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


close at hand.
| saw to my regret that the man
was rapidly breaking down under
the terrible mental strain that he had
endured SO long. Moody and tact
turn as he was, had become greatly
attached to my strange partner dur
ing the many years we had been as
ISOLATED together. Both Of us were
entirely alone in the world except for
mere business acquaintance, and our
mutual miseries made US almost like
brothers.
l tried in vain to win his confidence
and find out all OF the dark hallucina-
tlon under which his whole life was
passed, but I could not do so. do
not think it was because he dared
not trust me, but it seemed as if he
could not bear to speak more definite
ly OF the brooding horror that haunt
ed him perpetually.
endeavored to reason him out OF
his causeless dread OF heavens ven
successful and apparently happy
villains all around, but he only shook
his head. ..-
''Their wickedness is not like mine"
he moaned. II can never be happy
again. and reason as you like, the
blow will fall and that speedily. Ven
geance is His, and can you doubt that
He will repay crimes such as mine
with His severest chastisement? No;
| did the deed and must endure the
punishment. When heavens blow
has fallen you will believe and under
stand me; and fall it will. 1 know
it,
Towards the last Johns malady in
creased with alarming rapidity, so
rapidly that had to forbid his try
He was the only friend had in the
world, and singular and 'morose
though he was, l could not bear to
lose him; but unless his mind could be
diverted into other channels I saw
that it was inevitable.
He obeyed me as child might have
done, and putting our business into
the hands OF a competent foreman. /
took my partner and fled into the
country for rest and recreation We
could afford to do so, Tor our affairs
were fairly prosperous, and as we
were both acne in the would we had
saved considerable money.
1t was a. lonely and picturesque
farming locality among the mighty
hills that last from everlasting to
everlasting in which John Marley
| and [ sought renewed strength of body
and mind. For a few days his health
improved wonderfully in the pure
| atmosphere Of that quiet country
town and his gloomy forebodings van
ished like dew before the sun; 1 fondly
| hoped forever.
He developed an exuberance Of
| spirits THAT had never before seen
| him display, and my own rose accord
ingly for l thought that the worst
was over. For more than week I
! did not see the slightest Indication of
the trace Of insanity I felt that he
had once had and he proved to be
| one OF the most entertaining men 1
| had ever met. During all our &C
quaintance had never once suspected
| the existence Of such rare conyersa-
t1onal powers, and I felt that our
future associations would be far more
pleasant than the past had been if
| could only prevent him from relapsing
into his old gloomy habits again.
One lovely evening we left the pretty
white farmhouse at which we were
temporarily stopping and set out on
Il long walk down the winding country
road. The moon had not vet risen
but the glimmer of the stars was
sufficient to dimly illuminate the
lovely landscape. 1t was a night of
calm and holy beauty.
John had been almost wildly gay for
the whole afternoon, but as we start
ed out upon our ramble he suddenly
became as moody as of old. Try as +
would I could not engage him in con-
versation. He only answered in mono
syllables and finally I ceased to trou-
BILE him, SO for some time we walked
along through that scene of dusky
loneliness in perfect silence. At length
my companion spoke. ~
"William, my presentiment has re-
turned with tenfold force, and know
the long-delayed vengeance of heaven
is at hand. I feel that am going to
my DOOM
[ tried to reassure him, but found it
was impossible. His wild fancy had
come again with increased strength,
and had taken such q strong hold of
his imagination that was powerless
to displace it.
"My will is deposited with Lawyer
True, William, and everything have
in the world will beyours," he went on
| a little later.
Nonsense, John, you will outlive
me by ten years, for you are more
than that much younger than T.
answered with forced laugh.
! "Don't laugh at me, William, for I
am in solemn earnest. The hand of
heaven is raised just above me in aw-
ful threatening, and the hour of my
atonement is at hand. It's deadly
blow will fall and annihilate me, per-
haps this very night, and try as I will
| cannot avoid it. My God! What
is that?"
| A sharp kissing sound broke the
peaceful silence Of that mellow sum-
mer night, and there was q sudden
flash of almost binding intensity.
John Marley gave single
bound to one side just as ball of
| livid white fire shot downward and
struck him squarely upon his massive
Vs1t,~ r,k = Il .