Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-07-01

But now 1t filed me with deadly terror.
I felt sure that he had his suspicious,
and longed for the coming OF night
wheu | could conceal the evidence OF
my guilt.
went to my bedroom at II O'CLOCK,
as usual, bnt as soon as 1t seemed safe
crept down stairs and out OF the house,
fetched pick and spade from the tool
shed and FASTENED to the lonely corner
bv the watch tower. How loudly the
beyheris leaves rustled in the stiffness OF
the night as l pushed my way among
| them. How brightly the moon shone!
Tbere was not cloud In the sky.
Though chose the darkest spot, the
light streamed down upon me through
the black network OF branches over
head.
The first part Of my task was COM
paratiyely easy, the soil being largely
composed OF loan mould, but beneath
was tangle Of the roots OF shrubs and
and trees twisted about like snakes, as
thick as my arm many OF them, and
| those had to be cut and torn away. In
spite of them. however, the grave grew
| deeper and deeper, for l toiled at il
with frantic energy. Sometimes, while
| the great drops raE down ny face and
! fell into tho pit in which | stood, l
stopped and listened, straiHidg my eyes
through the dense foliage OF the ber-
| beris; sometimes the pick struck against
| a stone, and the noise so terrified me
that my heart almost ceased 10 beat.
At long intervals l could hear the
grating cry of the corncrake, still keep
| ing guard over It's nest. thought that
| the bird and l were the only living crea-
lures about, until the spade turned out
of earth q Shiny thing which uttered a
/ hoarSe sound at being disturbed. 1t
was a toad, no doubt one which my
/ father had placed In the gacden years
| before TO keep down the slugs, and had
never seen again. At the 5 Sht OF IL a
great fear fell upon me, for Thought If
! this creature could come out Of
the earth aud give voice after all those
| years, what was the use OF my digging?
Unwilling to hurt the toad, loathsome
| though it was, raised 1t on the spade
! and placed ii on the edge Of .he grave.
But it would not go away. II lay there
on it's belly, its glistening eyes fixed
| upon my face, and its arms stretched
out as if they would claw me- | fang a
| sDadeful of soil over II, but II crawled
out again and renewed its former atti-
tude. After watching it for s. time l
returned to my task with a growing
feeling of despair, and when, u my dis
may, the Frightening of the eastern sky
! showed the approach of daybreak, IL
was still unfinished In order 10 avoid
detection l had to leave it for another
night.
That breakfast was even more try
ing ordesl than the previous one. My
mother was anxious because l would
| not eat. She said | looked i'll and hag-
| gard, and she pressed various delicacies
upon me. 1t was an unspeakable relief
TO get away, and yet the facs that this
was so-that l was glad TO escape from
my mothers company-made me feel
more utterly abandoned wretch than l
had yet done. God help the man who
! for his sins is driven to flee from his
mother!
The only place which had any attrac-
ton for me was the watch-tower,
with the unfinished grave among the
| shrubs at its base, and the corn1eld
sloping down to the road. l staggered
| back overwhelmed with horror. For a
| broad track had been cleared round the
| four sides OF the field, and along 1t lay
| sheaves OF corn, some already arranged
in stocks, while a Keeping machine was
going slowly round the solid square in
| the centre. Would that the darkness
which swept over me had continued TO
all eternity! For tiwctt saw nothing
! anu knew nothing. l Vas thing OF
/ stone.