The Wahpeton times., 1886-08-19

The Buffalo Courier quotes that
touching little poem. Since She Went
Home" BY Bob Bnrdstte, and tells d
story showing hoNclo akin to pathoss
lis the author' shumor. Burdette was
m Buffalo on business few years
ago. and met some friends with whom
he spent an extremely jovial night.
He was apparently in frenzy of fun,,
and wit and bright Jokes emanated
from him like electric sparks. Here
is the sequel
Bob and l walked back to his hotel.
Heasked me to accompany him to
his room, as he did not care to be
alone after such a jolly night, and rs
it would get no later we might as well
smoke a cigar or two. We lit our ci
gars and smoked for q moment in sill.
ence, when Bob threw his weed into
the cuspldor and flung himself
face downward on the bed, where
he sobbed as though his heart
would break. I grew alarmed, and
asked whether he was ill, and if
could do anything for him. He recov.
cred himself after while and begged
me to forgive him, but his sorrow was
greater than he could bear. Said
he:
II have been making a fool and
buffoon of myself all night to please
a lot Of good-natured fellows who
would never give me second thought
If had not the reputation OF being
an amusing chap, but it was not to
please them that 1 have been carrying
on. l have been trying to get away
from the misery of my own mind and
the certain knowledge of the desola.
ton that must fall over my home be.
fore long My poor wife, you must
know, is dying there by inches before
my eyes, and there is no skill on earth
to ease her agonies, much less save
her. She's the dearest little woman,
my boy, that ever lived or breathed
She endures, with the most placid res
| lgnation, torments such as surely must
be spared the lost, and I'm afraid that
she would be content even to die anG
leave me if only to get relief. But
that's only mans selfish way oi
talking. She has made me whatever
l am or may become in the world. She
filled me with ambition to rise above
drudgery when there was little pros.
pect OF any other sort OF life before
me. and she has been my severest crit.
lc as well as my most faithful adviser.
Years that have seen her advice bear
fruit have only added pain and mis-.
cry to her and to me, and I am oblig.
ed to hawk my fun around the coun.
try in lectures and play the merry
Jester to the press, so that moth.
ing may be lacking, when actu.
ally my heart is bursting. I have
worked hard upon humorous
matter when by her side, wondering
whether she was only asleep or really
dead, often stopping in my task to
ease her during an agonizing spasm,
and kept at it by the certain knowl.
edge that only such work would prove
sufficiently remunerative. You have
heard OF the comic actor who played
his part with his usual crispness and
acceptability, while all the time his
heart was at home, where his wife lay
at the poln. OF death? Well, my boy.
for years have been enduring nightly
before the public in lecture halls, and
daily at my desk, all that that poo,
man went through. May God spare
any other human being such torment
have my son, Robbie, q bright young
ster, who has been perfectly prepared
by his mother for the grim day wher
he shall be alone. She tells him that
she is to 60 home and, oh God, what
will 1T be for both Of us when she goes
home?"
We parted and 1 have not seen him
since. The verses just read so recall
to me that sorrowing morning, after
night OF excitement undertaken tc
drive away care, that l could not
help telling of the experience 1 had
with the man by way OF illustrating
his sincerity.