Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-11-13
THE BITTER BITTEN.
One Case In Which the End Jus.
titled the Means.

horror on every face; there was the tramp
ling Of mems feet striking q chill TO tho
hearts of those who mourned. And the
mourning was not the soft resignation Of
grief sent by Heaven alone, but the despair
ing agony of shame, horror and ruin.
For Charles Wurtz, who lay upon his bed,
waiting the coroner's coming, had died by
his own hand, lifted in passion of unbear-
able remorse. Only one short day before,
Just the twentyfour hours Of time, there
had been Joyous hearts under the roof where
now sorrow reigned, and it had seemed as
II poverty and trouble had been set apart
from those now crushed under their weight.
In one of the lower rooms, O sort Of homo
workshop with a bench, tools, books and
drawings scattered about, Charles Wurtz,
the son of the suicide, sat with his head
upon his crossed arms, motionless, rigid in
the agony of despair that would have
wrung groans and tears from weaker
man. The room was cold, and already twi-
light shadows were gathering, but he had
not stirred for hours, and seemed I'M
conscious Of the lapse of time. He was
reused by a light touch upon his shoulder,
and voice, tul Of sympathy, sayings
"Charlie, you have eaten nothing to-day.
Come with me to Berta-poor little Berta."
The young man lifted face that, in
spite Of the wretchedness stamped upon it,
was still handsome one, and spoke,
heavily:
"You here, Katiel Then you did not re-
ceive my letterW
az did. We will not talk of that now.
Gomez
Mechanically he obeyed the tender voice,
the light touch Of the little, soft hand. She
led him to small, co1lyfurnished dining
room, where bright fire burned in the
CRATE, tea-table was spread, and slight,
fair-haired girl of sixteen, with pale, awe
stricken face, was trying, with all her girl
ish strength, to smile a welcome
Katie says you must eat, KARL she
said, tenderly, in German, the home Ian
guage in the family, land so / have had
Gertrude get supper for US. There will be
no one else here, DR.. Leider says"
"But, Katiel" Charles persisted And
then the dark-eyed girl who had coaxed
him into the room spoke.
"Karlw she said, bravely, though deep
blush crept TO her cheeks, ''if this had hap
pened one week later, should have been
your wife"
His only answer was gesture of despair.
''ThinlE, them" she said, steadily, "that it
is q week later"
'No, my own brave, true Katie" he said,
hoarsely. yesterday could think of you
as the dear, cherished wife Of man on the
high road 10 fortune. To-dayW
81 scarcely understand yet, Charles"
"You know, my own, that my father,
after years of study, had perfected patent
that promised to make his fortune. 1t was
still q weary time before he could command
sufficient sum TO procure the machinery
necessary to manufacture his article. But
that, too, he conquered, and we had two
silent partners, capitalists, who knew moth
ing Of the process, but see money in the
invention After all the years Of struggle,
our machinery was built, our patent upon
the market, and now-this day. have
orders for nearly fifty thousand dollars
worth Of work. Darling, it was not until
the whole was an assured success that
asked you TO be my wife"
81 know, dear"
"But what you did not know, coward that
was not to tell you, was that my father
was a gambler. 1t was a passion with him.
Ho could not resist the sight Of card. One
OF his fTtends-Heavens above Q friend l.
knowing this weakness, coaxed him yester-
day TO play; gave him drink, won money
from him, and at last obtained his signature
20 q bill of sale of the machinery, the en-
tire process Of our invention. There was q
mockery OF purchase, the price being g
thousand dollars, which we found In my
fathers pocket-book When the fumes Of
drink were gone away from my poor fathers
brain, when he realized the ruin he haC
brought upon US all, he took his own life"
Here Berta, creeping into her brothers
arms, broke into passion Of sobbinR, anC
Katie dret5 both into close embrace.
al see," she said, shat you must begiI
the world again, Karl, but you are young
brave, strong. Do not feaF, pelt me, VINO
this false friendW
"Herman Schornn, our compatriot."
The girls face became very pale and
look Of terror for moment crept into he
dark eyes Then it was replaced by one O
etern resolution, as IL she mentally regis
tered vow she would keep till death
The next weeks passed in whirl of bus
ness perplexities, The gentlemen who ha
advanced money to buy the machinery d.
manded II back; the new proprietor fou
ished his bill of sale, and forbade the weF
10 90 forward until he was ready to dire'
n. and then Charles Wurtz had his reveng
and but an empty one.
Not one man in the factory understood
the preparation Of the material needed 4
the invention. This had been prepared
the father and son Without it the emit
factory was worthless. Through sharp la
yer Charles Wurtz offered terms n
money advanced by the silent partners w
10 be paid in full, and he was to be TAX
into full partnership. The offer was pc
emptorily refused, and the false friel
found himself the owner OF expensi
machinery he could not use, and patent
could not sell.
II might have ended in some compromis
aut Charles was offered a clerkship in a
other city, and Berta home in German
with her mothers sister. 30 the old hor
was broken up, and Katie, brave and trr
left TO wait until fortune smiled again up
her lover.
But women are hard to understaI
and there were not wanting signlfca
smiles and sneers when Herman Schor
was seen visiting at Katie's, makil
friends with her widowed mother. sendi
gifts OF flowers, ffIjts, books or music.
was well known IN the little circle Of ,
ciety to which they belonged that Herm
Schornn had been Katie's suitor since >
was a mere schoolgirl. 'r
Gossip saw the whole affair with
usual clearsightedness. Katie had {
copied Charles Wurtz when fortn
seemed within his grasp, and had throl
him over when he was ruined. Herm
Schornn was the wealthiest man, ev
within his recent purchase, and he hugg
himself close with triumph when Kat
cOyly, and with due maidenly reserve,
him see that his attentions were not U
welcome.
She was very pretty, with large broy
eyes, and rich, dark HAIR, that contrast
with pure, soft complexion and peal
white teeth. And she wore her most |
coming dresses when Herman came
spend the evening; studied the songs
loved to sing with her; accompanied him
concerts, TO drive, to walk, until Char
Wurtz might well have added to his sorro'
tl,oe - ,saearf;or NV hia false ladv.lova