Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-03-14

self the actual truth OF what
had witnessed. Ny brain whirlet
circles Of light swan giddiil
bafore me In the air che 'Aaer
know as flowers, this round wonder o.
the eyes called nature; Of what avail va,
God himself, ! wildly unused. since ever
hs could not keep one woman trueI Sht
whom loved she as oeiicate o.
looked blood-red. The solid earth
seemed unsteady beneath my feet,
almost / douted whether was indeed
alive. or whether was not rather
the wretched ghost Of my past self.
doomed to return from the grave to lool
beIplessly upon the loss and ruin OF oil
the fair, once precious things OF bygone
DAYS. The splendid universe around
me seemed no more upheld by the hand
Of God, no more majestic marvel; II
was to me but an inflated bubble OF emp.
tiness, q mere ball for devils to kick and
spurn through space! OF what avail
these twinkling stars, these stately leaf
laden trees, these cups Of fragrance we
form, rs angel-like In face o. the child
bride OF Christ, St. Agnes-she, even
she was what? A thing lpwer
than the beasts, 0 thing as vile %
the yilest wretch in female form that
sells herself for gold piece, . thing
great Heayen!-ior oil men 70 despise
and make light of.-for the finger Of
scorn to point out,-ior the foul Kissing
tongue Of Scandal to mock Of! This
creature was my wife the
mother Of my child;-she had cast mud
ON her soul by her own free will and
choice,-she had selected evil as her
good, she had crowned herself with
shame willingly, nay-joyiully: she bag
preferred It to honour. What should DO
done? / tortured myself increasingly
with this question. I5tared blankly on
the ground-wonld some demon spring
from II and give me the answer ] sought?
What should be done with herewith
him. my treacherous friend, my smil-
l.g betrayer? Suddenly my eyes
lighted on the fallen rose-leaves-those
that had dropped when Guido's
embrace had crushed the flower
she wore. There they lay on the path,
curled softly At the edges like little
crimson shells. I stopped and picked
them up-placed them all In the hol.
low Of my hand and looked at them.
They had sweet odour almost
l kissed them nay, nay! j
could not-they had too recently lain on
the breast Of an embodied Lie! Yes,
she was that, o Lie, q living, lovely, but
accursed Lie! "Go and kill her!" Stay!
where had ! heard that?" Painfully ]
~ lac
and then / thought modify
that the starved and miserable rag
picker was more OF o man than /. He
had taken his revenge at once; while !,
like fool, had let occasion slip. Yes,
but not for ever! There were different
ways Of 7engeance; one must decide the
best, the keenest way-and, above all,
the way that shall infiict the longest,
the cruelest agony upon those by whom
honour is wrOnged. True-it would be
sweet to slay sin In the act OF SHINING,
but then-must Romani brand himself
as murderer In the sight OF men? Not so;
there were other means-Other roads
leading to the same end II the tired brain
could only plan them out Slowly
dragged my aching limbs to the fallen
trunk Of q trees and sat down, still hold
ing the dying rose-leaves in my clenched
palm. There was surging noise In my
ears-my mouth tasted Of blood, my lips
we're parched and burning as with fever.
"A white-haired fisherman. That was
ne! The King had said so. Mechanic
lily looked down at the clothes ! wore
the former property Of suicide. HE
vas fool" the vendor Of them had said,
'he killed himself"
Yes, there was no doubt Of IL Il
10 was fool. would not follow his
or at least not yet i
had something to do frst-sOmething
hat must be done II / could only see
ny way clear to 1t. Yes i.
4 / could only see my way and
Ollow 1t straightly, resolutely, re-
nOrselessly! My thoughts were con-
used, like the thoughts OF fever
stricken man In delirium the
cent Of the rose-leaves l held sickened
ne strangely,-yet would not throw
hem from me; no, would keep them TO
emind me Of the embraces had wit
lessedl felt for my purse; / found and
'pened 1t, and placed the whitening red
petals carefully within it. AS ! slipped
t again into my pocket l remembered
he two leathern pouches l carried-the
me filed with gold, the other with the
ewels had intended for her.
dy adventures In the vault required to
ne: smiled as l recollected the dire
truggle had made for life and liberty.
life and libertvl-0f what use were they
o me now, save for one thing-revengeP
was not wanted; / was not ex-
'ected back to refill my former
lace on earth the large fortune
had possessed was now my wife's
y the decree OF my own last will and
which she would have no
ifficulty in proving. But still, wealth
1as mine-the hidden stories Of the
rigands were sufficient to make any
nan more than rich for the term OF his
atural life. As considered this sort
I dull pleasure throbbed in my veins.
ioneY! Anything could be done for
would purchase even ven
eance. But what sort Of vengeance?
UGH o one as / sought must be unique
1