Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-03-05

Because a living sorrow Is far hard
or to bear than a dead one. because We
are each of us a living sorrow 80 the
Others said Hollis Elyerton, gloom.
lily. :.
'Oh! this is terrible, But why is ii
BEST that we all should die-I in my
youth. and you and her in your prime
Of life, prematureiy, as though we were
not lit to cumber the earth?'
Because we are not fit to cumbcr the
earth-the dust should hide u.s. cried
Hollis Elverton, with such a sudden
change of voice and manner, such a
savage energy of one and gesture,
such a fierce gathering of the brows,
glare Of the eyes and writhing 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
Il mailman, if not eve in the power OF
a dcmOnidc.
Alma" he continued. sternly and
pitilessly. in spite of her condition,
this horrifies you; yet, though the
words should kill you, i repeat them
IL is better that we should die and re
turn To- dust!'
lie wishes indeed TO kill me when
he uses such awful words" thought
.h- shuddering girl, as she shrank more
aud more into herself, and covered
nearer and nearer to the ground.
Alma, there is q misfortune so un,
natural that il has been forever name
less in all languages; so degrading that
il infects with Il worse than moral lep-
rosy all connected with it; SO fatal that
nothing but the death of the victim car
cure it; nothing but the resolution of
the body into its 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 vas mine, and hers, and
yours!"
"Oh. this is horrible-most horrible,
But what is it, then? Give the fatality
some name" cried Alma, ~diStractedly.
II told you it was nameless, but not
cureiess; for death is the certain rem
edy Therefore die, Alma, die!"
Father, l am called Il Christian.
though most unworthy OF the name;
and nothing on earth would induce me
to east away my Makers gift OF life"
Nor do | that. either. For
though hoping, longing and praying for
our deaths. | would not lay s~acrilegiouS
hands on my life. hers or yours for
murder and suicide are crimes of the
deepest dye, and | would not burden
my soul with even n vcnial sin; yet,
Alma, die If you cam"
"Oh. heaven! | do not know what YOU
mean, my father"
why, this. IL ever YOU are i'll
again. do not call i'm a physician. d.
not take medicine. do not take any
means TO keep off the death thar may
come to you, naturally, easily, kindly.
as IN angel OF mercy. Promise me-
this"
NO, my father. 7 cannot. For not
only does my conscience forbid me 10
destroy my own life, but il corsmanlS
me to do all | can to preserve il; and |
would no more be guilty of negative
than of positive suicide" said Alma.
firmly, though mOurnfully.
Then life. worse than death. must
he Oil your head! You are warned!
But remember, you who prize this
earthly life so highly, do not deprive
Your mother Of the comfort she finds
in the superstition Of my death. by the
remoteSt hint OF my existence" reit-
~ a'iAlN i#IN'i clls 'b utNtiN~
Father, you have my promise. and
YOU may rely upon it. But. sir. there
is one OF whom neither You nor | have
yet spoken, n whom we should both
consider-onc, indeed. who is much to
De pitIcd in his widowed. ehild,ess
and deSOlatc old age. | mean your
aged parent. my grandfather. Lord
Elvertor. Surely lie. at least. would
rejoice 70 hear that his only son still
lives. and. IL necessary. ne would
Keep your counsel as faithfully as |
shall. VIII you not communicate with
MIN n comfort his aged heart with
the news of your continued life?'
Never" broke forth Hollis EIvcr-
ton. In a fury, that again frightened
his gentle daughter almost into IA
Swoon. II have no father: know
nothing Of your grandfather, and ncv-
er. In this world. in Hades or in
Heaven. win ! see, speak tn or az
Lord Elverton again. Nev-
or! 50 save me, Heaven, in my utmost
strait
~oh, sir! nc is your father. do not
speak of him So bitterly faltcrad
Alma.
Girl. | told You n few moments
since that there We're miSf0rtunps So
mofStrous rs TO be namcless: so
shameful as TO be contagious: so fatal
to be curcless except by DEATH AMI
now add to that. that there are SINS so
great as To burst asunder all ties of
Kindred. destroy all the sympathies
or humanity. and invalidate all obi
cations of duty. Ask me no more
questions. for find that Won are will
ing the very spirit from my bosom. but
answer me this: Since the fatal night
that drove me from my home forever,
a mat old man ever dared to cross
the threshold OF Edenlawn?'
But once. my father: but once ne 7
truly believe. l have never seen him
there, but j heard that. within n few
weeks after your flight and my birth.
he came to Edenlawn late one after.
noon, and was closeted with my
..,l.I