The Red Cloud chief., 1877-01-25
SHADOWS.

SPECTRAL SHADOWS.
Without, the wind howled dismally
and the rain beat upon the window
frames; within, the fire burned cheer
fully, and the Pickering flames cast
gaunt shadows upon the wall.
Seated beside the glowing embers, a
young man of twenty-five, with his
face buried in his hands, rocked softly
to and fro. To him the firelight's warm
glcw was nothing, for the bowling
wind without was in accord with the
heart beating in his breast.
AS Waiter Melmer sat thus tonight,
he was thinking over his life. Or
phaned at an early age, he had been
thrown upon the bounty of a stern
uncle. SO long as the small amount
left by his father lasted, he was well
come beneath Hugh Galleries. roof;
but when the last penny had passed
into the schOOlmaster's hands, his uncle
gave him to understand his welcome
went with it.
Thus he went out upon the world a
youth of nineteen, and strove to WOO
the tickle gOddess-FOrtune. Enter
prising and bright, he had secured a
position and occupied it for the space
OF three years. But now he had lost it.
The firm was about to give up business.
and so Walter found himself penniless
and alone in the great city, amid win
ters chill, and with hundreds of able.
bodied men thrown out of work and
idling away their time while their
families starved. He had written tn
his firm friend and former schoolmate
Frank Lyle, and implored him to &C.
cure him a position among his fathers
many factories.
When he left school Frank had said:
"When you are in trouble, Walter, come
to me-" and SO he had written. Four
days had gone past and still no answer
came.
Night after night Walter had wrapped
upon the landlady's door and inquired
for letters; but nOne-always that n
CRY.
True. this night he had seen only the
niece of the housekeeper, but she would
know surely if there were any. and she
shook her head when he asked. Some.
what sadly, he thought, as if she. child
as she was, were sorry for him.
During the idle time he had PASSED
all his ready money flew, and now he
could see before him only a grave in
the snow-bank with the bleak Deem
Der wind bowling above him.
Was it to be wondered, then. that his
heart lay like lead in his bosom that
despair filled his soul, and a thousand
horrible thoughts filled his mind?
Every gust of wind, every drop of
rain seemed to murmur in his ears.
Kill! killw
No. no! He could not do that: he
would starve, die. rot in the streets ere
his hand should shed the blood of a
fellow creature, to keep life within him.
self.
Then the ghostly shadows limned by
the freight upon the plaster seemed to
take voice and murmur in turn. "Die,
die"
All. but how? True, there was the
river, beneath whose icy surface forget.
fitness and oblivion held sway. A
dozen times had he turned toward the
swollen stream, and dozen times, as
he beheld the great blocks of ice hurled
hither and thither by the raging tide,
he had turned away again.
No; he could not drown himself.
Life was too sweet a morsel to cast
aside. even then. Lower and lower
sank the fire, and now only a forked
tongue of fame. now and then shooting
upward from between the blackened
logs. showed that the wood still burned.
what shall I do?" he asked, as he
raised his head. Am I to die thus ?
Am l to starve in this great cityp"
Over and over again he asked him
self the question, until his brain was on
dre.
With q sudden resolve, born of ex-
he o 8 from his seat and
glided towards the rickety wash-stand
the corner of the room. Pulling out
the sliding drawer, he took out a mas
i've. elegantly mounted revolver, and
it over.
God forgive mel" he calculated, Il
no longer endure it"
HI had raised the deadly weapon to
Ifs head, when a knock upon the door
'pprized him Of some ones approach.
With pale face and cleaning eyes he
concealed the pistol, and an
weredthe summons by "Come in"
Tho door swung open and the pom
form of Mrs. Murphy, the land
,dy. stepped into the room.
sEf yez PLACE, sur" she began, "whln
e. Kim in this blissid avening yez did