The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-05

window had tecn in my usual health and
The first day / walked out on my %crutcles
my cousins wife's sister accompanied me. and
/ think | leaned more on her than l did on the
crutch. am sure did. as far as the crutch
on the side next to her was concerned.
During the first two or three weeks of my
imprisonment | had longed for the time when
J. could get Gu: once more and join the coteriei
then hogan to think less, about 1t. and now.
once mora n m"S n iree man somehow + feIt HAL I
| couldn't quite understand it. and. after my
lately acquired fashion Of relying upon my
cousins wires sister. ! asked her about it.
Well, If you will Gelteye me- was never
suit of this simple question on my cousins
wife,s sister. she flushed and stammered
! Just stood still in my a~mazement,. She had
always been such q help to me. and now; in q
made me lose confidence In her. Then she
looked up at me and all of II sudden felt that
hope it Is not necessary for me'1o go into
particulars. Suffice it to say that between my
to have the matter satisfactorily explained.
But there was the Coteric and there were
those Internal resolutions! What a fool a man
can make of himself when he is left to his own
devices. passes mite com prelicnsion, and al
most crowds the infinite to the wall, l., Thomas
Tommington, the Chief, had hasely betrayed
possible, But TGuicEiy determined that con-
:cnlment was my only hope. and with this hope
honor of my restoration 10 the charmed circle.
What IA hollow mockery that restoration was!
] was there and at the head of the table, as
beftted my relation to ths Goterie' but my
on myself, aud applauded to tie echo every
anti female sentiment that was, uttered. I
even proposed u toast myself, 70 the utter oh.
it strong. and / did. However, at . o'ciock I
pleaded that ! was not yet strong enough to
shameless wretch that / was. ] hurried to my
cousins house and sat up until 1" O'Clock with
At the next meeting of the Coterle | began
to feel that was under suspicion. Perhaps il
my bachelor friends cooled when ] appeared
among them. l know that when John Tenn
ven without Women" and I did not empty my
glass. every member present looked directly at
me and d1 lhG in.r at each 1ths res:A r Ind psrson T6 of the he
feels under such circumstances.
Is time Went by and suspicion grew apa'e;;
the Coteric. There was no other honorable
course left me. l could see that there was no
tinns. rs | did religiously at eve:y. meeting.
they were, greeted with silence. Each man
suspected the other; each man seemed TO have
n secret that was burdening him. 1t was evil
dent that | was the Jonah. and proposed to
make "A sacrifice OF myself to save the Others.
At the next meeting, therefore, when the
time had come IT, open the exercises with the
resolutions, | rose in my place and held mp my
Men and hrrthrcn,"T said solemnly, I
shall not read the resolutions this evening. MOI,
have observed that our ancient harmony has
been disturbed Ia such an extent as to threaten
am the disturbing element. and | confess to
you that your ill-cOnccalcd suspicious concern:
the trust you have rcpnscd In me suppressed
excitement; | am no longer worthy to 10 your
cannot continue what would say. 20 you in
dispuragement OF my ,%actions. All I can say is
nest Mo Sm ,S % % Hocifrro .n' Sppl % a 'F""
] sat down after my effort and looked help:
was astonished at me reception Of my speech
and explanation. and could form no idea what
action 5nSt The Fer Ceter ds y V'ca.c I Hisf, slowly cam, 10
his feet. and, instead of looking at me-. as |
feared he would. gazed about on the otier
.GSn,lsmsUi" he snta; ~yG" hp aye heard sr5a the
action upon the matter. IL view of the fact that
am to be married myself ten weeks from next
Forest sat down, and sat in Gasping expeo-
fancy thHt the roof would fall In upon US; ,oo.
the tiaor, and j could see that Forest Was even
Fellow citizens, said Temple he was a
stump speaker in camp ign times II haven't
. word to say, I'm to be married I" month from
hardened bachelor | ever saw, which wa.
to be daaed 10y this revelation. added to the two
which Lr.ccded II, and kl..g was the first to
~ III TtSliflNt.
'Genlleinen and brothers, =" he said, II might
be able 10 say what ! thought OF the disclosures
which have been made here this evening, but
really 1t would be mnbccominG for me to say
ANYTHING: Ny wedding day is set for Wednes'
AS King went down Park came up.
Il can only say, gentlemen he said, almost
who have preceded mo. Lean offer no censure.
for day alter Tomorrow shall he married TO
one woman IL the world f"E me" ,a,
Park felt that II was enough to have
confessed our crime without ~glorying in II,
and when ,Arcturps o,Ryan arose, | almost
lie stood straight ms an arrow. O'kyan was
the lundsomeSt man in the Coterie, and
Looked first a. M, then IN turn at each OF tho
strike us all and strike hard, but | had
fear than il had had To stand the blow
alone. However, ! unconsciously braced my
self ms he began speaking,
MI, chief and fellow members OF the Co
teric, he said. in that majestic and oNerpower.
ing manner OF his, ~ am painei beyond all
ing. | had expected something better OF you.
| had hoped you would set me, the youngest
member Of this. tOtcrie, n better example. But
YOU have failed, failed utterly. our chief Is
to he married within three months, think ~
that, gentlemen, as you read our beloved resO-
now whitening fast away; our Vice
Pile i to NJ married :within a month. King in
two weeKs, and Park in two day, while |, gen
llemen |. to whom you have stood rs eNem.
plars !, the youngest OF you all, shall not
"ORyan paused. and We. culprlts that No
we're. 10 Scd our heads 20 receive tho blow we
10 he 80 well deserved.
IVA. geutlemcu," he fairly Numbered. no,
shall not marry, II Is not necessary for me
10 marry. Was married ten days ago. Con
l~ratulato me, she's the finest woman in the
And those remarkable resolutions had been
less than n year previously!