The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-06-25

At first the shock, the awful lone
illness he awakes to, and the shame
of being found thus by the woman
for whom he had felt the only pure
love he had known, overwhelm him
utterly, and he bows his head upon
his arms as he clutches the ratings,
and sobs with a grief that is terrible
in Its abandonment.
The very policeman is silent and
awed by what he feels to be scene
from the tragedy of life, though he
may not be able to describe it to
himself by any more suitable phrase
than "rum start"
"You can go now, policeman" ,"
says the lady, putting money in his
hand. 'You see l know this-this
gentleman. Leave him to me he
will give you no trouble now"
And the constable goes, taking
care, however, to keep an eye ocea-
sionally on the corner where this
had taken place. He has not gone
long before Rolleston raises his head
with a husky laugh MS manner
has changed now; he is no longer
the boy in thought and expression
that he was a short time before, and
speaks as might be expected from
his appearance.
II remember it all now" he says.
"You are Ethel Gordon, of course
you are, and you wouldn't have any
thing to do with me-and quite
right, too-and then you married
my brother Lionel. You see L am
as clear as a bell again, now So you
come up and found me battering at
the old door, eh 4? Do yoI know |
got the fancy was boy again and
coming home to-bah, what does all
that matter to you ? Odd sort of
fancy, though, wasn't it? Drink is
always playing me some cursed
trick now. A pretty fool l must
haye made of myselfl"
She says nothing, and he thrusts
his hands deep in his ragged pock-
cts. Halo! what's that I've got ?"
he says, as he feels something at the
bottom of one of them, and bringing
out the box of soldiers he had
bought half an hour before he holds
it up with harsh laugh which has
the ring of despair in it.
stnn r,O,, coo ON L.,
you'll laugh when | tell you it's a
toy bought Just now for-guess
whom-for your dear husband :
Must have been pretty bad, mustn I
1? Shall l give it to you to take to
him-no? Well, perhaps he has out
grown these things now, so here
goes" and he tosses the box over
the railing, and it falls with shiver
of broken glass as the pieces of
painted tin rattle out upon the flag
stones.
"And now I'll wish you good
evening"" he says, sweeping off his
battered hat with mock courtesy.
She tries to keep him back. ''No,
Wilfred, no; you must not go like
that. We live here still, Lionel and
/, in the same old house." and she
indicates the house next door; he
will be home very soon. Will you"
(she cannot help little shudder at
the thought of such a guest)-"will
you come in and wait for him ?"
Throw myself into his arms, eh?"
he says. "How delighted he would
be. I'm just the sort of brother to
be credit to highly respectable
young barrister like him. You re-
ally think he'd like it? No; it's
all right, Ethel, don't be alarmed, | |
was only joking. / shall never come |
in your way, promise you. I'm
just going to take myself of"
Don't say that" she says, Gin |
spite of herself she feels relieved) i
''tell me-is there nothing we can
do-no help we can give you ?"
Nothing" he answers fercely; |
II don't want your pity. Do ysu
think / can't see that you wouldn't
touch me with the tongs if you
could help it. It's too late to snivel
over me now, and, and I'm well
enough as l am. You leave me
alone to go to the devil my own
way it's all / ask of you. Good
bye. It's Christmas, isn't l.? 1
haven't dreamed that at all events.
Well, | wish you and Lionel as mer
~ q Christmas as | mean to have. |
can't say more than that in the way
Of enjoyment"
He turns on his heel at the last
words and slouches off down the
narrow lane by which he had come.
Ethel Rolleston stands for a while,
looking after his receding form till |
the fog closes around it and she can
see it no more. She feels as if she
had seen a ghost and for her at
least the inclosure before the desert
ed house next door will be haunted
ever more-haunted by a forlorn
and homeless figure sobbing there
by the ratings.
As for the man, he goes on his
way until he finds door which is
not closed against him.