Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-24
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
In an elegantly furnished bed chamber a lady is
sitting alone in front of grate in which is burning
bright wood fire the thumb and forefnger of the
right hand press either temple; solitaire diamond
ring, held on the middle finger by simple band Of
gold reflects the light Of the fire and adds briancy
to the scene. Her left hand lays in her lap clasping
roll Of manuscript, which is more or less soiled
The lady is dressed in plain black and the rings
have mentioned are the only ornaments worn. The
rain is falling in torrents and stormy south wind
is driving it hard against the window her right
side; but she hears it not, neither does she hear
the servant when she enters and places lighted
lamp on the table on which her right elbow rests
The clock on the mantel strikes five the pendulum
swings back and forth, marking the flight Of time
with monotonous tick, and once more the clear
tones of the little bell announces that another hour
has been added to the dead past. This woman, al
most as motionless statue, is thinking, think
ing, thinking Several years of her fes history has
passed in review, in her mental vision a question
of some moment to her he's been debated, and, as
the tone of the clocks stroke dies away her fingers
nervously grasp the manuscript, and she says aud
IDLY, 81 will read" And she reads
THE MANUSCRIPT.
Dead, yet living Dead to all man may hold
sacred on this earth dead to family, to friends
dead to ambition dead to hopes. Living for bitter
memories, for an aimless purpose; living, in fact
because God wills the intensity of the punishment
and holds back the dagger that might end It all in
sweet oblivion. One may court death, aye, long for
it, and set tremble at the idea OF selfmurder While
one may have forfeited every claim on Gods good.
ness and mercy, and be void Of all hope for the
world to come, yet it awful thing to go be
fore the great Judge with ones own blood on our
hands, Oh, that could be certain that death was
blottng-ou of ones life that that which we call
the soul Of man could end, like the body, at the
grave How many, many times have been tempted
to follow the advice Of Jobs wife, curse God and
die; but am here, and suppose must listlessly
and aimlessly follow tine thread to the end
Why have / commenced to write? What purpose
can it server Would the pleasure or the pain pre-
dominate in writing down, just for my own eye,
some of the "reminiscences of the past? Pleasure
How dare talk of pleasure: That's good joke.
Pleasure Dare even hope for pleasure? For ten
long years have throttled every effort OF memory
to dwell on the past bat to day. the solitude Of
this wilderness feel ungovernsbe desire to call
up visions OF the past. Yes, will try the expert
ment. / will write me down something of the past
and destroy the paper before the eye OF man can
it. Who knows There may be bonanza of pleas
ure in it after ALL Let me see. Who am /? From
whence came L? remember myself first as an or
phau boy working for IS month during the sum-
mer and going to the old-feld school during tt e
winter Those were lonely Gays. In fact my life
has been desert, with but a single bright
oasis in all its dreary length AS boy, was SUBJ
jected continually to oppression and wrong. One
year, when was about Il, worked fer Judge Un-
derhill. The Sundays and holidays OF the autumn
were spent in gathering nuts, which / intended to
sell during the winter TO increase my little stock,
SO / could afford Sunday suit of clothes i was
going to where had them stored in an clubhouse,
one day, when found the Judges wife busy remoy-
ing them to her own store-room. l came by on the
outside Of the house time to hear her little daugh
ter say, .' Oh, mamma, those belong to John"
Never mind" said the mother, "a he is working
for US and his time is ours
" But" persisted the little angel, "he gathered
them on Sunday then his time was his own"
Without noticing the last speech of the little
one, the mother and her elder daughter walked
of loaded with my property. The little one-God
bless her F.! God bless her ,-tarried for minute OF
50, aud sobbed as though her little heart would
break and then walked eff to another part of the
elegant grounds, and began to play with the New
foundland dog. never told that sweet little angel
what had seen and heard but it gave me something
to live for / worked hard studied hard and the
day / was twenty-one grasp, my license to prac
tice law, signed by Judge Buckner, the closest ex
aminer in the State For some reason l became
popular. The year after | reached my majority
Judge Underhill was nominated for the Assembly by
the Democratic party. The county was Democratic
The " hig convention WAS composed principally o
young men, and they put me on the ticket against
tine Judge. l began a canvass without any hopes Of
an election. l made some happy speeches. The
young men of all parties began to flock around me
The old men of my party chance to get even
on their ancient enemy, and the canvass became in
tensely exciting.
All the years since had worked for the Judge
had been thrown more lees in companiOnship with
his little daughter Inez. i would constantly heal
those noble words, Those belong to John" and see
the image Of the little one weeping over my wrongs
loved her as a superior being Aye, worshiped
her as never Indian deyotee worshiped his idol.
had never thought OF making her my wife. In fact
while she was growing up and budding out into
womanhood looked upon her still as my little
angel.
One evening, when the canvass was beginning te
get very warm, met Inez at party. We danced
together, and then somehow found ourselves out or
the veranda alone.
"Do you know, John, she said, as she hung con
fidently on my arm, that this political contest j;
very unfortunate. My father thinks that you are
going to beat him, and he is furious. He looks
uoon it as an iniignity to put mere boy against
HIM and then defeat him wish John, for my sake
you were out Of it."
"Iwould die for your sale, Inez," said vehe
, mently.
"I know you would, John Henderson," she re-
piled caressngly. "There has not been time since
was u years old you would not have done that"
"And how did my idol know that had been
worshiping it all these yearss'
"Know it You great, big, awkward BOBBY
You did not think was blind, did you? Haven't
I seen what was squirting you on to such extra
ordinary exertion? have seen you look happy SO
often when have gwen you WORD OF encourage
msnt or q smile Of approval"
rAnd can it be possible, Inez Underhin," said
excitsdly, with my heart alm'st choking me,
that you love me, the orphan boy, without for.
tune or family connection p
"Why. of course / 10. You did not expect
loved somebody's fortune or family connection, did
yous Oh, have been awful proud Of my big,
gawky, talented lover When could see that he had
set me up as his queen, high above all the world.
Don't you know your first political speech, when you
took the town by storm, was made entirely to me
You were not caring fig what anybody else
thought Of it. l knew by experience that could
bring you out by looks Of encouragement, and took
that particular seat there occupied TO be able to
do it. No man ever looked more seafchingiy back
under the shadows Of n bonnet for tokens OF
couragement and as each smile Of approval brought
forth new bursts Of sioquence from the boyspeaker
that shook the houss from center to circumference
with applause, concluded that no one ever 60,
more encouragement from under bonnet You