The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-06-12
sgo,1T His mother. was ! widow and she
hid but him" Knapp shifted his foot

sFo.-7 His mother GAS ! widow aud she
hid but him" Knapp shifted hia foot
to the other knee, strokiug it for q
minute or two. "Well," hurricdly, II
lost sight of him for years, until I found
him one night, as was coming home,
lying drunk on market house stall.
He had grown out Of all likeness to
himself toto swollen bloated animal.
He did not know mel; was glad Of
that. | brought him home aud put
him i'd That room to Bed, and I went
down below to smoke. About ono
o'clock q was sitting quite quiet, some.
how I couldn't sleep heard noise
overhead, sudden gasp, as Of fright
or horror, and then there was long
silence. Presently tho door Of his
chamber opened, and Russell came
down the stairs. He was perfectly So
Der, to my astoulshment-quite master
of himself. l shook hands with him
and brought him in. He did not ask
how he came there sat down and talk.
ed 10 his usual self.possessed way CD
politics and the news of tho day; but
he was terribly shaken, and l saw there
was some under.thought kept down,
which now and then threatened to mas
ter him. I went down to the kitchen
and broiled bit of steak aud made
strong cup of coffee for him, but he
couldn't eat. He said, 'You'll sit up
with me until morning, Uncle Charley ?
l would prefer not to be alone That
was the only reference either of US
made to his condition. The college
boys have fallen into the way Of calling
me that, you see, and I like it; it
makes them somehow free to ask help
when they need it. But Russell is a
man to whom you couldn't offer help.
When the 6rst streak Of dawn came, be
got up. I had brushed the mud off his
overooat without bis knowledge. We
stood in the front door together. The
morning who'd was keen. 1t will be a
pleasant day. he eaid, trying to be
careless and easy. Il thank you sincere.
ly, Mr.. Knapp, for your-your hospit.
atty looked up At the great broad
shouldered fellow, and thought how
death was dragging him down, and not
a soul to stretch hand to him. But
I had to be guarded. took hold of
one Of the lappe's Of his coat. Can l
do anything for you-in any way, Rus.
sell7' l said, 'Pm an old friend Of
your fathers, you know, my lad mo,
l thank you,' he said dryly; but he was
boxing abstractedly down the street,
and turned presently. "A curious thing
happened to me last night trying to
bluff it off with a careless laugh, but I
saw the poor boy wanted to open his
heart to me if he knew how. Did you
ever hear that that rovm Of yours was
an uncanoy sort of place? I woke sud-
denly with my eyes On the blank wall,
and do you know the picture that hangs
there / could have sworn was myself?
As used to be five years ago-nct
this with gesture Of terrible mean.
ing over his face and bloated figure
the Russell Sands now dead Hes
not dead, broke out, for l could keep
quiet no longer. you can go back to
your old self, dear boy, if you will
% God if could believe that! he
cried, with q sort of sob. But in .
moment or two he was cool and quiet
again, buttoned up his coat, and talked
of the weather until he babe me good
by. He held NJ. hand minute.
There is no use talking of these
things he said, sbu. if ever I can go
back to the boy I once was, I'll come
to you, Uncle Charley"
"WelI, and then 7" said Mary.
"He went away with that. For a
long time could find no trace of him
but heard Of him finally out West
Kenyon had secured place for him
where he could FREQ himself from his
old associates, and had seen him last
July. &c reported the poor boy as
hard at work thin as rail, his jaws
sunken like deaths, but bis eyes clear
and steady. 1t had been long battle,
but Kenyon thought he had won it.
See Mr.. Knapp when you go back he
said tell him I'm not ready to meet |
him yet, but I mean to come. I'll
come' wrenohing his hand with ner.
vous laugh" .-.. |
{ "Don't put him in the haunted |
chamber when he comes. Don't let |
him see the picture again and find that |
bis fancy was only fancy"
Knapp laughed uneasily;;3 :. "Now
there Is where the curious part of the |
story comes IN. The wall is q blank
wall. There was no picture there
'Thep it was the shadow of the man
he had wrouged the most that be saw"
Miss Demar rose.
"Tut,. tut! Nov, Molly, you. don't
pretend to believe that folly of Seth's 2"
She took turn up the long path fer
lack Of argument. But to. Miss De-
mar the point Of the story lay in the
part Kenyon had taken in, it, She
thought she had looked at him on every