Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-05-19

long, dreary years OF his coming exile;
but all in vain. The proofs OF his
guilt We're too strong. and Aunt Libbie
drove him from her side with horror
and loatbing: even while her own
heart was breaking with tho pain OF
the separation.
From that hour Tom Dacre was
never seen again. Search as they
would. the detectives could not find
the slightest trace OF the missing man.
and after years OF unsuccessful effort
tho search was finally abandoned
The brutal murder OF Deacon Burgess
was doomed to remain unavenged.
That scene OF horror changed Aunt
Libbic from gay. light young
girl into staid and quiet woman.
When her parents passed away she
inherited the paternal homestead. for
she was an only child. She remained
truc to her fallen idol and never
married; but when Maggie her favor
lite cousins child. became my wife.
snc rendered US home with her. an
offer which we gladly accepted. Her
| pretty little house had been our abode
for just ten long, happy years on the
] very day she found the fororn old
beggar lying helpless and dying by
! the roadside.
Wandercr though he evidently was
/ the old man was quite clean. and
while ragged and dusty there was n
certain indescrioablc something about
him that proclaimed he had once been
gentleman, His long neglected
hair and beard Of "A silvcry white gave
hlm the aspect Of one of the patri-
archs OF old and a certain grave and
reverend beauty clothed the worn old
features with Il grandeur not oil earth.
Want weakness and woe it is true.
We're depicted there. deeply craven
by loh" years OF care and suffering.
bat of wickedncss there was not q
single trace, His was a remarkable
lace Tor !; dep. scG and homeless tramp
To wear.
DR. Paine. came AT once but after
examining the patient carefully he
only Shoes his head With the hes,
OF care the old man might possibly
pull through but he was SO aged and
feeble that j, was exceedingly doubt
full. SO saying ne took his departure.
leaving behind him some simple rem.
cdv
Kind tender hearted Aunt Libbie
would not hear o. moving the unior-
tunnte old man. aud at her rcques, |
sat by his bedside all that night. He
aid not come to his senses fully bu,
along toward morning he began to
babb!e necessarily As people often do
in severe cases o. fever. He evident.
~ tnncicd he WAS talking with some
one. for he related quite :. coherent
chapter from the history of his shad-
owed past.
Listen, dear" he murmured. u
will tell you the whole bitter, SORROW
III! truth. ] am as innocent as Your.
self but my half-brothel. Thompson
Dacre, in appearance my very second
self. is a wicked aud desperate man.
Il fear it was he who saw the dea-
con draw his money and who followed
him homeward TO commit the robbery,
which resulted in the victims death.
But, alas cannot prove my where
abouts nor can | give the information
that might place my only living rela-
tive upon the gaiIowS. The evidence
against me is conclusive and nv Inns
are sealed.
''For God S sske believe me. darling.
and do not drive me from your side
forever into the depths of the blackcst
and most hopeless despair" he walled
moment later. 1T will ruin me,
soul and body. if you do. Things look
terribly dark, know, but before
Heaven ! am innocent"
Again the old man became silent,
but after n few moments pause he
went on with his pathetic story
She would not listen to me and
condemned me unheard," he moanea.
"She believed me guilty and spurned
me from her with horror and loathing.
What have to live for now2"
Again he ceased speaking for mo-
ment only TO resume a little later.
oh God. what have l done to
merit this life Of ceaseless suffering
that has been my portion for more
years than l can remember? l be-
came wanderer and an outcast all
my life. All my hope and my ambi-
ton. and even my love Of life died
" Ae'1Aa AAAS O1 C4O lSi tO1C uiS "uCn
Libbie condemned me for my broth
er's crime. My health failed and I |
became beggar and a tramp but.
thank God! have never been worse:
Il have sunk low indeed but nv
hands are still unstained by crime. / |
am only a poor. forsaken. worthless I
old wretch without hope or a pur-
pose in this world or the next; dark. /
unsightly blot upon the pure book of
nature, and yet thank God! am still |
an honest man.
But feel that the dissolution |
have longed for SO long is drawing
near to me at last. I will seek once /
more the scenes OF my happy child
hood. before the shadow of despair
and the dark mantle of death have
enwrapped me forever IN their shroud
ing folds of clinging. smothering
blaclkness. If that boon may yet be
mine. | will look once more upon the /
face OF her love ere sink forever in I
the cold and silent tomb q Cod Il, ,