Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19
0DIN MOORES CONFESSION.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
M JULIAN HAwTHURHR.


IC0pyriGhted, 1861
TWAS 9 O'Clock on Christmas morning
when Odiu Moore, accompanied by two or
three boon companions as jolly and noisy
as himself, mounted the steps OF his lodg-
ings in West Twenty-third street, New
York, The moon, past her prime, shone
down on the street, which was covered
with dingy snow, except where the long
narrow line of the sidewalks had been
cleared. Odin Moore thrust his pass key
into the lock.
.Come in, you fellows" he said to the
others. "Cigars and whisky Wen
make a night of it! No Sinking now-in
you COP
'sNo more in mine, thank youp replied
pne, ppm off to bed"
ssso'm I!' added another. "Pr have bad
Enough headache as'tis. You're the devil
when you get started 'Nough's goods
feast. Bye-byep
They stumbled down the steps and,
linking arms, started up the street. Odin
Moore looked after them with sullen con-
tempt for a moment, them turned the key
in the lock, entered, and closed the door
D6hlnQ MIN Win UhuS IuHG 6CuO6Q alO0K
the silent and frozen street.
AS be passed down the dark passage
leading to mis- room he shivered. Not that
he was cold; he had too much liquor in
him for that. But he knew that he was
poing to pass bad quarter of an hour.
and he dreaded it. These lonely small
hours of the night were hateful to him.
Though he despised the men with whom
he associated, he could i'll spare their So
clety at such times.
However, with a shrug of his shoulders,
he opened the door of his room and went
in and stepping quickly to the table,
turned up the gas. Then he cast his eyes
about him with a rapid, covert glance.
The room was empty.
1t was falr-sized room, tastefully de-
cOrated and furnished. There were low
book shelves round the walls and above
them were ranged some good oil paintings,
engravings and etchings. On the
mantelpiece, above the open
fireplace, were photographs OF
half dozen handsome women, all of
them actresses, or otherwise publicly
known. The Oblong writing table, COW
cred with morocco leather, was Uttered
with papers and magazines. On either
side OF the fireplace was deep-seated easy
chair; and there was a comfortable sofa
beneath the window. Nothing cheap.
commonplace or inelegant was visible.
Odin Moore evidently possessed culture,
love of beauty and means to crafty his
tastes.
He sat down at the table, opened the
cupboard on the right hand sill, and took
out decanter of whisky and a box of
cigars. He rose again the next moment
took off his heavy OvercOat and sealskin
cap and heaped coal upon the embers of
the grate. Then he returned to his chair,
lit cigar and poured out wineglassful
of whisky. AS he did 80 he noticed a
letter lying on the writing pad ON the
table.
He took it up and examined the
handwriting, which seemed to have a
dim familiarity, though he could not iden-
tify 1T.
mot woman, at all events" he said
TO himself. swell. Pll open it. Christ
mas present, perhaps" he added, with
half laugh, as he broke the seal.
The letter was from Maurice Matlock.
Moore had not seen him and had scarcely
heard from him in nearly ten years. But
they had once been great friends. Then
Maddox had gone West and out of Moore's
knowledge,
The letter said that he was married and
had come to live in New York. He was
still following literature as profession,
with no remarkable results, either in
fame or money. But am very FORUM
ate in other respects" the lawyer went
on, land hope you will come and see for
yourself, at once. We shall expect you
all day tomorrow. l nave told my wife
all about yOu-that you were and are the
best fellow In the world; 80 she is almost
as anxious to see you as l am. have
just finished volume of poems, which
my wife thinks are very good, and
hope to get them published in the spring.
Come and tell me what you think of
them"
Married, and still writing poetry, is
Recommended Odin Moore, laying down
the letter. ''And thinks l am the best
fellow in the world! Evidently he hasn't
changed much. Neither have l, except
that what was always in me has come
out. Still, it would surprise Maurice il |
were to tell him the story OF the last few
years; perhaps he wouldn't be so eager to
introduce me to his wife! Wonder
whether she's pretty? Pshawl Probably
not, Maurice was never cut out to get
on in the world; and he'd be sure to marry
the wrong wOman-either snrew or a
TOOL. Not that he need be afraid of me, il
she were a goddess. Though Pm not
saint, / can draw the line where l choose,
and | should draw it at"
lie stopped abruptly. The same nerv- |
GUS SILVER that had overtaken him In the |
passage returned. He clnched his teeth |
and put restraint upon himself. He |
was sitting with one elbow on the table, |
In which position his back was half |
turned toward the fireplace. Above the |
bookcase, on the side of the room OPP |
posite him as be sat, were two engravings |
from pictures by Michael Angelo, one of |
The Creation of Eve, the other of the Fall. |
Odln fastened his gaze upon these, and |
Kept it there as long as he could. But it |
was no use-the impulse to turn round |
was too strong, and after a minute he
yielded to it.
First he shifted his position in his chair, |
crossing his left leg over his right, then |
ne turned mis- face. His eyes now rested |
upon the easy chair to the left Of the |
fireplace. 1t had been empty mo-
ment before; but now figure was seated
In it.
AzNLL !