Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-24

! ne might De OF the earIn. edrtnly, out 1
could not make il seem that he was flesh
and blood, like myself
And such a sorrowful face as il was! II
haunted me when looked away, and some
kind of strong fascination in it would draw
my eyes back to it. Was that shadow in
the far seeing eyes one OF regret, remorse,
or repentance; Ii was one or all, and he
made me think of some fallen angel who
pines for his lost estates, and is fading out
of life because the consciousness of the sin
| by which he fell cannot be shaken off, and
he is haunted night and day by the specter
of dead hopes and dreams. 1t was face
that had once been fair to look upon. 1t
had been a strangely powerful face in days
gone by. A mind that had been intense in
action had looked out through those dreary
eyes which now seemed TO see nothing but
shadows unseen 10 others. l saw at
glance that before me WAS the wreck Of a
strong intellect.
He sat there for perhaps an hour never
| once looking at or speaking TO me. Indeed
he did not seem TO be conscious Of my
presence
By and by he rose and walked unstesdily
toward the door. Mr. Leith sprsng up to
assist him, but he waved him back.
DO not come with me-" he said, and
though MIR. Leith insisted on being al
lowed TO help him up the stairs, he reso-
lutely refused all assistance.
Poor Max" the old man said, coming
back and sitting down by me. His life is
in the shadow that has fallen so darkly
about myself and family. He was TO have
married Alice. He was away from home
when she died. He came back on the day
after her body was stolen. He has never
been the same person since that he was
before. He was always different from
other people. He was educated at Heidel-
berg, and think German metaphysics
took too strong hold of him for his own
good. He came back 10 us a dreamer.
Alice loved him, and studied with him,
and took a deep interest in his strange
fancies, but never cared to trouble my
self about them. He has a laboratory in
the tower You see at the corner of the
house, and no one ever sets foot il save
himself. Under it is his study, and there
he remains from morning till night, busy
over his wild theories. go there but sell
dom. The atmosphere seems too heavily
charged with uncanny elements to be
agreeable TO me. What wonderful ex-
periments he has tried in that workshop
she might have won him from his I'M
healthy books and work, and made him
more like the Max he used to be- But he
IS nearly done with il ali now. Poor Max"
was very much interested in this
strange person. So much so that hung
about the house all next day, fearing that
ne might come down when was away
ard / should fail TO see him.
About sunset he came down the stairs,
.lowly, weakly, often stopping to rest.
went TO him, and asked if might not be
allowed to help him.
"Ifyou please" he said Il would like to
walk about the garden little, if you will
let me have your arm"
His weight upon me was like that OF
child. Our walk about the path was so
slow that it tired me.
Il think this is for the last time" he said
by and by, pausing beneath the windows
of hls tower, and looking up to them as
they CLEANED like crimson fire in the light
of the setting sun. "For the last time!
Some would be glad of that, because they
had no fear Of what was TO come after, but
lam glad? Am afraid' Can what is
to come be worse than what / suffer heres
somewhere in that book they call the
Bible it says something about dying daily.
die daily He repeated the words slowly,
seeming, all the time to be talking 20 him
self, as if unmindful Of my presence
Have I not suffered the pangs of DEATH
Have / not prayed to die and been refused
nv plea' But the end men call death is
ntar-and after death, whats'
Suddenly he seemed TO recollect my
1 resence.
Il have something here l want you to
cad Tiff anything happens to me-" he
said, drawing a roll of manuscript from
his pocket. You are not going away for
a day or two'"
II shall stay till the end of the week"
answered
Il feel that something will happen very
soon, perhaps TO night" he said. If die,
read this after the discovery of my death,
but not before. Promise me this"
Ipromised.
If am alive when You go away, you
can give it back TO me. You will not be |
lieve it when you read it. You will think
it the rawlings of madman, but it is true,
all true"
Presently he signified his desire TO re-
turn to the house. He allowed me to as
sist him as far as the stairs Further |
than that, he would not let me go.
when you know all, pity ME, pity me-" |
he said. Il have sinned, and for that sin |
| have paid fearful penalty. Oh God! |
and the penalty goes on forever and for f,
ever"
Then he turned away, and went slowly |
up the stairs. That was the last time I |
ever looked upon the living face of Max |
Cramer.
We were sitting at the breakfast table |
next morning, when a servant came in say |
ing that the door of Max's room was open, |
and he was lying on the floor. She had |
spoken to him, but he had not replied. Be |
coming frightened she had come to find |
Mr.. Leith-
We hurried to his room. Max Cramer |
mad been dead for hours.
He was lying at the foot of the stairs |
leading to the tower. 1t seemed as if he |
had been attempting their ascent when |
The springs of his life had given out and he |
had fallen at the bottom of them to die.
Ill
In my room an hour later sat down to /
read the manuscript he had given me.
And this is what read:
a am accursed. i have attempted the |
work of God, and lost my soul!
Il am dying slowly. Every day feel
myself growing weaker Slowly, but
surely, my life is being drained away, and
'oon the end will come. And then-oh
iod-I dare not say my God-then-
Before die must make confession OF
ny awful crime. l dare not die with il
IntOld.
Il loved my cousin Alice. To me, she
vas the one woman of the world. She
vas more to me than God, or my soul
For love Of her / have lost her, and my
Ouli