The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-08-23
owe,ve GOT . pamesake of yours in

ne; "besides, you somehow remind me OF |
him, though you're much older than he. |
By the way. there he eomes."
/ misunderstanding knew not what,
shot through me. ] rose, and knew my
brother.
My heart gave one bound. forgot
nv wrongs. I saw only my dear other
self, the companion of my boyhood.
sprang forward.
"Robert dear old boy is it you ?"
He looked at me easerly-ihcredu-
lousy. :,
"It Is" l cried; and--well, l don't
know as 1 am ashamed of i'll embraced
him like a school girl, and wept.
And so did he, poor fellow, though he
could hardly believe the wrecked old
man was his brother.
But what struck me, even ten, as
strange, he did not shrink from me, nor
act as though he had injured me.
Robert" ] said, when we were alone
and calmer, "Ive forgiven you long ago.
We won't speak OF the past. Let me
only be happy in the bliss OF seeing you
once more. Pu never come around to
trouble you"
"Forgive mel" he said, inguiringly.
81 don't understand You'll never
trouble me aud we'll not speak of the
pasl2 Why didn't you write to us,
Ralph? Your poor wife"
Don't speak of herl' | cried in sud
den agony. 81 can bear anything else
spare me that"
But, Ralph, there's something very
strange here. Why didn't you let us
hear from you? Why can't speak OF
her? Since you are not dead-as we
supposed-why did you desert her?'
desert herl My Godl" and fairly
laughed.
A horriblelaugh, dare say, for Robert
turned pale. l could see he thought
was mad. I resolved to control myself,
and since we must have it out, talk it
over. So after turn or two, | came
back and stood by him once more
''Now, Robert, il there is any mistake
here, let us understand it at once. left
you, twenty years ago, in charge of my
wife, in San Francisco"
You did, and L"
And YOU" l interrupted, GO took good
care of her, and did not hear from me
and she grew tired of waiting and loving
shadow; and you-and you loved
herw
"Holdl p he shouted, his eyes blazing.
Who told you that infamous lie ?'
And she," l went on, not needing
him, g she grew faint and tired; she saw
your love and she-returned it
Robert seized my arm "a though he
would murder me, but went on coolly:
"Hush, till 1 have done. When you
received the money sent, you were too
far gone to go back. She got a divorce
you married her: and left the city.
don't blame you"
"And you you've believed this for
twenty years? ' he said, calmly, now,
though it was the calmness of a smOth-
cred volcano.
&" / have
"You have for twenty long years be
/ lieved that your wife and brother were
/ UNANIMOUSLY false to you %
I q have"
Then, hear me, Ralph, while I swear
and his form seemed fairly to diIate
and grow grand, as he said-soiemuly
&" The whole story is a most infamous
falsehood Your wife is as true 20 you
to-day as she was the day you left her.
twenty years ago"
"What do you mean % l cried, fran~
tically, overwhelmed by his manner and
his words.
"What do say, Ralph ?' Oh there
has been some great mistake Hear my
story. After you left US, l struggled on
with the business, though not succeed
ing very well. Susy dropped at first but
soon grew cheerful and began to plan for
your return"
These words brought the dear little
creature so plain before my eyes, that |
Z Z 20, = he TO-
GAS weeks and months and yesrs
passed on" he went On slowly, her
cheeks grew thin and pale, and hungry
look came into her eyes. | saw she was
piniug, ana wrote a letter after you, but
no word could we hear. There came TO
me in q little envelope, directed to both
of Us, draft of five Thousand dollars,
with not s. word to tell how or from
whom it came. OF course we knew il
was from you, but whether gift or legacy,
who could tell?
" We instituted new inquiries. Moth
ing that love could suggest was left un-
done. At last we were forced to con-
clude you were dead. By my advice
the money was invested in a small farm
some distance from San Francisco, and
Susy went TO live on it, while | started
out on a sort OF vagabond, wandering
life, in hopes at least to find your grave,
for we never believed you were alive
these long years, and never let us hear.
| That lie have lived for fifteen years,
returning once in three or four years to
see to the comfort of Susy and now
| find you--'
" You find me-" / interrupted, ga
wreck--a miserable wretch, who has
blasted three lives by his criminal weak
ness, his childish credulity in believing
evil, and who will soon rid the earth OF
his presence" and l started to go, foI
despair had seized upon me.
That l should have believed that hor
ror for so many years, and find it s
stupid mistake; that l should have
thrown away my lie, the blessed love
of my true wife, the warm affection Of
my brother, for an idle scandal. 1t Wa,
! too much to endure.
Robert laid OBTAINING hand-.o n my
arm.
'But Susy, Ralph what shall 1 say
| to the loving woman who has suffered Sc
much for you ?"
LET her still believe me dead, sale
gloomily.
''Nay, brother; let me rather restore
| you 10 her. Ralpn, go nome, ana let us
be so happy together as to partly make
! up for these years of mistakes and error
and grief"
| Well, he persuaded me, and soon wa,
eager enough myself Now the gold
had despised was valuable, as it could
add to Susy's comfort. gathered it up
aud we started for home.
Homel / had not spoke the word fol
! fifteen years.
As we went, Robert tried to prepare
me for change in Susy.
'tShe has had life o. sorrow rs well
! IS you, Ralph, and you must remember
she isn't the girl of Is you left. She i:
nearly 40 years old"
ASH drew near, 1 seemed to grow young
again. and / wanted to rush through
without stopping moment. But Robert
refused; and be wanted to get me into
civilized clothes, and under the hands OF
barber. He wouldn't take such a wild
man of the woods home TO little wife.
So we stopped few hours in San Fran
cisco. had my long white hair and
beard trimmed, and my dress arranged to
suit Robert. an fastened on toward
home.
As We approached the blessed spot
where my d irling lived, i could scarcely
breathe, and dreaded to Tighten her to
d. ath. In sight of the house, / sent
Robert ahead to tell her, and | baseIy
4 = II L. 4