Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-11-20

] ~
man on his return from the far
mysterious West caused a sense
tion by asserting that he had seen
and spoken with Danesford at a
wayside station in the great Texan
staked plain.
Young Hastings was right. AS
the train had swept though the
prairie that bright October morn
ing, Guy Danesford had stood with
several other rachmen on the plat
form of the station, attracted thlth-
er by a momentary curiosity to
hear something Of the outer world.
Charlie Hastings stood in the
rear of the train smoking, and
staring languidly at the monoton-
ous prospect, when, as the train
came to a standstill, his astOnlshed
eyes found themselves resting on
Lord Danesford's handsome face.
Guy Danesford, by all that's
wonderful p he had cried, and
had clasped hands in a perfect
paroxysm Of surprise.
Then for a few minutes Guy was
at home again with his bright
youth and his brighter dreams (;
eager, passionate memories rush
ing back in an unconQuerable flood,
his soul crying out within him, 20
for my lost youth o for my lost
hoper But it had passed as Qnick
Iy as it had come. no, no, old
fellow; l love England 5000 miles
away--.but | can't change this free
dom for all the old useless luxury
of the old careless days and with
another hand-clasp the two had
parted, Guy Danesford losing then
forever his last hold on the old
life.
But as the train swept Oh east
ward, Guy mounted his horse and
rode for hours over the vast pral-
rie, his face set toward his tempo
rary home, his soul raging within
him in the utter madness of impO-
tent strife.
That night the man wondered at
his unusual flow Of spirits, at tho
reckless wit and vim Of his speech,
at the strange breaking down of
the barrier his reticence had hither-
to so efIectually raised. But not a
soul knew of the tragedy Of his life
They were rough men, quick to an
swer word with blow, yet there
was not one Of them who would
not have laid down his life for the
austere Englishman who was with
them, yet not Of them.
When he could forget the wreck
of his life; when he could sweep
from his memory the image of that
innocent child kneeling with
clasped hands before his mothers
portrait, he was almost happy-~al-
most. But ofienlthe thunder of his
horses hoofs on the prairie swept
night after night through the stony
silence, as the same old impotent
strife sent him farther and farther
down the black abyss of despair.
And then one day the man who
was nearest to him of them all--the
only one to whom he had ever
spoken of his real life-~going in
search of him, found him still and
white on his bed, a murmur OF
restless. meaningless words on his
lips.
They nursed him we'll, those
rough men whom he employed ia
tend his cattle but they knew
from the first that their care might
alleviate but could avail nothing
In his delirum he spoke of scenes
and places unknown to the silent
watches; places and scenes fraught
with unutterably mournful mem
ories. But one word, breathed in
, yearning accents, sounded through
all the babble of empty phrases
q the word mother
She had called him 'DieudOnne
in those few minutes which God
, had granted her to press her lips
/ to his and sdnctify him with heI
last caress.--it is well if Heaven is
; so far removed from earth tina
, nothing of earthly misery can Ell
, ter.
. At last, the unquiet spirit passe(
away, and Guy Daneslord was him
{ self again. His faithful attendaD
Q bent over him in alarm, for b,
knew that he was in the presenc,
q Of death.
O Then Guy gave his friend direc
- tions, signing with his feeble han'
r the simply-worded will which lel
= legacies to the men who had faith
1 fully served him-:and the one dl
q rection above all others that they
h should take him home ard lay hiu
,. beside his mother.
1t was night, and already tb
> large white stars were shining il
4 the deep and cloudless blue of th
z Texan skies. The silence was yer
8 deep, as though the shadow {
o death hushed all voices and stille
!. all life. The windows Of the ROOF
q were open and a faint breeze sweI
f. through and lifted the damp cnr
q on the dying mans brow.
\ He stirred uneasily and stretcl
J, ed out his hand as though to me'
4 soma answprinO touch then N