The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-12

to the door The boy instantly poured
forth his story. and the woman's graft
tude was unbounded. She did not,
however, neglect to scold the boy for
remaining out so late against her oft
repeated orders, as she declared. She
prevailed upon Clarence to come into
the house for a minute. and there, IN
the light of the lamp, he found himself
face to face with his former landlady,
Mrs. Rogers.
''She told him the entire family his
tory, of course, and it was nearly two
o'clock when he rose to go. But she
wouldn't hear of such thing. He
couldn't find his way back; he would
be robbed and murdered; he must be
half tired to death. One, at least, OF
these arguments was valid-lt would
have been very hard for him to find his
way to the station. So the upshot was
that he consented to spend the night
in Mrs Rogers spare room. He was
asleep as soon as he touched the bed,
and daylight had long since come when
he awoke.
Ut SOLlc IllHubcS lNC Sii0tiCN VI
sleep oppressed him, and then slowly.
with deadly accuracy of detail, the
present scene made itself perceived.
He lay in the same rude bed. the same
dull, yellow walls stared at him, the
same tawdry furniture Knocked him.
He had returned to the old life. The
dream was done!
do not yxonIar ut hat followed
Clarence arose, and having partly
dressed, sat down beside the table in
the center of the room, and buried his
face in his hands. He has as much
courage as most men, think, but not
enough to bear this. Mind you, his
delusion was his life. He was situated
just as you would be if everything you
care for in the world was suddenly
taken from you. The limit of his en-
durance was reached.
Suicide" said he at last, sis large
ly matter of opportunity. If, for i'll
stance, the pistol which Clarence had
taken from his assailant on the pre-
vious evening, had not been lying on
the table before him, he might not
have come to a decision so promptly.
he might never have brought his mind
to it. Even with this deadly weapon
ready to his hand he did not yield at
once. He pushed the pistol away, and,
half turning from the table, again
leaned upon his hand and thought.
pity him for what must have passed in
his mind.
Slowly the arm which had support
ed his head straighteAed out. He did
not look at the table, but his fingers
CROPPED upon it, seeking something.
Suddenly they closed upon"
'sNo; my boy; not the pistol They
closed upon my hand, and l put into it
all the friendly pressure, all the sign
of my compassion. all the promise of
my never failing help, that the Spirit
of Nature, our mother, granted me at
that supreme moment He cried out
hoarsely; fell forward into my arms;
and wept like child.
For q minute my suspense was sim
ply awful. Would he go stark mad?
Not bit of it. He was cured right
| then and there And the secret is sim
pie enough. He had originally lost his
reason because of the coincidence of
his leaving that room and the receipt
| of his fortune. He had gradually
brought himseD to believe that if he
could leave Mrs. Rogers house, he
could dream always He had left it,
and instantly had found his expecta-
| tons realized. He was rich thence
forth. So the conclusion was that the
room had held him to reality.
when therefore he found him
self back III it, he believed that
reality had returned upon him
! Nothing which he had ever seen in
! that room had been dclusion;
| When, therefore. he saw me there, he
accepted the fact of my existence.
And when ] told him that his wealth,
his freedom and his love were real, he
believed me- He Is to-day as sane as
vo- are" CHARLES W. HooKE