The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-07-12
THE- SUNDAY MORNING NEws. JUL. ~ I89I

bis Uranium without retaining vivid
recollection OF the event
ssBut have no recollection of it. i'll
had I should tell You. But that is of less
importance than what walked out here
to say. I must jump right into the mid
die of it, too, or my courage will fail
Gilman, love Emily Perciyal."
'sIf you had expected to surprise me,
let me assure you you did nothing Of the
sort. / have eyes.
"You suspected itfa
ooh, no; knew it"
"Well?"
81 have no advice to offer. Are con-
gratulations in order or have you de-
clared yourself to the young Lady yetg'
mo, l have not. believe she likes
mel viii not say she loves me. But /
have not felt at liberty to speak to her
upon the subject. As you know, am
scarcely in position to ask the daugh-
ter Of a millionaire to be my wife,"
'sThat is weighty consideration, /"
/ replied steadily and with purpose
gradually taking shape in my mind.
'sBut / infer it would not be the most
important enc to Miss Percival or to her
father. It would be very natural and
highly proper, however, for them to know
something of your past. Are you pre-
pared to tell them?"
1t was acruel thing to say, but did
not mean it should be cruel, nor did it
seem SO at the time. But il this man
could not tell me Of the life he had led in
the days and years before knew him,
how much less could be reveal 1t to the
sweet, trustful woman he professed to
love. What right had he to love such a
wunan if he did not dare confide in herr
What thing could he invite her to more
barren and cherries than heart where
some skeleton was in keeping?
But what seemed unkind in the re-
peating did not appear to either anger or
hurt Brigham. The joyousness went out
of his face as the sunshine is blotted by
passing cloud, and into his eyes there
crept far away look as of one who was
seeking to peer into the beyond It was
an eerie expression of unutterable sad
ness, look such as fancy must some
times come into the eyes of the dying
who are reluctant to leave that which
they have knowledge of for that they
know not Of. The lines about his mouth
deepened, the pallor of bis cheeks became
more apparent, and dark circles crept up
under his eyes. The man seemed to age
ten years as l looked at him. Then he
passed his hand over his head in the old.
irresolute way, and slowly there came
from his lips these words, spoken in pitt
able anguish:
II have no past"
/ grew suddenly impatient, and laying
my hand rudely upon his shoulder spoke
sharply: my God, man, what do you
mean by this imposture? What is there
in your life you fear that men may find
out? Not for my sake tell it, but for the
sake of the woman you profess to love-"
81 have told you the truth, he said
slowly, and then with gathering force
went on: 81 have no past There is a
tradition Of one who spurned the Saviour
and who was hidden to go on forever.
Perhaps am he; but If SO. that early sin
is mercifully hidden FROM my knowl-
edge. l live only in the present--in to-
day-this moment. It is with wonder
that I see children about me in the
streets, for | never was a child The
faces of the people meet are strange to
me, yet never knew any others Some
times at night | look into the windows
Of homes as I pass and see pleasant
groups gathered under the lamplight.
But / never knew such home Of my
own. You talk about your kindred and
your friends to whom you viii some time
return; but have neither kindred nor
friends. You keep always asking me
about my past, my past, but | tell you l
have no past And then feel that you
doubt me, and that you suspect that per-
haps / have committed some grave crime
for which fear the knowledge may
come to you. You have read the story
of the man without country. | am a
man without past.
"But surely
Say. you fellows!' broke in familiar
voice, and Jones hurried up the hill to-
ward US. "Tve been looking for you all
over town, and just met Harmon, who
said he saw you come out this way.
You're wanted at the Office instanter.
The stockholders held a meeting last
night and raised old Ned about the ex-
penses of the paper. roasted the business
manager for calling for assessments on
the stock SO often and ordered general
cutting down. I've just been let out and
the old man wants to see you for the
same agreeable purpose, doubtless. It's
getting cool up this way anyhow, and I'm
off tonight for New Orleans. Ia, ia, I'll
see you this evening""
Brigham and | walked back to the
Office in silence. was too busy trying
to reconcile my companions strange con-
fession with my reason to think much Of
the 'old man" or my fate at the Office.
had no chick to care for and was heart
free, SO the possibility of discharge gave
me no uneasiness. A bird of passage
anyway, had no care for the morrow.
The old Bohemianism asserted itself at
the very possibility of change. But it
was different with Brigham. He was
certainly not so well equipped as | was
to look out for numper one-and besides
he was in love- The chances of his
marrying Emily Pcrciyal might be in
finitesimal- perhaps were--but l could
understand what his emotions ,nnst be