Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-12-01
THE BROKEN HOME.
truth strangerthan Fictton. >,

The library especially realizes the most
perfect ideal of an elegant and cultured
home.
And yet, at the moment we look in upon
him one August afternoon, as he occu-
pied his llbrary-the proprietor of all this
wealth appeared of all men the most mis-
cradle.
lie was Mr. Morton Preble, for many
years leading banker of San Francisco.
1t was in vain that the broad bay-window
at the south end of the room had been OPP
ened, giving ingress to the sunshine and
fragrance of rare fowers-in vain that the
walls were lined with richly carved book
cases, and paintings-in vain that the
touches and luxurious chairs had been
gathered around him
He was wretched. $50
He lay on sofa, in the depths of the
bay-window, the wreck of a once powerful
man. His figure was thin and gaunt; his
face white as marble; his eyes having an
expression OF woful apprehension; of har-
rowing anxiety, of dreadful expectancy.
1t was evident at a glance that no merely
physical ailment made him what he was.
By what whitening secret, by what des-
troying affiiction, had he been thus agon-
lied thus haunted? thus haunted? he so
noble and good he so wealthy and distin-
guished
As he moved restlessly upon his luxuri
Gus cushions the pretty clock on the man.
tel-piece struck five, every stroke seeming
to fall like hammer upon the heart of the
nervous Invalid. He aroused himself,
struggling feebly to sitting posture.
80, viii this fatal day never, never pass?
he mUrmured ''nor bring us relief?
Not -fa ~ hot he
was alone, he touched bell upon a table
before him, and called:
''Helen, Helen! where are your"
Before the echoes of his voice had died
ont, step was heard, and his wife entered
his presence.
4 left you only for a moment, Morton, u
she said advancing to the bankers side.
sYou were doing l think. | wished to
send for the doctor
She was beautiful woman, of some six
and thirty years, graceful, with broad
white brows, and loving eyes, in which
the brightness and sweetness of a sun
shiny nature were still perceptible, under
a grief no less poignant than that evinced
by her husband.
''The doctor?" he echoed, half re-
proachfully.
eyes, DEAR" she said in a calm and
cheerful voice, as she drew chair to the
side of the sofa, and sat down, stroking
the corrugated forehead of theinvalid with
magnetic touch. HE will be here i'm
mediately. Your last nervous crisis alarm
ed me. You may become seriously ILL.,"
Mr.. Preble bestowed an affectionate
look upon his wife, but said despondingly
''The DOCTOR He cannot minister to a
mind deceased ? Oh, If these long hours
would only pass If I only knew what the
day has yet in store for US T. s
'.Lcok up, Norton" enjoined Mrs. Pre-
BILE, with q reverently trustful glance up
ward through the open window at the blue
sky, and as if looking beyond the azure
clouds therein. .'Let US appeal from the
injustice and wicFedness of earth to the
goodness and mercy CT Heaven p
The banker gave a low, sobbing sigh.
81 cannot look up, Helen, he answered.
with q passionate tremor in his voice
''only down, down, at the grave that is
opening before me p
''Look up, Morton always look up!" she
again enjoined upon the invalid. During
all these fourteen years of agony have not
once doubted either the goodness or the
Justice of Heaven. BLESSED are they that
mourn, for they shall be comforted. be-
lieve thai we shall yet rejoice more keenly
than we have mourned, and that we shall
come to glorious day beyond all this long
night of sorrOwi' -
The face of the invalid lighted up with
an answering glow, and he murmured:
GLORIOUS faith My wife. you are indeed
a blessed comforter Perhaps you are right
after all!
A knock resounded on a side door at this
Fho owl ,o7otD V In+
the family physician, for whom Mrs. Pre-
BILE had sent, entered the room.
He was an old man, portly in figure, with
white hair and beard. but with a fresh and
rudy complexion, a pair of shrewd blue
eyes, and with an exuberant boyishness of
manner that sat well upon him. He had a
kind heart and clear head. Heapproach-
ed the sofa, after greeting the husband and
wife, and lifted the thin, restless hand OF
the invalid, feeling his pulse.
"Quite high fever, he said, after
brief pause. worrying again, Ell, Mr..
PEBBLE You are wearing yourself out.
Medicine will do you no good SO long as
your mind is in its present condition.
must give you an opiate
''Not now, doctor, interposed the bank
er. & cannot-must not sleep to-day
I need to be broad awake, now, for cannot
tell at any moment what the next may
bring forth I am looking for the culmina-
ton of all my years Of anguish-for the
agony of the whole. Perhaps,
even now. An, what was that ?"
He started up wildly, and then, as the
sound that disturbed him was not repeated,
ne saak again upon his cushions, pallid
and painting.
The doctor looked at Mrs Preble with
an anxious, inquiring glance.
ssIt is the anniversary" shereplied to his
question-'t anniversary OF
our loss.
"Ah, yes, said the doctor. 81 remem-
Der.
eyes, it's another of those terrible days, y
said the banker in aholow whisper. sit
down, doctor, and [ will tell you the whole
story, I can't think of anything else to-day,
and am almost wild with apprehension and
anxiety. Sit down.
DR.. Hutton drew mp chair and seated
himself, his face expressing the double sol
itude of friend and physician.
stYou knew US fourteen years ago, doc
tor, said Mr.. Preble. eve lived then
where we do now, in a cottage on the site
of this great mansion. There were but
three of us-Helen and l, and our three-year
old Jessie. And II was fourteen years ago
to-day that our little Jessie was stolen from
us.
q remember il, said the doctor, softly.
yet she might not have been lost, Mr..
Preble? She went out to play in the gar
den, if remember rightly, and was never
seen by you again. She might have stray
ed away
so we thought for whole year, doe
tor, interrupted the banker. eve never
dreamed that she had been stolen. We
searched everywhere for her, and offered
immense rewards for her recovery. I en-
ployed detectives, but all to no purpose.
When our little Jessie ran down the steps
into that fower-garden. " and he pointed to
the front of the house. ''as if the earth had
opened and swallowed her up, We never
saw her again"
"She must have found the gate open and
wandered out, suggested DR.. Hutton.
She might have strolled down to the
waters and been drowned"
The banker fixed his burning eyes upon
the physicians face, and whispered:
Il said we never saw the poor child
again. l did not say we had not heard of