Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-01-28

of himself. "What does it matter to
you?"
''TO me-not at all. To yoTl-perhaps
much" was the strange reply Of Sed-
ley.
After this remark there WAS nothing
to be said. The gayety, if there were
any, was hopelessiy gone. and after a
gloomy cup of coffee and Il funeral
cigar the party rose. prompted by
Sedley, who declared that he must go.
why are you in such hurry"
asked Vernon, Hospitality.
Il have something to attend to which
cannot wait" he replied. Il beg you
to excuse me. You know / would not
leave the gathering were it not COM
pulsory; but | must leave you. l am
waited for"
And as he pressed Vernon's hand l
saw. by the peculiar expression of the
hosts face that he had noticed the
same odd feeling in Sedley's hand that
had struck me.
Sedley turned to Sinclair.
Goodnight, sir" he said. " Hope
you may come to have more liberation
for the superstition of others. Good
night; we shall meet again"
saw that same strange feeling which
had struck Vernon and myself was
pervading him.
"Confound the fellow" cried Sin
clair, when the door was closed be-
hind the gloomy guest. Hes nice
one to bave at cOnvivial gathering.
He reminds me of those cheerful Trap
pists, one of whose customs is to have
little friar at every meal, whose
duty it is to say, ut intervals: Broth
ers, we must all die Good-by, and
good radiance. May the devil go with
himw
The words chung TO me: MAY the
devil go with him. The devil" a
strange farewell, truly, to departing
guest.
Six months had passed sincr the
evening of the disagreeable dinner l
have described. Business matters had
called me from the city the very day
after it took place, and they had been
of such nature as to keep me away
much longer time than | had antici-
pated. j had heard nothing, or next
to nothing. from home since my tie
parture. One of the very first things
that teaches IL man how little his
friends care for him is their utter in
difference to him the moment his beck
is turned.
Well, as | said had been away for
n long time, and knew nothing Of what
had been taking place since my lie
parture. One Of the first men l went
to see on my return was Vernon, and
/ besought him to tell me the news.
'News" said he; news? l know
nothing. 1t seems to me that you Are
the one to tell the news-yOu who
have been roaming. We here hive
been leading our everyday humdrnm
existence with nothing to chronicle
and nothing to tell"
Nothing to tell.' I exclaimed. THAT
is always the cry of him who stays ut
home. He does not realize that every
thing is Of interest to the wandere--
everything-sca births, marriages
and deaths"
"Deaths-yes, said he, thoughtfuliY.
You speak of deaths. OF course ycv
know that Gerald Sinclair is dead?'
Gerald Sinclair dead" said l. "Ycs
amaze me. Why, he was a young art
vigorous man, and the last l saw III
him he was in the most robust ct
health. OF what did he die?"
THE doctors called it pneumonia"
replied Vernon, with q short cough.
pneumonia? Well, well! They say
it is the bane Of civilization; that our
heated rooms, carelessneSs In expo
sure, and ways of living encourage it.
Yet true it is that our grandfathers
scarcely knew Of it. SO Gerald Sin
clair is dead. Poor fellow! Why, It
seems but yesterday saw him in tho
heyday of manhood. Let me see
when was it that l saw Sinclair Lass?
Why, it was at that dinner you gaye,
the day before l went away.
Yes" assented Vernon, ''it was I'm
unfortunate dinner. / shall never for
get it. OF course you know that Hud-
son Sedley is deadY'
''Sedley, too?" 1 cried more shocked
than l cared to show. mo, l knew
nothing of it. What was the matter
with him? When did he die?'
'Why, he died the day after you
left the city-the day after the dinner,
you know, or the night before" added
Vernon, gloomily. I'm sure / don't
know. There was some talk concern
ing it. 1t was very extraordinary"
But tell me about it," I.said; Il am
entirely in the dark. l know nothing
that has taken place since my de-
parture."
WELL" said Vernon. uneasily, 81 am
sure l don't like to talk about it, for
it's very strange affair. If man
discusses ii seriously he feels queer.
You remember the dinner of course?"
Il remember it very WELL"
"Well, you remember the strange
manner of Sedley. his late arrival, his
altered demeanor and his clammy
hands? l can feel the corpse-like
clutch of his hand in mine yet
And Vernon inspected his hand I'M
easily, as if he expected to see marks
upon it.
Yes; go on"
"You know, too. that he and Gerald
Sinclair had some wordy sparring, in
which Gerald didn't come off best, as
he generally did. | don't know that
Sedley said it in so many words, but
he certainly left the impression on
most of our minds that Jack was go
ing to die before the year was OUT
Il remember"
1.-THE party broke up in short order
after his departure, and all went home
feeling rather blue. You can, per-
haps, imagine our feelings when we
heard next day that Hudson Sedley
was dead"
"Hudson Sedley dead? But how