The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-02-24


To have cherished an ideal as have done,
and allowing to cluster about IL all that was
hottest and tenderest In my thought Is not q
slight thing The discovery that / have been
utterly mistaken has given me a shock from
which shall never recover. have been In
a dream and the awakening has been cruel
only hope that shall never hear Of YOU
again as cec,p y1lg the sacred desk For me
at least and against love you have committed
the objectionable sim"
Andrew Steele lay dazed. His mind was in
too weak cpudition for him 10 connect his
friends readihes at Ramoth Gilead with this
letter. 1t was as If he had received a heavy
blow upon the head. He lay stunned long
time, but when Halsey came In he had arisen
from his bed and was preaching wildly to
an imaginary congregation on the sin that
hath never forgiveness. Halsey led him
TO his bed and compelled him TO lie
down. Then he noticed the letter, read
and concealed it. He saw that IL was
mailed from a way station and had been
written on the train, and therefore before
Orient had received his letter of confession.
Why had he delayed making it when he was
with herr All regret was useless now. He
laid his hand on his friends pulse. He had
no fe'hy, and his hopes rose, but he was wildly
deliritss and incoherent, and the mother
seriously alarmed by this new turn in her
sons condition, which had been pronounced
as very encouraging when the physician last
called. ~ think we had better summon Dr.
Corcoran," she said at length; "he under
stands Andrews case and cured him once be-
fore"
Halsey telegraphed at once, and anxiously
awaited the doctors coming at the country
station The train paused and two passen-
ntl.uA
the gray whiskers he knew must be DR.. Cor
coran, and-Orient had come with him. He
stepped up qnickly, a great delight showing
through the humiliation which crimsoned his
face, but Orient forestalled any explanation.
"So" she exclaimed, fine fire flashing
from her indignant eyes, ''this was
piece of deception like the rest, and you
are not i'll with brain fever. l might
have suspected as much" She wheeled
about and was walking rapidly from him
when her father laid his hand upon her arm.
"Orient," he said, 81 thought it was An
drew Steele who was ill.,
''Who, then, is this impostorf' she asked,
scornfully.
"Did you not receive my lettery" Halsey
asked, humbly. at is true that you have
been deceived, but not by Andrew Steele"
And once more he made his miserable confess
sion.
Orient regarded him with keen, merciless
eyes. 81 do not see why you should tell me
this if it is not true" she said; ''it certainly
is not complimentary to yourself" She did
not speak to him again on their way to the
house. and they all entered Andrew Steeles
room together.
He was reading from an open Bible, and
looked up vacantly, repeating: LEST by any
,bar,V ha nra nbai tn NJ +
self should be a castaway"
Orient stepped firmly to his side, and TAX
ing Andrew Steeles hands in both Of hers,
she said simply; II have made a great mis-
take. l have learned that had no cause to
write you the letter which panied you am
Orient Corcoran. Can you forgive mein
Andrew Steele regarded her with an un-
comprehending, expressionless stare.
Dr. Corcoron started violently, and leading
Mrs. Steele aside, said to her: "This is worse
than had imagined. 1t is not brain fever or
nervous prostraton; it is insanity"
The poor woman uttered sharp cry. "And
he cannot be curedf'
~ did not say say So We will talk it
over And he called bis daughter into an
other room for a consultation.
"They wiz stay all night" said Mrs. Steele
to Halsey. "May ask you to take your
things to neighbor Browns SO that I can ar
range your room for the young ladyn
"Yes, he replied, 'if l can be Of no assist
ance." He felt that he was set aside as a use
less thing, and crushed and indignant he re-
moved his effects. 81 will see her in the
morning." he said to himself; ''and make one
more appeal for myself for now Orient was
busy with his friend talking with him, gently
and patiently trying to lead him back to the
- ~ l,,t< ,;oo, ~
he retired to his new room spending the
greater part of the night in framing excuses
and arguments which might recommend him
to mercy. At last, completely worried out
| he tell asleep, and, tired nature asserting her
right, it was late the following morning
| when he awoke and saw that a travelling
wagon stood before the Steeles' door, and
that ''his friendn was being helped into il
| He hurried across the fields and saw that DR.
Corcoran held the reips while Andrew Steele
propped with cushions occupied the bach
seat Orient was bidding farewell to Mrs
Steele at the door of the house. He JOINED
| her, and taking her bag walked with her tc
the gate. 1t was only short space, but il
was his last opportunity, for thsy were tsk
| ing MS iricliu lo tnsT own home, intending
| to drive all the way by easy stages.
"Orient-Miss Coccoran," he said des
| perately the words tumbling over each Other
| in their eager utterance. ~ beg of you no
to walk so fast, and to listen to one word
| We have heard great deal lately about tn,
| objectionable sin; tell me in mercy has min,
been thatfn
She looked up at him with eyes that wer,
full of hope and happiness "Father is sur
that we will save him" she said; 'he Is con
fident that when we get him back to M,
little room, with everything arranged just a
it was during his first visit, his mind will e
back to that time; his life will start afresl
from that point, and all this sad interim b
| as nothing"
They were Just behind the lilac bush now
which shielded them from the view of the oc
cupants of the carriage. "Of course l an
glad to hear that there is hope for my friend,
Halsey said, "but you cannot expect me :
be Indifferent to my own interests Is ther
no space Of repentancei Shall you Away
despise me, always think of me with detesta
tionm
"Oh, no." Orient replied, forcing hersel
to think of him for a moment, for indeed
all her thoughts were centered on her pa
tient. "Do not imagine for moment tina
| I shall cherish resentment, or remenbe
what has happened very long, for | shal
probably never meet you again; and wha
do | know of youl Not even your name
You were only connected with my life b
this distressing experience of Mr., Steeles
You are nothing to me-"
As Halsey saw the train start he was file
with bitter remorse, He thought he shout
always consider himself q murderer II hi
friend Steele should not recover his reason.
After few days, however, he plucked u
courage to call on Mrs, Steele. She receive
him kindly, and lifted little of the loa
from his heart by telling him that her SO
had shown marked improvement since b
arrived at DR.. Corcoran's.
Upon HalseyNs return to the city he hear
from his friends mother from time to tim,
and at last, to his infinite relief, learned tha
Steele had entirely recovered his reason, an
his health was otherwise much improved.
About year afterward appeared the al
nouneement of the marriage of Steele an
Miss Corcoran, and shortly after this the
sailed as missionaries TO the east No motto
of the marriage, however, was sent to Ha
| seV Ha WAS simuly ipnara.j Hut ha fa