Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-05-19

{ A Withered bunch of flowers . a
: faded ribbon. "a pale photograph OF
, a girls face made out Of sunshine. . .
half-a-dozen letters written in childish
letters, and signed, your little sweet
r heart, Madcap". -. .one or two notes
/ Of which the ink was fresher, and the
, tone sedator, with the name of Eyre
added to that of 'Madcap'. !. these
and no more.
Not word to his friend-not a syl
liable to call back the awful burden he
/ had laid upon him. !. and as, later
J Mr.. Eyre stood looking down upon that
| shrouded clay, he could have spurned
it with his foot in loathing-
, When the rude coffin had been made
: ready, Mr.. Eyre and his dead man SET
out for home, his mind a sullen blank
, that last stage of the impotent rebel
lion against God that had for three
years consumed him.
In Franks name, he telegraphed
to Lovel news of his own death, Ger.
tain that Josephine would Immediately
communicate the news to Hester, SC
, that he would probably find the two
women together on his arrival. No
matter what hidden cleW Frank had
held, in his soul Mr.. Eyre knew Hester
Clarke to be guilty; and it was with
hate implacable he had approached his
house that night, expecting to find
her within it.
And on his very threshold he had
been met by this sordid reading of the
tragedy q mere clew to which had
made him a Wanderer on the face of
the earth for three long years, clew
that had made him put even Hester
aside as one to be dealt with later,
and now if Digges or Josephine were
guilty-if-but what waste of 1ime to
speculate, when by that hour of the
following day the man would be in
the hands Of justice, and probably his
confession made.
But as a side-thought will sweep
a man out of the track Of sober fact,
and bid tragedy itself pause while he
dallies with folly, SO Mr.. Eyre's mind
started off at a tangent to Madcap,
and rested there, just as mariner in
drowning looks up to the patch Of blue
above him. SO the darkened chamber
the white chair, receded from Mr.. Eyre
eyes, and in their place he saw an old
fashioned garden, and q young girl
stepping backward down a ladder as,
aloud She counted the plums on the
garden wall.
Anon he saw the same young shape
Out three months oldeD sitting be
meath the white plume of q thorn
whose blossoms were no paler than her
! cheeks, till q step on the turf made her
turn, and the next moment two gentle
arms, arms that trembled, but did not
doubt, were round his neck. A try
sting place (Six hours later, to which
Il young shape in q white gown came
stealing-all her worldly goods tied
up in her pocket handkerchief, and
nothing in life to keep her warm but
her lovers arms. !. A hurried mar
raGe, at which an old friend of the
brides assisted, and then six years of
such happiness as might make a wicked
man in love With virtue, and look back
with loathing Oh the pleasures he had
! found i'll sin.
And those arms held her fast and
safe through those six short, happy
years-ay, and made to her so sure a
heaven that dreamlessly she had sunk
to her last rest in them, knowing Meth
cr fear or pain, so long as they were
closed about her-yea, and even in the
/ moment of death knew no pang, but
called it the happiest moment of her
life.
She had been happy to the last-ex-
ultantly i'll that lonely chamber. Mr..
Eyre lifted his brows to Heaven, and
cried aloud, that no matter what his
sin, and shame might be, she
had never suffered.
Suddenly he rose, and stretching out
his hands towards yon empty bed, cal
led wildly and passionately, 'Madcap"
The starved cry rang through the
silent house and pierced through all his
armory of pride by that living thought
of her, the strong man awakened for
the first time to the full desolation of
his miserable lot.
Hark! what was that? A movement
rather than a sound that stole through
the empty place. -. then q faint stir
as of something that approaches Wayer-
ingly and with many halts, till gradual
ly the faint, pattering sound as of a
childs bare feet upon polished boards
drew nearer and nearer till ON the
threshold OF Madcap's chamber they
paused as though in fear or doubt.
Through the fierce wrestle of his
bodily weakness with the power that
crushed him, these footsteps sounded
but family nor when a gentle hand
pushed the door open, and little
shape stood on the threshold did he see
who it was that dared intrude on
him thus? He looked, but at first saw
nothing; then downward, and saw close
beside him a child no higher than his
knee.
Co. he said, once more lifting his
hand in the fierce gesture of DISMISSAL
that Madeap's children had SO invari-
ably obeyed. But the harsh look that
sped like Il blow, fell faltering, for
what was this?
Did he not know this face by heart
its nps-the very sunshine of its
glance, ay, the very dimples in lips and
cheeks-the same bright hair that had
so often curled about his head. this
could not be Josephines child?
/ Unconsciously he sank to his knees,
she looking 1T him earnestly, then, with
one of those angelic instincts of pity
that Will move a little child's heart
to the comprehension Of a tradegy it