The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1889-03-22

We ctunOJ nave stS hoous ~ IA 1hs
right way, for we have not succeeded
Juss two a since, John lost his love
Her death was not even natural. II
came upon ns suddenly and with an
awful shock In the midst on a scene
of gaieiy, with o ripping laugh on hen
lips and the impress OF health and
strength In every limb, the Preacher.
Gus ice opened, and the cruel cold
waters sucked her down to her grave
John was not on tbs pond at the time.
II he had been he would not be sfsting
opposite to me now; he would either
have rescued Der, or died IN the at
tempt.
The tragedy caused a commotion IA
the neighborhood, and many tears
we're shed over Luey's untimely end
yet ! never saw John weep though hif
heart was almost broken.
He stood beside the open grave and
listened to the funeral servics with no
more emotion depicted on his features
than rs if he had been q s~tatze; then
2e placed q fair white lily en- the
Goffin-li2, and, turning, walked qTickly
| fsoml the spot.
Hes got no more art o q Mill
stencil" | heard a poor woman exc1aim
bitterly, as she watched his departing
figure. with evident contemplated
such doubtless was the general opinion
in tie neighborhood. Only those Of
his own household knew howl for hours
and hours he seugst the solitude of HE
| gloomy little study, sitting far into the
night c%ngrossed In literature of a, dan
| gerous, unwholssome, yet MOST faseiL
mating type.
When use the word unwhOlesome,.
/ do not mean that John INDUCED in
low and coarse works of fiction; butihes
read those authors who, by reason Oh
deep thinking, crooked reasoning, .anc
an overwhelming faith in their own i'm
fai1ibility, have FOst all faith in the
traditions Of their f~orefathers, and
have struck outIa'new path across the
desert of lifs.-
In the early days We almost trembledi
for his reason
My dear BIanche;. If John is not
reused he will go melancholy mad"
auntie. informed me one evening when
we were passing upstairs at ten o'clock
and She pointed dejectsdly to his study
door; from beneath which there issued
steady light.
On the impulse of themOment, | ran
back avs tapped at the door; then my
heart almost stood stilliwith q kind of
fear-there was nothing John hated so
much as being disturbed IN his studies.
Ny first summons did not arouse him;
so, gathering courage from the silence
within, | knocked4again.. Then came
al impatient exclamation, the door
was half opened, and John stood be-
foreme, locking cold and hard.
"'John," L faftered, '@io shut up
your books and go to bed; l am sure it
is very bad for youstopping up solate."
A satirical smile played around his
lips, and, lending through the open
doorway, hBrkissed me lightly on the
forehead.
''Gotto bed yourself. little woman"
he said, infhis low gentle voice.
The unusual careJs-for we ara
neither of us of Il gushing nature
disarmed me-.
'.Oh, joins" l criod, bursting bodily
into his sanctum, and shutting the
door, lest anyvof the servants should be
passing, you must give-up reading so
much-indeedlyou must! Aunt Louisa
says you wil2igO maalif you persist in
shutting yourself up alone"
''Onlyone of her crotchets, Blanche"
he answered YEARLY, drawing his
hand across his forehead-but there
was 10 r~eassuring sni;e m his grave
eyes. 81 should be far more likely to
go mad.i if / cd moi reSd hard he con-
tinued meditatively, ''for in hat cas-
| should not Sleep"
Then he dismissed me; and / knew
that i had 10 influeRce. over him. 1t
was in no very cheerfullframe of mind
that mounted the. stairs that eve-.-
ming. Aunt Louisaihad informed me-
that John would go madifhe did read,
and he had declared that the like ca.
tastrophe !yrould take place if he die
not read-it was a. dismal prospect for
me-.
Howeve1time fad. and fortunately
no change assaileGour-qGiet household.
Gradually John abandoned his nighs+
watches-graduallN be- assumed some
Of his old habits: but his interest in
life fickered feebIy. Nothing vened
him; nothing pleased him.
But enough of poor Johns eany
trouble-sufice it to, say that the cloud
still hangs oven- us as we sit slipping
our tea around the CHEEKY fireligat.
My ~brother.is dreamy and thoughtful.
Nature does not seem to have endowed
him, with sufficient energy to rise|Out
of his trouble. Having been knocked
down by fate, he. makes no effort to
pick himself up again. As the t9alight
deepens, silence. creeps down upon us
Ikea sombre- mantle. l am .ttae first
to break t7he .spelf-
Ugh" I exclaim suddenly, and
With a fierce touch of impatiease, "we
are as sizsnt as the witches IA Mac
6alhlr"
1.-The. witches were not ~siiens,n COR
reefs john, passing me his empty cup.
ssAh.. mo- remember-they stirred
up, all kinds Of horrors in, d pot for.
the. purpose al raising ghosss-didn'E
they:9'
John mods assent.
sSWelL, they had mare energy than
we have, any way. I believe we are
getting dE,ller and daller every day in
tAe home circle" eglaneing round
With a sigh. However, there is h0pe
IN the distance;' Robin will be here
next week
as she so very sprightly:?" asks
John; and 1 fancy there is a little
sheer On his lips.
s<Yes, indeed; she is like ii rein of
4uicksilver-forever an the move