The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-23
"a MIDNIGHT CRY.

Shrough snowstorm ON horseback. es-
\ pecially if that inn be situated in the
{ taeart OF q picturesque region much be-
Eoved by summer tourists if the host has
Y been taught thereby the art of making
comfortable and Is inclined, through
Heisure, to exercise it. was glad, there
gore, when drew up before the old fash
Toned hostelry, for the night was coming
Hown fast with cold and cloud and
blackness in its train. I was still 10
\ miles away from Grafton my destina-
zion, and any further attempt at reach
Ing It would be apt to end in snow
drift So, willingly enough. suffered
Willingly enough swallowed the steam
! ing punch which the landlord deftly
mixed for me, willingly enough thawed
Rnd revived before the fervent hickory
aogs on the taproom hearth until was
called into tho great deserted dining
room, whore chicken and eggs and slices
0f fried potato and tender cakes, afoat
In butter, were awaiting me.
Willingly enough, too, after had met
these most captivating enemies and they
were mine, did ensconce myself in an
easy chair before the CHEEKY CRATE in the
best front chamber and over a cigar
mediate on my good fortunes.
Yes, 1t was best from every point of
view that should be here The increas-
4 Ing tempest, bowling around the angles
and under the caves, warned me to be
thankful for perils avoided Recollection
assured me that the Grafton tavern af-
forded no such entertainments and then
was it not well that should have fur
thor time to consider my mission before
chance met certainty face to face? Had
Eunice forgiven me, and, even so, was
forgiveness necessarily the herald of re-
turning love?
Ten years, truly, must assuage the
most poignant grief, ten years must tenn
per anger with humane excuses, but
might they not also fade passion into
q dream and dream into sorrowful
"Reminiscences? But no. Eunices nature
could never become apathetic If she
had loved me that terrible day when l
rushed despairingly from her sight, she
loved me still She had never married,
SO my friends told me- She was living
with her father In that old house at
Grafton-that dear old house, so replete
with cozlness and hospitality until that
cloud of horror had burst over it'll Had
she forgiven me?
Did she still love me? Come, living
enbers imbued with thought, reveal
my future to me In their tranquil b,,t
intense glow l seemed to see my dar-
ing's eyes rs they gazed on me that
morning-deep, pensive, mournful eyes,
so true, SO beseeching in their truth.
Don't go, Harry" they had said. Il
know you too we'll not to know Your
weakness. 1 love you too we'll not to dis
regard them" But L! WAS Over.
whelmed with shame. Like Cain, NY
punishment was greater than could
bear. Forth went a fugitive and a
vagabond i'll the earth Throughout the
adventurous years that Acknowledgements
that proved, however cowardly really
was, that could still be courageous
those dear eyes had gaZed on me bcscoch-
1ngly, responsibility, until at last they
had drawn n!e to my native land, until
now they were drawing me to that spot
which innocent blood, still unavenged,
made it seem PROCLAMATION for me to ap
proach.
"Ah, well, unused. Its idle to
speculate. The morning will surely tell
Whyshould not be patient and hope?
was but boy then. Why should I
have bec;i oxpcctet-hut no, must not
think of it If ] do, that whole horrible
nightmare will return to me with un-
diminished reality"
* threw away my cigar, rose from my
chair and strollcd about the room. Yes.
the landlord had given me his best with
the graciousness born of supcrabun-
dance. Probably was the sole guest, but
no, there was some one directly over
head. A restless some one from the wav
he was pacing up and down the floor, a
Stalwart some one from the weight of
his tread. But had the hest notwith-
standing. This room had a clinging air
of home about It Likely it was occupied
year after year by the same summer
boarders. Tho curtains were tied bacll
with coQuettish bows There were vases;
and fly blown photographs on the man
tel, and on the bureau there were crewel
work mats. In a recess We're shelves
lined with books, and on the top coil
OF stout fishing line which bespoke the
I taking of pickercl. Why did l, crdina-
( lilly indifferent to my surroundings, no.
3 ticc so small a detail as this latter YES,
! and calculate that its strength must he
q great2 / don't know. do know, how.
ever, that a realization of this vagary
made me uneasy, so turned to the books
as to refuge
Why is it as one grows older one hest
tatcs he more on starting now book?
Does the mind like the body, crave adj
venture in youth and familiar scenes in