Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-12-23

Courtesy to her guest, however, de.
mandel the sacrifice. ,..-and they Were
speedily transferred to the dismal prls.
on.
Aunt sophy insisted upon exploring
every corridor of the structure greatly
to Alice's distress, .who felt as much
hesitation in intruding Upon the pris-
oners as though they had beeu in their
own homes.
When the distasteful exploration was
nearly concluded, quite by chance
Alice caught glimpse of a prisoner In
one Of the cells, and recognized her
husband. She gazed fascinated; there
was no mistaking his identity. As
long as she sees anything in this world
she will see that dreary cell its inmate
sitting in an attitude Of deep detection,
while far above his head-so high that
he could not by any possibility catch a
glimpse Of the bright world without-.
s'reamed the few rays of light that
showed only more clearly the horrible
deSolation of the place.
Fortunately Aunt Sophy did not
share Alice's discovery, and so she
brought to her service that sublime
power Of human sclf-control that hides
so many agonizing secrets, and she
asked quite calmly Of the attendant
policeman the oHensc OF the prisoner
on that tier, and learned that "they
were all pulled in u gambling hell last
. night
! Gambling This was the mysterious
occupation that she had ilealized as
some work Of ait or literature. Strange
ly enough Aunt Sophy, who had always
had her suspicious, was the deus er
mochi1lo Of the betrayal. Somehow
Alice endured the drive home, presid-
ed at luncheon, and then excused her.
self to her guest.
Alone at last. face to face with the
horror which had suadenl y darkened
her life, she regarded with bittcrcst
loathing her luxurious surroundings.
They We're the wages OF SIM The per
fume OF. rare flowers hoatel around
her; the December sunshine flooded
the room; the birds sung blithely, care
less that their mistress heart was
breaking.
Al this time the criminal in his cell
Alice no longer identified with her hus
band, the one who had made a year Of
life 50 bright that she had often Won
,errd if heaven could be BETTER He
was suddenly lost, and with him all
faith. She felt as those must WHO
have for Years anchored their hope on
the old fashioned religion and then
had it suddenly swept away by some
apost of the new light, who has moth
ing to offer for the old firm foundation.
"A gamblers wife y She slowly
reiterated the phrase, till a hundred
mocking voices echoed: "a gambler
wife. How low she had fallen.--
There was a criminal in his prison cell
who might escape and come home to
claim her. He would be at liberty to
take her hand, to kiss her, to force up
on her the contaninating influence of
his presence. The only refuge lay in
flight. Then the question arose
"Where will | 80 ?" There is one
refuge denied to none, however poor.
or sinful, or wrctched-aI may flee to
death. The deep flowing river offers
graves to all III the great city whose
burdens pass endurance.
She must yield to the impulse to fly
from the house. Without she could
think more calmly but she could not
90 without farewell. Every room
had It's history, every picture and orna
mcnt its story. But size must not lin
ger, or she might be weak enough to
STAY and share II life of guilt. She
would ilv--away from self if possible
How she came there. Or how long the
Journey had been she could never tell,
but she found herself with the multi
tude, thronging bright Broadway-but
how the thoroughtare was changed -
She had not noticed the shadows in the
picture, the gaunt figures shivering in
the winters blast like spectres from a
neither world, gazing longlngly at the
beautiful things in which they had no
share. Christmas was not for them -
If only defined more sharply the great
gulf fixed between the rich and poor.
Night was falling. The time was
coming to make her way to the dark
river.
The journey took her through un-
familiar streets-a revelation to her