The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-01-23
4 DIVIDED HOUSE
A Story of the Civil
War in Missouri.
BY SIDNEY ID. POWELL.
Nor First Published.
CHAPTER Ix.-MIsTRUsT.

K.-MISTRUST.
John Dabney was alone in his
room, and the email hour Of the
hight found him still tossing, wake
full and restless. He was disturbed
and anxious to a degree never ex-
perienced before, for he had tried
al his life to discipline himself to
bear with equanimity every annoy
snce and Ill that flesh is heir to.
Charlie was to leave for the union
army in a few days and yet night
after night he absented himself from
home, returning at a late hour and
under the influence Of drink. The
thought that his brother was SO
Indifferent to his feelings and
wishes was distressing to him but
not comparable In distress to the
thought that the course he had
started on vas leading him to ruin
and death.
"Oh my brother, my brother, why
are you 80 blind to your own inter-
estP" he said, again and again 40
he tossed on his pillow--C Charities
step at last resounded on the stair,
and John was determined to wait no
longer to have a full understanding
with him. AS usual he had been
drinking, but to no great extent.
John said calmly, when he en-
tered, "Charlie, J. am afraid If you
continue this way OF living that l
will soon have nc brother, or have
one that will be a source of pain
instead OF pleasure. Don't you
know you r running yourself"
"That is my business" he said sui
lenly.
"No, you can't say that unless you
car sever the tie of brotherhood be-
tween US; it is my business to try to
save you from your downward
course"
"You have nothing to do with
me-" Charlie said fercely. 81 am
tired of your meddling oniciousness.
I can take care of myself and will
thank you to attend to your OWL
affairs.n
"Charlie, I have one question tc
ask you, tefore I let you alone, and
} that is, did you collar Jack Haze,
and try to choke him, the night hi
was killed."
There was no anger in John'l
tones and looks, nothing but sham,
and grief.
Charlie did not speak at first, blu
he looked up in such genuine sur
, prise that his brothers. suspicio,
was for a moment disarmed.
"Who told you that-who say
it?" Charlie asked eagerly.
: 81 don't know who saw 1t, bu
3 that is what l heard and il 1t was 60
as you insinuate some one doubles
!, saw 1t, I know you came hom
a drunk and told me a long tai
about what he had said to yor
o How much was true 1 can't say
4 But I can say this much, from this
!, evidence against you there is a sus
S picion attached to you that make
me miserable. Oh Charlie, that you
Q good name should be ruined is tor
ture to me-"
"My good name has been RUNE
these many years." he answere
doggedly, "ior my mother has Away
said / was not fit to live. Perhar
the sooner 1 get hanged the better.
L ~"Chailie, you surely are not g
lost to right, as to mean what 20
1t say-do you think Ellie would lik
to hear you talk 80? OF course
70 know nothing of how you stand wit
her, but I believe she thinks a gre,
" deal Of you, and l think you do
% her; for her sake, act in such q wa
Or as not to break her heart"
d Charlie, whose brain and hea
70 were distorted and unnatural fro,
At the whiskey he had drunk said moth
% ing even when appealed to in Ellie
i name. And John, his very so
stirred with shame, sorrow ar
contempt, felt that her pure nan
4. had been de~secrated by calling it
~ him, while he was in that conditio,
as Oh, the pain and the humiliatit
l. OF seeing his brother who had hes
so dear to him, debase himself low,
a, than . hrutel
IN 81 say" said John and his vol,
trembled with excitement and EN-,
ton, "now that you are to lsave q
g., and will Lee thrown with bad m,
nd who will not scruple at anythin
q and will have no influence for goi
nd over you, how are these bad habI
n to be overcome? Are you to 60
from bad to worse until you ma
yourse I an outcast from good pc
pie? Are you willing to FORT
Elhe's love and respect to indul
ny In your degrading ha5its9" JOIN
AS looks and words seemed to tou
he him at least, for he got up and col
.er menced walking the floor imp
q tiently. But he felt that JOIN
I'D arguments were unanswerable,
could not justify himself. suddeI
he he turned and faced John who "
II sitting up in bed, saying, "You a
y mother r always telling me acc
Ike my doings, and blaming me
k1or. h,,A n - ~fua - A~.saalao -,