The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-23

ingiy, each reformation Was more kntem.
perste than the last. to b duly followed
by great swing of tns pendulum u the
Being now in thoroughly RECKLESS
mood, he went the pace rather hotly. Then,
one evening, withou. any previous warn:
ing. had . note fron him. "C0melround
and see me on Thursday. 1t 10 ny we'd
Iwent. He was ons,e moro 'xidyirS. up. -
All his drawers wers open. and IN the
table we're piled packs Of cards. letting
books, and much written paper, - iefore,
all in course of demolition.
smiled; could not help IL. AID, no
way abashed, he laughed his usual 7earty.
honest laugh.
Il know" he exclaimed gaily, "t!,. this
is not the same as the others"
Then, laying his hand on my shloulder
and speaking with tae sudden serif usnes
that comes so readily to shallow natures
he said: "God has heard my praykr, old
friend. He knows am weak. lie has
sent down an angel out of heaven p help
me-"
He took her porsrait from the Il antel-
piece and handed IT to me. 1t seelned to
me the face of hard. narrow womafi, but,
Of course. he raved about her.
Ashe talked. there fluttered to the Around
from the heap before an old restaursAt bill,
and STOPPING. he picked 1t up and t1eld II
in his hand, musing.
Have you ever noticed how the TENT of
the champagne ard the candles sekms to
cling to these thiEgs?" he said lightly,
shifting carelessly al it. Iwonder what's
become OF her."
Il think wouldn't think aboutfher at
all tonight" answered.
He Ioo.sned his land, letting tn; paper
fall into the fire.
MY God |" he cri-d vehemently, f'when
! think of all the wrong have doie-the
irreparable, overwhelming ruin hskye per-
haps brought into tie world-O GodA spare
ME long life that / may make amends.
Every hour. every minute Of 1t shait be de-
voted to Your service"
As he stood there; with his eager sooyish
eyes appraised, light seemed to fal3 upon
his face and illumire it. l he'd pusI ed the
photograph back to him, and it lay upon
the table before him. He knest and
with you. i help il ); my darling; .nt His"
he murmured.
The next morning he was marrieN. She
was weli-meaning girl, though hess piety,
as with most people, was OF the Negative
much stronger than her sympathy with
things good. For much longer tir%e than
had expected she Kept him straig 1t-per.
haps . little too straight. But 1T laFt there
came the inevitable relapse.
l called upon him.. in answer to fan ex-
cited message. ami found him lin the
depths of despair. 1t was the olt story.
human weakness, combined with lsmenta.
BILE lack of the most ordinary PRECAUTIONS
tails, interspersed with exuberant edenun.
Citations of himself. and l undertook the
delicate task of peasemaker.
1t was q weary work, but eventually she
consented to forgivs him. His jon when
told him, was boundless.
"How good women are" he said. while
the tears came int, his eyes. fut she
shall not repent II. Please God, fr4m this
day forth. I'll"
He stopped, and for tho first TIM, in his
life the doubt of himself crossed hi mind.
As sat watching him, the Joy died out
OF his face. and the first hint Of agt passed
over il.
II seem to have been 'tidying tp and
starting afresh' all my life," Re said
weariiy; I'm beginning to see wbS,re the
untidiness lies, and the only ways to gel
rid of it.
did not understand the meaning of his
words at the time. hut learnt later bn.
He strove according 70 his streE 9Th, and
fell. BY miracle his transgresston was
not discovered. The facts came 10 ligh,
long afterwards, bat at that tints there
were only two who knew.
1t was his last failure. Late orSs even.
ing l received a hIrriedly scraw I'd note
from his wife begging me to cOm4 round
"A terrible thing has happened,f it ran
"Charley went up to his study alter din.
ner, saying he had some tidyinA up a:
he calls, to do. and did not wish tdbe dis!
turbed. In clearing out mis- desk he mus,
have handled caresessly the revoiEer that
he always keeps there, not remesh bering
Z 49, -
a report, and on rushing into ti}s room,
found him lying dead on the floSr. The
bullet had passed right throrE h his
heart"
Hardly the type If man for he;o! And
yet do not know. Perhaps Id Tough,
harder than many man who cknqners
In the worlds courts we are conn., elled &c
Judge on circumstantial evidence oxliy, and
very we'll be called.
remember the sabject of bravesy being
discussed one evening at a dinne party
when a German gentleman present related
an anecdote, the hero Of which was
young Prussian officer.
IL cannot give you his NAME" Eur Ger
man friend explained: 1.-The man! himsel,
told me the story in contiderkce, and
though he personally, by virtuk Of hi.
after record ord. could , afford to have i,
should not be bruited about.
How | learned i. was in this wAlv. Fo,
q dashing exploit performed duS'ing the
brief war against Austria he had beer
presented with the iron cross. fThis. a.
you are we'll aware. is the moss highly
priced decoration IN the German army
Men who have earned il are usuflly con
ceited about 1t. and indeed, have Some ex
cuse for being SO. He, on the Contrary
kept his locked III drawer Of l,is desk
and never wore il except when c5mpeiied
by official etiquette, The mere ss,ht of i,
seemed to be painful to him. tpne day
asked MN the reason. We are very old
and close friends. and he told me-:
THE incident occurred when he was .
young lieutenant. Indeed, il walhis firs,
engagement. lily s2me means or sanothel
ne had become separated from Y.s com.
pany. and, unable to regain il, yhad at.
tached himself 10 a Landwehr regiment
stationed at The extreme right of lhe Prus
sian lines.
The enemy's effort was mainly:directed
against the left cen3er, and for a thile ou-
young lieutenant vas nothing NILE than :
distant spectator OF The battle. Suddenly,
however, the ATTACK shifted anusthe resi
ment found itself occupying an Extremely
important and critical position. he shell.
began TO ialI unpe asantly near, and the
order was given TO grass (
The men tell upon their Sees and
waited. The shells ploughed tlS ground
sround them. smotAering them it'll dirt
A horrible, gripins pain started in nv
young friends stomach, and becin Green
ing upwards. Has head and heir, both
seemed 20 oe shr'nEIng and growing cold.
y Shot tore OF the head of the 3ian mex,
10 MN, sending the blood spnrtag into
ms lace; minute later anotbEr ripped
open the back of Door fellow lyAg To the
font Of him.
..Eis hniv soar,as -. g. - -