The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-06-17

cautious steps behind me.
Somebody was following my steps.
looked back-zand saw bent old Wo-
man, muffied up all in gray rags.
Only the face of the little old woman
could be seen from under them-it was
yellow, wrinkled, sharp-nosed, tooth
less face.
/ approached her-she stopped. who
are you? What do you want? Are
you a beggar? Are you waiting for
charity?"
The old woman gave no answer.
bent toward her and noticed that both
her eyes were covered with a half7
transparent whitish membrane, like
some birds have to protect their eyes
from an exceedingly bright light.
But the little old woman's membrane
was immobile, and did not disclose her
pupils.
That made me believe she was blind.
DO you want charity?' repeated 1
my question. why do you follow me?'
But the little old woman, as before,
made no answer, and only shrank
somewhat.
1 turned my back and continued my
route.
Then again behind me the same easy,
measured steps, as though somebody
walked stealthily.
Again the same woman me
thought. "Why is she pursuing me?'
And here L mentally added: prob
abb the blind has lost her way, and
now by hearing she follows my steps
in order to find habitable place. Yes;
that is it."
But a strange disquietude took, little
by little, possession of my mind.
It began to seem to me that this little
old woman not only follows me but also
directs me; that she pushes me to the
right and to the eft, and that involun-
tarly 1 obeys her.
However, I continue my route. But
in front of ne-on my very way-there
is something blackening and widening
some hole.
"A graven, flashed into my mind.
There she is pursuing mer'
/ turned short back.
The old woman is again in front OF
me-and she sees!
She looks at me with great ominious
eyes-eyes of a bird of prey.
l come near her face, her eyes-again
| the same dim orbs, the same blind and
dull look.
"Ah! nett.snks-this old woman-is
my fateI
THAT fate from which man cannot
escapew
Not escape! Not escape!
What an insanity!
One must attempt it.
1 throw myself aside in another direc-
ton. L walk quickly-but the easy
steps as before rustic behind me-close
CLOSE.
And in front of me see darkening
again a hole.
turn again in a new direction
and again l heard the same dreadful
rustling behind me, and see the same
dreadful hole in front of me-.
And whenever I struggled with my
self as chased hare driven Wild-the
same state, all the same.
Stopl Methinks I will deceive her! L
shall go nowhere, and momentarily l
sit myself on the ground.
The old woman stands behind at two
steps from me.
do not hear her, but 1 feel that she
IS here, and suddenly L see the spot
which was darkened far off; it swins.
creeps itself nearer TO me-
Lord! l turn back. The old woman
is staring straight at me, and her.
toothless mouth, twisted with a srnirk,
Missed: You cannot escaped
1.-THE BEGGAR.
| walked along the street, when 1
was stopped by a very old decrepit
beggar.
Inf1amed, fearful eyes, blush lips,
rough rags. unclean sores.
Q, how poverty has disfigured that
unfortunate being!
He stretched forth before me, his red,
swollen dirty hand. He nloaned, clam
oring for help.
l began to feel in all my pockets. L
lihad neither purse nor watch, scarce
even a handkerchief
1 took nothing with me.
| And the beggar still waited, and his
stretched out hand was feebly shaking
and shivering.
Bewildered and agitated, firmly
squeezed this dirty, trembling hand.
81 am sorry, brother, L have moth
| ing"
The beggar stared at me with his
inf1amed eyes; his blush lips smiled,
and in his turn he squeezed my be-
numbed fingers.
well, brother" uttered he. Thanks
for this. This is a donation, brother"
| l understood, that also 1 have re-
ceived my donation from a brother.
III.-"A LAST INTERVIEW"
| We were formerly intimate and close
| friends-but there came an evil mo-
ment-and we parted enemies.
Several years passed away-then re-
| turning to the town where he was liv-
| ing, I learned that he is hopelessly i'll
and wishes to see me.
| l went to his house and entered his
room Our eyes met
! l scarcely recognized him. Lord
| what malady has made of him!
| Yellow dried up. his head entirely
| bald, a. narrow, gray beard he sat en-
veloped in a shirt cut out purposely.
| He could not bear the pressure of the
| lightest garment
| Impetuously he stretched forth to me
his awfully thin, as if begnawed, hand.
Making an effort, he muttered a few
unintelligible words. Was it a greet
| ing? Was it a reproach? Who knows?
His lacerated breast began to move
and upon the contracted pupils of his
infamed eyes trickled two meagre, suf-
fering tears
! My heart sank within me. / sat on a
chair mean him, and letting fall invol-
unfairly my looks. in face of this
dreadful deformity, / too stretched out
my hand.
But it appeared to me that it is not
/ his hand that took mine.
| 1t seemed to me that between US sits
a tall. calm, white woman.
! A long cover invests her from head
to foot
| Nowhere are directed the looks of her
| deep pale eyes.
| Nothing is said by her pale, severe
| lips.
| This woman has joined our hands.
| She has reconciled us for eternity.
Yes. Death has reconciled us.-Inter-
Ocean.