The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-08-25


something better, and I have some
thing OF my old-time pr;deyet remain
ing. Misconduct and misfortune COM
bined may cause the best OF people to
take long strides downward on the
ladder OF fortune as both my former
partner and myself found to our sor-
row. -
John Manley was silent, reserved
sort OF a fellow, and can hardly tell
how it happened that we went into
business together. I found it naces-
sary for me to have partner, and I
knew him to be a good workman and
strictly honorable. Nobody else was
available, and so I took him.
1t was evident that he, like myself,
had once moved in very different
sphere OF life; but that mattered not.
We were only carpenters and builders
then, and as such we were obliged to
earn our living or starve.
Neither John nor myself had any
family, so we hired a room in a cheap
lodging house and took our meals at
a neighboring lunch counter for q
number OF years. He was always
exceedingly reticent about his past
life; and / never knew where he came
from, or even if Marley were his true
name. However, he attended closely
to business and it mattered little
whether he talked or not. A dumb
man could drive nails or shove fore
plane just as we'll as the most garrul-
Gus chatterbox alive-and perhaps
better.
Gradually strong bond of sympa-
thy established itself between my
gloomy, misanthropic partner and
myself; and after long time>he be-
came almost confidential with me. |
felt certain that he really liked me in
his singular, moody fashion; but con-
corning most particulars OF his past
history he was always dumb.
l soon made up my mind that this
singular man was q mOnOmaniac, or
else was overwhelmed with remorse
for some dark deed committed in the
past. A terrible secret seemed haunt
ing him continually and preying upon
his very life from day 10 day. Perhaps
both these suppositions were correct.
Il havea dark and fearful secret in
my past life," he said to me on more
than one occasion, and the retribution
due me for black sin once committed
will yet overtake me. No human eye
saw me do that terrible deed, and no
human ear was listening; but the eye
OF God was upon me, and the hand OF
heaven is swift for vengeance. Sooner
Or later the avenoing blow that
is threatening me will fall, and when
it does | shall expiate with my heart
blood the terrible crime that has so
long overshadowed my life"
tried to reason with the man but
it was all in vain. His hidden secret
. was evidently weighing him down
like the hand Of doom; and he believed
that heaven menanced him with it's
direct vengeance, though I never was
able to discover the exact nature oil
the crime which he had committed,
or fancied that he had.
He grew more haggard and wild-eyed
from day to day, though he still at.
tended to business with all the dog
,gedness of despair, while he awaited
vengeance from on high.
partner must be harmlessly insane
and that his dark secret existed only
in the wild fancies of q disordered i'm
agination. Etsa
1.-THE blow will soon fall now. Will
Ham," said he to me one day, 'the
vengeance of heaven is at hand
Deeds like mine may remain conceal
ed from all mankind, but there is ar
eye above that never slumbers, and
retribution is sure and certain in the
end. 1t may be, and often is, delay.
ed for years, but it, will inevitably
come at last"
what do yon expect is going to
happen, sJohn?.' / asked in return
EDO you think your secret wilbe dis
covered at last, after you have sue
cessfully hidden it for all these years
and that punishment is about to be
measured out to your"
NO" he replied. II have hidden
it too well for that. My sinful deed
can never come to light now; but II
cries aloud to heaven for vengeance
and, though the dulled ears OF al
G. L, n