The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-15
entrance" said William, resent

You speak the truth, lad. ct L
once had a happy home-I once had
friends. Friends he echoed. fiercely.
Had my will, would send the word
to hell, to burn out its false meaningi
1t was one of these friends-vultures-
lies-call them what you will, who
made me what am"
He took off his hat and barred his
head to the cold wind. In this mans
heart was raging tragic fire, the fury
of which time was powerless to dim.
The memory of an early wrong was
burning within him as fierce ~ as when
it was first perpetrated. For years
had he been hugging it close. tanning
it into blaze which death alone could
eXtinguish.
Years have passed over me, like the
rest of men, and left their marks upon
nv frame. But fresh within me, as in
the hour when it was done, burns the
wrong which set me against my fellow
men forever and forever. When for
get it, may the palsy strike me dead!'
He stopped and took up handful of
snow, with which he bathed his fevered
head. No sign in Nature sympathized
with him. The white-orbed maiden
shed her pure light upon his form; the
soft white snow enveloped his feet;
graceful devices in tree and hedge met
his eyes which ever way he turned. He
stood alone, in antagOniSm with the
symbols of loneliness and purity by
which he was surrounded.
You, in the heyday of youth-you,
with the dream of life spread before
you, woven in bright colors, as it once
spread before me-you love. All men
do, at some time in their early youth.
Each man, in his time, sees a woman
whom he sets before him as an idol,
and falls down and wOrships, poor
blind fool! as though she were Heaven
born. This woman to this man Is
saint; angelic virtues dwell in her; she
is clothed in a celestial armor of mnO-
cence, truth and simplicity. l in my
youth come within this influence. | in
my youth set up within my soul a
painted sham, 4 beautiful lie, and wOr-
shipped it with all the strength Of my
manhood. have read books wherein
woman love is described as Divine
manatiOn-wherein a niche in
wOman's heart is said to sanctify a
mans life, and make him better and
filter for the life to come. WOman's
love. What woman loves as man too
often loves? Her nature is too petty to
comprehend the infinite tenderness OF
a man devotion. The man sees upon
the face of the woman he loves a smile
which Nature gave her-a smile of
Heavenly sweetness which intensiiies
the alteration in his soul; and this trick
Of the features, which she practices in
his absence a hundred times i day, he
believes to be a heart-welcOme to him,
and for him alone. /, who before my
marriage went counting as you have
done tonight. would often meet her
face. and my heart would laugh within
my breast as the sunshine of her eyes
fell upon me. This smile. thought |. is
the outcome of her love for me, and me
alone; the tenderness which / behold
in it is the soul of love. and it is | who
have given it birth. Thus interpreted
the magic silence of her greeting, and
endowed it with spiritual life"
Beneath the spell of this better re-
membrance, his voice grew softer.
- She was all in all to me; she was
my life, my hope, my prize in the
worlds lottcry-the richest. dearest
prize that ever fell to mans lot. l
was always schcming. mOney-making
man; but after | knew her | did not
yearn for wealth for myself yearned
for it for her. Every fresh success l
gained was doubly good because she
would share it. would rub my hands
gladly, and thank God | succeeded, for
her sake. | whispered her name for
luck if | entered into new speculation.
With her image in my heart, every
step ! mounted in the ladder Of life
brought ne nearer to Heaven. | took
this piece of clay. this image Of dust.
and fashioned it, and painted it. and
beautiTied it. filled her face with in
nocence. her eyes with love. her heart
with faithfulness. My devotion gave
music to her voice. sanctity to her
touch. And | loved her, l loved her,
As man never loved before
There was such depth of tender
ness in the mans voice and action that
William Fairfield. forgetting for a time
his own unhappiness, impulSively
moved close to him, and would have
taken his hand in pity; but Stephen re-
pu lsed him. and continued:
1--WE were married. There is a
heaven upon earth for some men at
one period of life. Many of us can re-
member a few weeks or months which
shine out from the past As though they
belonged to another and happier life.
| look back to the first months of my
welded life, and marvel at myself. 1t is
not often that | am stirred to emotion;
but when think of the glory of happi-
ness which was mine during that brief
space. and look at nv home as it is
now stunned. deserted, cold and JOY
less-I am lost in miserable wonder.
/ had smile for all men then-ay,
even for one whose name would blister
my tongue were | to mention it-for
one the very thought of whom drives
my blood from its natural channels,
and inspires me with Il maddening
thirst for everlasting reven@e,''
In his passion he raised his hand and
struck the tree, as he would have
struck MS enemy. ifhe stood before him.
He was my friend. and he sat at my
hearth like my brother. He was my
friend. and was witness of my love
and happiness. He was my friend. and
lauded him to my wife. and sung his
praises. in her ear in our moments of
confidence. He was my friend. and he
betrayed me. Curse his soul for ever
and ever."
Again he struck the tree. and waved
his bloody hand detiantly to the beauti-
full clouds.
Il will hunt that man through all the
worlds. Whatever may be the life We
live when this is done within what
ever sphere or shape l meet him-he