Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-07-01
"why. what do you want to know,


ton place upon the inspiration of the
moment because it WAS long distance
from where we lived and consisted Of
only two short blocks. so 1 was quite
sure Mabel would never find or pene-
trate them. To my great relief she
did not pursue her Investigations fur
Their, but threw me into CONSERVATION
at the table next day by looking at me
wistfully and saying:
Frank, | am quite curious about
your friend, Mr.. Bancroft. Does he
look like youP"
mo" said, giving my imagination
rein, che is shorter and of light COM
plexion.'
docs he wear a beardp'
eyes, a full beard, cropped close"
"What color are his eyesp"
Some foul fiend prompted me to say
he was cross-eyed, and that one organ
was blue and one gray.
How very singular" said Mabel
with growing interest. 81 should like
to see him. Tell me about this real es-
tate scheme"
l felt that if hesitated 1 was lost,
and, laying down my knife and fork, |
entered into detailed account of a Sc
ries of fictitious investments contem-
plated by Bancroft and myself. / did
not originally intend to 60 so deep, but
her questions drew me out, and each
successive step was necessary for pres
eryation. As l walked out of the front
gate | felt like a convicted felon.
However, the mythical Bancroft was
a convenient parsonage, and l con-
cluded that, now that | had invented
him and put my foot in it, so to speak,
| might as we'll use him to all possible
advantage. Consequently Bancroft
was pleaded night after night with
great success, although the continued
questioning of my wife involved me in
tissue of falsehood so monstrous that
was afraid to contemplate it. Ban
croft became piece of exquisite char
acter painting. AS the exigencies of
the case demanded / endowed him with
tastes, habits, prejudices and some few
principles. All the details of his con-
stitution were given the night he was
sick and | had to accompany him to
his room and stay until two o'clock.
Then it was that Mabel learned he was
subject to sudden and violent cramps,
epileptic fits, and partial paralysis.
The night he took me to apoor widows
garnet and rescued her from the verge
: OF starvation Mabel wept over his good
ness of heart, butmade some suspicious
inquiries as to the widows persona
appearance. Next night she abused
him savagely because he got drunk ant
} / had to stay with him and see, as 9
) friend, that he did not get into trouble
About this time became alarmed les
she should visit his supposed place o.
business to read him a lecture upon hi
{ habits, and told her he had left Reed,
t and gone to an uptown store. Thi
Q necessitated going into all the details
MS to why he left, which | gave shame
, lessly. My conscience was in such I
condition by that time that l was les
troubled over my fabrication of com
D plicated lies than was that | shoult
F., cross myself in some of them. How
a intricate, how manifold and multiplied
they were can be imagined when sa,
r that at the end of two years Mabel wa
y still unsuspicious. She had, however
conceived violent dislike, growing
: into an utter adherence, of the man
This was engendered by apeculiar tur
n which the fiction happened to take
; One night the first pencilings G
IS dawn were showing in the skies whe
r | returned home. Ihad not intende
l. to stay so late. realized with sudde
l. and humiliating force that / was
s. brute to leave young girl alone, ur
+ protected, anxious and afraid throug
y the long night. felt ashamed, mort
II fed, and above all alarmed, for wa
9 well aware that scene awaited m,
le.i With beating heart entered the hous'
ii Mabel was in bed and turned her hea
y slightly without looking at me {
s. speaking. | felt intuitively that 81
I. was crying. At that instant any plai
y any lie, no matter how black, Thu
s. would have relieved the poor girls di
at tress would have seemed noble to m
rs So it was with no pang of conscienC
3 that sank into a char and exclaime
er in hollow voice: 80, Mabel, if We
AZ had seen what | have seen you wou
* be sick at heart"
u "What was it, Frankp" she aske
\ with instant curiosity, sitting up
- bed.
u This was the effect had calculate
'; upon. and for moment | said not
~ ing, as if too much overcome to spea
Then iii a low tome / continueu:
s. g. Bancroft is in jailn'
IN 30, Frank she cried, her eyes SUI
ar denly dilating; "what has he donep"
nt Again Twas overcome with emotlo
III l had to have time to think.
10 "You know how Bancroft is VIII,
= he is drinking l said finally.
n. Eyes" she replied, eagerly, eve
o. qaarrelsome.
A. Exactly. Well, VIC were playing
A. game OF billiards last night. hadr
in noticed that he was under the intluen
eli of liquor, but he got into dispu
No with clergyman, who was a perfe
i stranger, and took his billiard CT
:, and"
g "Killed the minister!" shrieked M
nv bel
y "No, thrust it down his throat al
>, broke it off,
p" Mabel stopped her ears and paus
~ for breath.
I "Of course" went on, she was
at rested and | went out to get bail t
0. him."
so "What business was that of yours
asked Mabel, sharply,
ng "For your sake, DEAR" l reptile
y, although no party to the affair,
no realized how the linking of my mar