The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-10-02

long time. Lately the sense OF guilt
has been insupportable. It may be re-
lief-if not expiation ito tell the truth
in the plainest terms can use. 1t may
leave me more wretched than am now.
But right Is right"
Her chin trembled, and she raised her
hand to cover it. Her admirable COM
posture was smoldering excitement, kept
under by will and the conscience whose
rcctitude she nndervalued. With q sub
pang. March perceived that this disclos-
ure was not . confidence. but duty.
Mr.. Wayt was confirmed opium
cater and drinker, twelve years ago."
she resumed in cold monotone. HE
would drink Intoxicating liquors, too,
when narcotics were not to be had
! believe tho appetite for the
two is common symptom Of
the habit. His wife shielded him.
then. as she does now. and SO success
fully that he kept church in Cincin-
natl for four years. Hester was beau
tiful, active child. eight years old, and
great pet with her father. He does
not care for children as rule. but she
was pretty and clever and amused him.
One day she begged her mother to let
her take dear papa's' lunch up to him.
1t was always dear papa with her. lie
had way Of locking himself in his
study from morning until night Saturday.
Even his wife did not suspect that he
| wrote his Sunday sermon with q glass
of laudanuln and brandy at his side. lie
was busy upon set Of popular dis
courses on Crying Sins of the Day.
They drew immense crowds"
A sarcastic CLEAN passed over her
face, and for the first time the listener
saw likeness to the witty and wise
cripple.
"Hester knocked again and again
without getting an answer. Then her
father called out that he was busy and
did not want any lunch. She was al
ways willful and he had INDUCED her
| unreasonably. So she declared that she
would not go away until he opened the
door and took the tray-not IL she had
to stand there and knock all day. lie
tore open the door in fury. threw the
tray and the lunch downstairs and flung
the child after it. The drugged drink
had made him crazy"
March shuddered.
And that was the cause"
1T left her what you see now. The
effect upon her character and feelings
was, il possible, more deplorable. From
that hour she has never spoken to her
father at all, or Of him rs papa 1t is
always he and him. to the family,
| Mr.. Wayt to strangers. 1t seems hor-
| ribly unnatural. but she loathes and
| despises him. While she lay crushed
and suffering for the months that passed
before she left her bed, she would 20
into commissions at sight of him. Her
mother begged her, on her knees, to
forgive poor papa, who had de-
lirious headache when he pushed her
away from the door Hester refused pas
! sionately. She Is no more forgiying
now. Yet she was so proud and shrewd
even then that she never betrayed to
the doctors how she was hurt. She let
| everybody believe that it was an acct
dent l had been her nurse for six
months before she told me the fearful
story.
THE truth never got abroad in Cincin-
natl, but flying rumors Of Mr.. Wayt's
growing eccentricities and the possible
cause gathered an opposition party in
the church. 1t was headed by promin-
ent druggist who had talked with others
in the trade from whom Mr.. Wayt had
bought opium, laudanum and brandy.
He has been more cunning in his
purchases since then. He was obliged
to resign his charge, and became wha,
poorHester calls'an ecclesiastical tramp.
lie controls his appetite within toler.
ably safe bounds for awhile. sometimes
for months, then gives way, and we live
on the verge Of discovery and disgrace
until the crisis comes. The end is al.
ways the same. We break camp and
move on"
"Yet he brought clean papers to the
| Fairhill church."
A dreary smile went with the answer.
Clerical charity suffereth long and
is kind! Out OF curiosity | attended
once, q meeting Of presbytery that dis
missed him from his church and com.
mended him to another presbytery.
| We had narrowly escaped public ex-
posure at that time. The sexton found
Mr.. Wayt in the condition you have
seen this evening upon the door OF
Of the lecture-room and called in
physician. who boldly proclaimed
| that the man was dead drunk.
The accused Put in a plea OF indisposi.
ton and an overdose OF brandy. mad