Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-05-24

Vf0VtNO-
pains, but he had good time, neyertheless
Never sleeps. He Is the most active and en-
ergetic MEMBER Of the New England Con
science Club: is president Of It. Night and
day you can find him pegging away at smith
painting with his labor, sleeves rolled nm
countenance all alive with enjoyment He
has got his victim splendidly dragooned. now
He can make poor Smith imagine that tho
most innocent little thing be does is an odous
! sin; and then he sets to work and almost tor
lures The soul out Of him about it,"
"Smith Is the noblest man in all this section
and the purest; and yet is always preakino
his heart because he cannot be good! Onlv
conscience could find pleasure in heapipr
agony upon spirit Ike that. DO you know
my aunt Hary's conscience!'
| 81 have seen her at distance, but am NOT
acquainted with her. She lives in the omen
air altogether, because no door is large
enough to admit her."
81 can't believe that Let me see Do YOU
know the conscience of that publisher who
once stole some sketches of mine for a
series Of his, and then left me to pay the law
expenses had to incur in order to choke
| him OFF,"
| "Yes. He has wide fame. He was ey.
hibited, month ago, with some other antio-
uites, for the benefit Of a recent Member OF
the Cabinets conscience, that was starving in
| exile Tickets and fares were high, but
travelled for nothing by pretending to be the
conscience OF an editor, and got in for half
price by representing myself to be the con-
science of clergyman. However, the
publishers conscience, which was to have
beer the main feature OF the entertain.
ment, was failure-as an exhibition.
| he was there, but what Of that! The man.
| agement had provided microscope with a
| magnifying power Of only thirty thousand
dlameters, and SO nobody got to see him,
after all. There was great and general dis.
satisfaction, OF course, butt
just here there was an eager foo'step on
| the stair; opened the door, and my aunt
Mary burst into the room. 1t was a ioyful
| meeting, and CHEEKY bombardnent of ques-
| tions and answers concerning family matters
ensued. BY and by my aunt said
But am going TO abuse you little now
You promised me, the day | saw you last
that you would look after the needs Of the
poor family AROUND the corner So faithfully az
l had done it myself. Well, found out by
| accident that you failed Of your promise
Vas that right?'
| In simple truth, never had thought of that
| family second time! And now such
| splintering pang Of guilt shot through me!
glanced up at my Conscience. Plainly, my
heavy heart was affecting him. His body
| was dropping forward; he seemed about to
fall from the bookcase. My aunt continued:
And think how you have neglected nv
poor proteqee al the almshouse. you DEAR
hard-hearted promise breaker!" 1 blushed
scarlet, and my tongue was tied. As the
| sense OF my guilty negligence waxed sharper
and stronger, my Conscience began to sway
! heavily back and forth; and when my aunt.
after little pause, said ia a grieved tone:
"Since you never went once to see her, may.
be 1t will not distress you now TO know that
that poor child died, months ago. utterly
friendless and forsaken" my Conscience
could no longer bear up under the weight of
my sutferings, but tumbled headlong from
his high perch and struck the floor with
with pain and quaking with apprehension,
but straining every muscle in frantic efforts
| to get up. In fever Of expectancy sprang
| to the door, locked it, placed my back against
| 1t, and bent watchfnl gaze upon my strug-
Cling master. Already my fingers were Itch
| ing to begin their murderous work.
"Oh, what can be the matter!" exclaimed
my aunt, shrinking from me, and following
with her frightened eyes the direction Of
mine. My breath was coming in short,
quick gasps now, and my excitement was
almost uncomfortable. My aunt cried out:
"Oh, do not look SO! You appall me, Oh.
what can the matter be? What is it you seeg
Why do you stare so? Why do you work
your fingers like thatp
Peace, woman!" | said, in hoarse whis-
per. Look elsewhere; pay no attention to
me; it is nothing-Dothing. | am often this
way. 1t will pass in a moment. 1t comes
from smoking too much"
My injured lord was up, wild-eyed with
terror, and trying to hobble toward the door.
| could hardly breathe, ! was so wrought up
My aunt wrung her hands, and said:
''Oh, | knew how it would be; | knew it
would come to this at last! Oh, | implore
you to crush out that fatal habit while it may
yet be time. You must not, you shall not be
deaf to my supplications longer!" My strug-
U1lnp al WA1 I1ar> Sitrps nf
WEAKNESS. "Oh, promise me you will throw
oil this hateful slavery of tobaccon' My Con-
science began to reel drowsily, and grope
with his Understanding spectacle! u
beg you, beseeeh you, l implore you! Your
reason is deserving you! There is madness
in your eye! 1t flames with frenzy! Oh,
hear nae, hear me and be saved! See, plead
with you on my very knees!' AS she sank
before me my Conscience reeled again. and
then dropped languidly to the floor, blinking
toward me a last supplication for mercy, with
heavy eyes. "Oh, promise. or you are lost!
Promise, and be redeemed Promise Prom
Use and livem With a long drawn sigh my
conquered Conscience closed his eyes and fell
fast asleep.
With an exultant shout l sprang past
my aunt, and in an instant | had my
lifelong foe by the throat. After
many years Of waiting and longing, he
was mine at last. | tore him to shreds and
hoSMeuts. fcHt lHt fragments 10 DIS. L
cast the bleeding rubbish into the fire, and
| drew into my nostrils the grateful incense of
my burnt-otering. At last, and forever, my
Conscience was dead!
was a free man! turned upon my poor
aunt who was almost petrifed with terror,
and shouted:
Out OF this with your paupers, your char
tiles, your reforms, your pestilent morals,
You behold before YOU man whose life
conflict Is done, whose soul is at peace;
man whose heart is dead to sorrow, dead to
suffering, dead to remorse; man WITHOUT
A CONSCIENCE! In my joy | spare you,
though could throttle You and never feel a
pang, Fly!n
fled. Since Ia. 'aymy life is all bliss.
Bill unnllnNed III - Nnthinr In all