Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-01-10

his impassioned, half-hysterical SER
mon on Innocent's Day; saw him deal
ing the very Bread Of Life to himself
and Lillian: Remembered the message
he had sent him during his detention,
"lIe shall make thy righteousness clear
as the light, and thine innocence IS
the MONDAY" and broke forth in
curses on all canting hypocr''es who
make religion a cloak for Evil deeds
And he had loved this man so well,
trusted and revcred him, fed his soul
On his moral beauty. That was the
sharpest stab In the confusion Of pain
that poured upon him. And Marion
loved him, and Lillian, and the guile
loss family at Melbourne; and If Cyril
should turn and repent even now at
the eleventh. hour, what would come
Of 1t lut shame and misery to those
he loved so tenderly? Should he de-
nounce him himself-he, the convict?
No; that would only double the an
gulsh of all those innocent hearts, and
perhaps avail nothing. If he had but
suspected before! but now 1t was too
late,
Soon liz would stand in his jaIler's
presence, stripped OF his very gar'
mcnts. no longer man, but q thlng,
called no more by name, but num-
Der: beggared In mind, body ana soul;
ana stony despair Possessed him, Mr.
IIawkshaw thought he might get 1--WE
years, he told him, and five years, or
even ten, left some small room Tor
hope. After five years, youth would
not be utterly gone; he might still
bridge over the gap IN his life, lie
might 90 to some now world and be-
gin over agin, wasted by imprlSon-
mcnt, with Ilve precious years lost, but
still IN the prime or his faculties. But
twenty years shut out all hope
twenty years Of early manhood and
maturity, cut Off from all sources of
mental activity, from all knowledge Of
the world and life, the echoes OF whose
onward rolling wheels could never
reach him; chained to manual toll;
hcrdcd with the scum and off securing
Of vice and misery. Surprising that he
survived his awful fate, what could he
expect to be at the end?
He was glad now that none of his
frIerds save Mr.. Maitland and George
Evernrd had seen him since his ar
rest. Ills fate was beyond the reach
OF sympathy or help; the only thing
now was to keep It's contamination to
himself. He refused to take leave of
any one. George had irrltatel him by
untlmely cXhortations. by gifts of
tracts. and Il disbelief In his inno-
cense, or rather, II stubborn assump-
tlon that he was guilty on all counts,
which astonlShed him beyond measure;
Marion sent her love, and would see
him ar he wished" his father and two
brothers were still abroad; and his
married sisters agreed with their hus-
bands that Henry was dead to them.
But Mr.. Maitland procured an inter
view after the conviction, and was
accompanied by Lillian. The meeting
was brief and agonizrd. Lilian's mar
vrlous self control kept her outwardly
calm, while the calm OF utter despair
uuIctcd Everard. He bid her forget
him, think of him MS dead; reminded
her that she had her life to live In
the outside world; and hoped she
would opec her heart to newer and
happier affections. Lillian replied that
SHE never could and never would for
get the one love OF her life: that the
cruel fate which separated them for
twenty years could not cancel the bond
between them. which was eternal.
"RrS,drS." she added with 4 sorrow
full smile, "your innocence may yet
he proved"
My poor Lillian" he returned, think
Ing how bitter such proof would hr
FOR her, 1--WE must not venture to hope
for that"
IL shall pray for 1t night and day"
replied Lillian; "and IN the meantime,
do not forget me, Henry. Remember
the morning In the wood, and all that
YOU promised me-"
lie turned his face away, and could
not speak for some time; and Lillian
continued In hcr quiet way to tell him
how grleved Cyril would he to have
missed seeing him, and how terribly
he had suffered Ivy his friends calamt.
~. Lillian had only lcft his bedside
for the short time granted her to hld
farewell to Evtrard, for Cyril was Al
deaths door. He had not ceased raw
ing since he recovered from the faint
ing tit into which the passing of Ev-
crards sentence threw him, All this
ENcrard heard with the same stony
calmness, which was shaken only 10y
the inctrahle pity liz folt Tor Lillian
1t would be better tor her II Cyril
should die. he thought though for him
self it would cut or the last possibility
ot escape from diShouor. He sent 4
tender message to Marion, thanked
Mr.. Maitland for all his kindness. and
then It was time FOR his friends to 80.
II shall never forget you. Henry.
Lillian said, as their hands clasped II
u last farewell, II have but one lif,
and one love. Twenty years suffer
ing will not make me love you less
I ant hAynr''