Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-15
Renorse.

AT late hour one night poor old
man, weak with hunger and stiff with
cold, entered a police station to ask for
lodgings. While he sat by the stove
they heard him groan like one in dis.
tress, and the captain asked:
Are you sick, or have you been
hurt ?"
1T is here" answered the old man,
as he touched his breast. " 1t all came
back to me an hour ago as passed
window and saw bit of boy in his
nightgown. l would to God that l
were dead"
"What is 2" asked the captain rs
he sat down beside the nan.
ct is heart-ache-it is remnrse,"
the old man answered. ~ have had
them gnaving away at my heart for
years. [ havo wanted to die-I have
prayed for death but life still clings
30 this poor old frame. am old and
friendess and worn out, and were some
wheel to crush me it would be an act
Of mercy"
s..Hs wiped his eyes on his ragged
sleeve, made great effort to control his
feelings, and tAen went Oh:
Forty years ago had plenty. A
wife sang in my home, and a young boy
rode on my knee AMI filled the house
with his shouts and laughter. sought
to be good man and kind father,
and people called me such. One night
came homo vexed. 1 found my boy
ailing, and that vexed me still more. |
don't know what ailed me to act so that
night, but it seemed as if everything
went wrong. The child had bed be-
side US, and every night since he had
been able to speak, he had called to me
before closing his eyes in sleep, coed
night, my pal' Oh, sir, 1 hear these
words sounding in my cars every day
and every hour, and they wiring my old
heart until am faint"
For moment he soubed like child,
then he found voice to continue:
"God forgive me, bnt l was cross to
the boy that night. When he called to
me good night, swould not reply.
Good night, my pal he kept calling,
and 6end that T was, would make no
answer. He must have thought me
asleep, but finally cuddled down with
sob in his throat. I wanted to get up
and kiss him, but kept waiting, and
waiting. and finally 1 fell asleep"
well ?" querisd the captain as the
silence grew long.
When l awoke it was day. 1t was
shrek in my ears which broke my
slumbers, and as started up my poor
wife called: 'Oh! Richard! Richard!
our jamie is dead in his bed!' 1t was
so. He was dead and cold. There were
tears on his pale face-the tears he had
shed when he had called: Good night.
my pal and l had refused to answer!
I was dumb. Then remorse came and
I was frantic. I did not know when
they buried him, for was under re-
straint as lunatic. For five long years
life was dark midnight to me. When
reason returned and went forth into
the world my wife slept beside Jamie.
My friends had forgotten me and had
no mission in life but to suffer remorse.
I cannot forget. 1t was almost life
time ago, but through the mist of years,
across the valley of the past, from the
little grave thousands CT miles away,
hear the plaintive call as l heard it that
night: Cool night, my pal Send
me to prison, to the poor house, any.
where that l may halt long enough to
diel l am an old wreck, and l care not
how soon death drags me down"
He was rendered food, bnt he could
not eat. He rocked his body toand fro
and wept and sobbed, and by aud by,
when sleep came 10 him, they heard
him whisper:
Good night, my boy, good night,
my jamie"