? Why are you here?"
"R Z NJ, my Hal-RuM! I'm
about done for. But I wanted to
see you. They told me you liy-
ed not far away, and I would look
upon one friend before I died.'
d" But l heard you we're practic-
ing in your profession, Alec, and
doing we'll :"
" So I did do we'll when I prac-
ticed, Hal. l have made some
pleas, but I have given up all that. ="
4" And your father--where is he?"
Don't mention him he taught
me to drink! Ay, he taught me |!
and then turned the cold shoulder
upon me when I drank too much |!
But I'm going, Hal-going going ="
Henry seaburn gazed into that
terrible face, and remembered what
its owner had been-the son Of
wealthy parents; the idol Of . fond
mother; the favorite at school at
play and at college; a light of in 3.
tellect and physical beauty, and a
noble, generous friend. And now
alas "Alec, can l help you?
Yes" And the poor fellow
started higher up from his pillow,
and something ofthe light strug-
gled for moment in his eyes
pray for me, Hal. Pray for
my soul +! Pray that I may 20
where my mother is! She won t
disown her boy. She could not
have done it had she lived. Oh (!
she was good mother, Hal. Thank
God she didn't live to see this (!
Pray for me-pray-pray Let me
60 to uKR I"
As the wasted man sank back he
fell to weeping, aud in q moment
more, one Of his paroxysms came on
and he began to rave. He thought
Harry was his father, and he cursed
him; and cursed the habit that had
been fastened upon him under that
fathers influence. But Henry could
not stop to listen. With an aching
heart he turned away and left the
hospital. lie could not 70 home to