Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25

back and find that we did a wrong while in
the dark. I would give half my life if I
could recall one dark night"
He leaned toward me. What happen
ed?" he hoarsely asked.
Il don't know but l might as well tell
you. A trouble aired is lighter for the air
ing. 1t Is the secret trouble that eats the
heart ! am here suspected of crime"
'Yes?' he said, eagerly.
But there is no direct proof against me.
Come closer. That fat jailer might be out
there"
He did not get up; he scrambled across
the floor and sat down near me.
Il had been out of employment a long
time, 1 went on, speaking low, land was
forced to quit the city. 1 wandered about
doing odd jobs, desperate, hating the world.
Well, one day, not long ago, came into
neighborhood not far from here. l stopped
at farmers house and asked for some
thing to eat He received me into his
house, placed a chair at his table and treat
and he insisted upon my remaining over
night with him. Just before bedtime
hired man came in to receive his wages, and
l saw the old man take out his wallet, and
when he had unwound a string, laying it
carefully across his knee, 1 caught sight of
hfty-dollar note Soon afterward l was
shown to room just above And 1 lay
there thinking of that money. At first l
turned over with a shu6der. And then the
weary miles had walked stretched out be-
fore me- 1 could see the dust in the road
uiu tile neat danced on the nllltOp, anu III
the glimmer / saw that old mans money.
l turned over again--not with a shudder,
but with a mere shiver-and l saw myself
treading that dry road: and / saw a railway
train sweeping past, and 1 caught sight of
two men they tipped their glasses. They
saw me, and one of them shouted Not for
you, poor fool. l rob the poor, but you
haven't sense enough to rob even the rich
when they spread their money before your
very eyes, 1t seemed that the train slack
ed long enough for the scoundrel thus to
tantalZe me, and then it Numbered on, the
two scoundrels tipping their glasses again.
l got out of bed tiptoed to the head Of the
stairway and listened. I heard the ticking
Of the clock. I stepped back and dressed
myself Then / trod softly downstairs. In
The room light was burning dmly. The
old man and his wife were sound asleep.
His trousers were under his pillow. Slowly
l pulled them away, and without noise l
got out Then l ran for a mile at least,
and then l stopped and thrust my hand
into the pocket-and there was the wallet.
The moment l touched it l would have Civ
en- half my life never to have seen 1t. But
repentance was now too late. l could have
taken the money back-in fact, / was al
most decided upon this risk, when my
blood shot through me at the barking of
dog-and dropping the trousers, but grip
ping the money, l leaped over fence and
ran fiercely into the woods Well, / went to
had my beard shaved off, and was ready to
take a railway train and tip glasses with
some other ScOundrel when L was arrested.
1 said l was suspected of the crime and
that is the case, for that blessed old farmer
was not certain that was the man. And
here l have told you all about it. But /
trust you'll don't know why, but do
The candewick fell and the cell was
black. HaineS said not word. l heard
him scramble to his feet and then with
sigh he lay down heavily upon his bunk.
And so long a silence followed that /
thought him asleep, when he began to
mutter something and 1 heard him repeat
my own words: "A trouble aired is lighter
for the airing
II hope you don't think any less of me?'
I remarked.
NO. 1 sorry for you-sorry that your
better self yielded. But don't you think
they will convict your
Yes, 1 am afraid so.'
And If they do, are you going to make
a confesson?'
NO. 1 have confessed to you, and that
was cooling to my conscience There IS
bravado in confessing to the world, but
confessing to a friend is simple virtue
/ listened with my head off the pillow
and he muttered something, but l did not
understand him.
There is one thing 1 am glad Of" said l.
What is that?"
''The fact that 1 have no near relatives
to be disgraced"
That's fortunate" he replied.
I waited for him to say more but he was
silent, though 1 knew that he was not