The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1888-11-15
TR1LLIoN's CONSCIENCE RETURNS.

TRILLION'S CONSCIENCE RETURNS
Trillion, at last, in spite Of his arrnor oil
selfishness and stoicism, was touched i'll a Vita
part. His dreams of wealth had vanished
into air. The confederate in whom he had
trusted had only made him dnge Blindly
] following out his agreement he found him
self saddled with a load of railroad shares
/ useless for any purpose, and all of his coa
vertible property gone. The consciousness
that he-the man of all others, who pri.lpt
himself upon his sagacity-had been 50 EASILY
overreached was quite as humiiiatii 2 as ils
] idea of ruin itself. He remembef q WHIT
sands appeals, also, and now cursed his own
stupidity In refusing to aid him. There he
mad overreached himself; it was his own
stocks which he had thrown down to the
bears" And now, heaviest stroke of
all, Irainor, his intrepid and chivalrous
agent. who had stepped into the breach
for him, had paid for his indscretion with
ms lie. The thought gave him a pang he
had never felt, not even when he followed
his wife to the grave. Homeward he went
| but slowly and almost without volition. He
recognized no acquaintance that he met, but
walked on abstractedly, fixing his eyes OH
vacancy with look as mournful as his iron
features could wear. In his ears still rang
those thrilling cries. His hand, that had
I CROPPED over that motionless heart, still felt
creeping chill; it would not warm. And
| constantly an accusing voice asked, "Why
didn't you come down?n-and conscience re-
peated the question in tones like those of
judge arraigning criminal. He reached his
house and gave orders that no one should be
admitted. In his room he passed the
day alone, drifting on an ocean of re-
morse, full of vague purposes of repent
ance and restitution. Dinner passed I'M
needed, and still he paced the silent
chamber. With the approach of evening his
terrors increased; he rang for servant and
had the gas-burners lighted. Still, in all
the blaze, shapes would haunt him. they
crouched at the foot of his bed; they lurked
behind his wardrobe-door. He dared not
look over his shoulder, but forced himself to
stand up and face what he so dreaded to see.
lie rang again and babe the servant bring a
screw-driver and take down the coat-hooks
from the wardrobe; the garments hanging
there seemed to be men struggling in the
agonies of asphyxia. The slender thread of
sound from the gas burners seemed
to be changed to low, mournful
cries, as of woman over the dead
then the shadows of the cannel-coal fire
danced like spectres on the ceiling. He
jumped up and raised the lights again; again
the low, dismal monotone sang in his ears
lie stopped them with his fingers; again the
persistent voice asked, "Why didn't you come
down?" Flakes fell off the coal in the CRATE
shaped like collins; the flames seemed to dart
at him with their fiery tongues. He rang
babe him drink enough strong tea and then
take his chair by the fire.
Touch me, if [ groan," said he to the as
tonished John. "Keep awake yourself, and
hold your tongue. If you go to sleep or leave
me, I'll murder you"
Then wrapping himself in his dressing
gown, he settled down in his easy-chair for
the night.
The night passed, as all nights WILL and in
the morning Mr.. Trillion was calmer The
first intelligence he received after breakfast
was in a message from Sponsor, delivered by
q servant.
"Plaze Sir, Mr.. Sponsors compliments,
and he says the Treasury will buy fourteen
millions OF bonds and moneys to be aisier."
"Send after Mr.. Sponsor; overtake him.
and ask him to come back. I want to see
him.
Sponsor returned, and they had a long
conference. 1t now seemed probable that
stocks would be more buoyant and the "bul1s"
would have their turn. Any considerable
rise in shares would place Trilion on his feet
and enable him to resume payment Most of
his time contracts had been met, and the |
change would be of the greatest service to
him. He placed his shares, therefore, in
Sponsors hands with instructions to sell
when prices advanced. He then looked over
the amount of his liabilities, and saw. with
some of his old exultation, that if he could
effect sales at the rate he expected, he should
have at least two hundred thousand dollars
after paying all his debts. Ambition again
whispered to him, that he might now take
his old place in the business world, and per-
haps might more than retrieve his losses
But he thought of the last night, and shrank
from encountering new brood of horrors.
Firm in his new purposes, he dismissed the
broker and sent for his counsellor
my son" he meditated, lis a lawyer in
good practice. He needs no fortune. Twenty
thousand will be enough for him; more than
| had, which wasn't a penny. Ny daughter
is married rich. Didn't mean to have any
pauper son-in-law to be plaguing me. The
same for her. The rest will square those old
accounts-and the new one, too, on the book
up yonder! Best to fix it now, while | can
muster the courage. II I once get the
money I'm afraid I shouldn't do it. So nv
will shall set all these matters right; and it
shall be drawn and signed to-day"
That night Mr.. Trillion needed no servant
to watch with him. The ghosts were laid.
CONTINUED.
The Verdict Unanimous.