Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-11-19

! self, since there Is none to govern you.
But do my GRAND to Eudora Leaton.
Tell her to keep UP her spirits, hope
| for the best and trust in God! Tell
her that she has her own conscious
ness Of innocence to support her, one
unknown friend working for her. and
a just Providence watching over her!!'
II will faithfully deliver your mos
sage, my father"
But not as coming from me! Re
member, girl, you are never to breathe
my name, or hint my existence to any:
one, whomsocver! All the world but
you believe me dead; leave them in
that Illusion"
Dear father pardon me, but the IL
fusion is yours. The world does not
believe you dead. There was a report
of your death land an anonymous let
| ter reached us from st. Petersburg an
nouncing the supposed fact; but after
the most careful investigation, my
mother came to the conclusion that 1T
was someone else of the same or u
similar name, and
''She was happier for the hope that
it might be true. however, as l intend
ed that she should be-" said Hollis Ell
verton. gravely.
Alma did not reply to this strange
observation. She could not bear to
acknowledge that her mother had been
happier for this hope.
"But the ruse did not fully
succeed. since it did not con-
vince her of my decease; since the
death of II. Elverton, the American
stranger, who died at st. Petersburg,
did not pass quite current with her tor
mine. Nevertheless she is the better
for the hope that, after all, it may be
mine Leave her to the enjoyment Of
that saving hope, which must strength
EN- every year until it becomes Ger
tainty!"
'Oh, my father" said Alma. bowling
her burning face upon her hands, while
the tears stole through her fingers,
these cruel words pierce my heart like
daggers. You say that you loved each
other as man and woman seldom love.
and that you severed without Il fault
ON either side. Oh, why, then, even if
you must be parted, why should you
wish her to believe you dead-and why
should she be happier in that belief?
Would you be happier if she We're
dead?
II should, for it would be we'll,
Alma
and if I. also were dead?'
"It would be better, still, Alma"
'tAnd if you werey'
"Best of all!'
ooh, this is fearful! remember, too,
overhearing it said that, when in child
hood, 1 was ill. and in great danger,
my mothers mournful face was lighted
up as by wild hope: but that when I
recovered and got well, it sank back to
it's habitual look Of despair! Oh, this
is dreadful! Why is it that the life Of
each of us is a curse to the others, or
that the death of either would be a
blessing to the rest?' cried Alma,
wildly.
Because living sorrow is far hard
er to bear than dead one! because we
are each of us a living sorrow to the
Others" said Hollis Elverton, gloom
lily.
"Oh! this is terrible! But why is it
best that we all should die-I in my
youth, and you and her in your prime
of life, prematurely, as though we were
not fit to cumber the earth?"
Because we are not fit to cumber the
earth-the dust should hide us!' cried
Hollis Elverton, with such a sudden
change of voice and manner, such a
savage energy Of tone and gesture,
such fierce gathering of the brows,
glare of the eyes and writing of the
lips, that his daughter, looking upon
him, suddenly shrieked aloud, and COW
cred her face with her hands, for she
feared that she was in the presence of
q mailman, if not even in the power of
a denoniac.
Alma he continued. sternly and
pitilessly, in spite Of her condition,
this horrifies you; yet, though the
words should kill you, repeat them
it is better that we should die and re-
turn to dust!'
HE wishes indeed to kill me when
he uses such awful words" thought
the shuddering girl, as she shrank more
and more ;iito herself, and covered
nearer and nearer to the ground.
"Alma. there is a misfortune so I'M
natural that it has been iorever name
less in oil languages; so degrading that
it infects with worse than moral lep-
rosy all connected with it; so fatal that
nothing but the death of the victim can
cure it; nothing but the resolution of
the body intt. It's original elements, and
it's resurrection in another form of be-
ing, and into another sphere Of life, can
regenerate it! Alma, such a dire mis-
fortune was mine, and hers, and
yours"
ooh, this is horriblc-most horrible!
But what is it, then? Give the fatality
some na1ne," cried Alma, distractedly.
Il told you it was nameless, but not
cureless; for death is the certain rem
edy. Therefore die, Alma, die!'
Father, 1 am called a Christian,
though most unworthy Of the name;
and nothing on earth would induce me
to cast away my Makers gift Of life"
"Nor do mean that, either! For
though hoping, longing and praying for
our deaths, would not lay sacrilegious
hands on my life. hers or yours; for
murder and suicide are crimes Of the
deepest dye, and I would not burden
my soul with even venial sin; yet,
Alma, die if you CAM"
"Oh, heaven! do not know what you
mean, my father!"
"Why, this. If ever you are ill
again, do not call in a physician, d.
not take medicine, do not take any
means to keep off the death that may
come to you, naturally, easily, kindly,
nnCa1 of Dorcy