Daily Republican., 1888-02-22
BROTHER AG Asset BROTHER.

s-
BROTHER AG Asset BROTHER.
II is a terrible thing when brothers
Toll in love with the same woman. |
have reason, to know the horrors of
such situation. My brother Robert
|aud worked in the same warehouse
he was the master and | was the
head clerk-and until his eyes fell on
IOlive Stoughton we got along very
well together.
l cannot blame him that he fell in
love with her, but 1t was a sad day ior
me, lie was mAn OF strong passions,
and knew he would do anything TO
win her for his wife, but l did not be.
lieve he would fix crime on me as he
did to get me out OF the way.
II was a trumpedup charge of
forgery he arranged easily in the ware
house, and there was no escaping him.
lie offered to ltt me go il would
leave the country, but / refused TO ac-
knowledge or me | had not COM
mItted byll ceing
81 will go td prison first" / said,
cololy, land bide my time until find
out who has injured me"
He was surprised at my answer.
lie had probably expec,sd me to flee
without word; yet | knew the police
were even then ih the warehouse ex-
samining my papers.
l heard them n the next room, and
throwing oren the door exclaimed:
"My brother wishes me to GO away,
but | am Innocent and will bide by
the result"
"How is this Mr.. Bernardo" asked
one OF them "Did you seek TO de-
prlve the law of its just prey2 You,
who were so eager just nowp
Robert wiped bis eyes, do believe
the men gave him credit for brotherly
affection and sympathy. But be had
shoH n It too late. was taken away
Immediately and put in confinement.
And Olive would hear of my trou.
BILE from stranaersl And how--ohl
how would she bear ilg So near our
great happiness -and nowl
There was no hope. 1t was useless
to record my trial. Even Robert, re-
pentant as he In ust have been, could
not save me now. The bill was too
faithful transcript Of my writing No
Iother clerk wroth in imitation OF Rob-
ert's hand and ny counsel's sugges-
tion that Mr. Bernard might have
written II himself WIS considered too
monstrous to have u moments sway
with the court.
My poor Olivel Alasl she had no
one but myself 10 care for her. But
there was deeper grief even than
this. The blow was struck by the
hand OF my brotherl
| was in prisoh five years. Three of
these years Olive visited me often
The fourth she was wearing away to
another land, ard before its close she
died What cared | then to liver
would not have raised my hand for a
release from prison. Another year
went on. | never heard from Robert,
not even when my Olive died. II
would injure hii respeciability to show
any sympathy with torger.
Well, the day of release came. /
twas indifferent to its approach. l
Ieven fingered after was told that |
Twas free to go. AT length l walked
Tout once more into world which had
taught me such bitter lessons. hur-
Tried cut of town and sought my old
home-the home which had been
Ishrinod in my heat as n picture for
live long, dreary years, l threw my.
Iself upon Olives grave. knew
Iwhere TO find it for she had selected
1.-THE spot years ptfore.
| Even this scene did not melt my
Iheart. | was hard and cold still.
IOlive's sweet life had been sacrificed;
land mine-oh, what bitter offering
had been made OF mine to him who
thad made It so dark
4 With this Thought came one of deep,
fierce revenge. What right had he,
were he my brother, TO throw this
shadow and darkness over me? Had
lmy mother known how he would re.
Ipay my devotion to her wishes would
she have counstlled me to keep back
his dark deeds and sacrifice myself
and my family to him?
4 | do not know how | reached the
, suburban town where Robert had al.
ways resided since he lef my mothers
roof.
II found myself in the dusk of even
ling opposite bis house. A dim ligh
burned in one room where the window
Twas slightly ra Ised. determined Il
| go in and char 10 him with the forgery
land had some uniformed idea about
Idenouncng him to the authorities anC
lcondemning him to the life he haC
lcursed me with so long, or worse still
1.-THE dreadful hought OF killing hin
on the spot.
Let me hero acknowledge all my
Iguilt | did think of this. How madly
1 strobe across the street and entered
1.-THE house. / went directly to hii
room. On couch, pale, haggard and
lemaciated, lay the wreck of my
tbrother, once 4 noble looking, hand
some man. He was praying when
Ipushed open the door, but his voicS
Twas weak and low; still, l csugb
Ienough to know that he was asking
forgiveness for the injury he had don't