New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-17
TIE LAST BOUT.
BY l.. COPE CORNFoEb.

hpmStOnr The Traveller, tpHi'-HIfa''iiH ~
band of white and frozen landscape lrinHed-
with trees and intersected with brown hedges
sliding continually past the coach WINDOW. anu
hardening to the rumble Of wheels ana the
hollow clatt.r Of hoofs. which set themselves IN
a wearisonc cadence had in his nina ms jour
ney of thirteen years ago. Down the sam
road. thirteen years ago. th' los'-chiiSe >" &c
through he thick dust toward the open sea w.
tween luxurilnt hedges Of vivid green, cdrf!uhs
him to the lady who htd so INSPIRED MN. nu
traveller remembered how that hopeiuI passIoh
had come TO nothing. and now ne had supHo
ouentlv forgotten il and h, was dwelling upon
these memories. when his malady a'tarkeu nun, III:
and spasm Of pain stopped me Whevi ~, ~
thought. lie swallowed pptl"h rom d ~
vial and soon droWsed into "a Stupot. Inc cod'n
stopping to change horses he a"akeS' me pam
being som. what aSsuasrd. 1id i''rS o"' Va ne
corner at the passengers GOING N ara OUT tHe
inn for liquor stamping up and down the H."
road and beating their hAnGS to-r'ne'' ~
mining wind Hicks the blood INTO th'ir IdrH'
Mr. Ciutterbuck has an interest," III th' '"'"''''
nla,e scene which his fellow passengers nave
not since il is the last Of the sort ne - ilN'iy
to behold: ard yet they impress am WIN an an
OF stupid Indifference. The ringing notes 81 tlle
horn as the coach starts forward strike upon
his senses as all Of piece with the scarlet laceS
which had speckcd the white landscap', i.c
coach wheels and the o"aiing h"oiS AN W
thcir former tuuc: anI tie wheel in his hedd
begins to turn once more. throwing up ioi so't'n
fragments Of his lie. WIN sens W
tachment he regards himself from without se'S
himself strong through ms thre"-aiu- t','' -, ~
wears taking his pleasure where ne loui'u ~
talking a good deal drinking ana gamma NJ"
and again sometimes casually induiSihS III di
ventures; constant To but on" pursuit 'hc ~
of fencing until the catastrophe bciei VIM"
set a limit 10 mis- pleasant d"ihSs wv
you'd vivid space Of The fanh"aI "o'n'. ~ I'M
ccivcd that which should presently iail ana S""'
him out into the dark But there was one i'.S'
thread in the weft of his life which. WIN "a pur-
nose part sincere and part whimsical n" a'-
sired to weave into IN" rrohiSc"""S "'H'S" ="
fore he torn from the loom
The coach swung down the long mn IL, ~,
colored dusk and pulled w AT the doo' I'll '''
Castle Tavern. on the Steync- ,,, -. .
Harry CluttcrDuck. dining ny hii''S'' - ="
small ;ablr in ih" painted cofec-roon' u''''
scously noted the lady and gentleman VINO l','
occupied the places opposite I" MN IN I'M '''i'
ann, toorther The mml had 4 heavy st"oi.
ard a handsome :. e with sly Nlst III J.. anu
he talked L" his companion no '"'N'" H'''''"'
from under his broWs -, ,r.
sitting over the fire with his liquor. Mr. 'iut-
,erbuck presently dropped an oI'iate ih'o ms
glass drank of the contents ana "@nt ~ Dn
The mex, morning Clutterluck hrfd cnalS'
and drove eastward along the hills ON ms r'sh
lay the Glittering levels ot me sea; oeh''h 'i,'
by an offshorc wind from out 81 inc pIt''r Nv,
east. on his lcf;. the swelling up!anHS "hi''
With rhine and glistening in the sunlight i"S'
upon The cloudl,ss blue Turning inland along
valley. tie traveller passed through oVinE'~an
yillac. ard struck into a ruuSh trarkNay "a"-
ING over the hills shoulder To the right
IS ne went the traveller saw. as in picture
the figure Of his former self. atfel IN Ia'''. ia"
and coat white buckskin brooches ana powdered
Larvir riding this way thirteen years aG"
through fields Of spring MT. i'nfy
buck considering this fin" y"ung man WIN
frigid interest thought MIN Il R''' "''' -
fool 80. ,.,..,,
Reaching the summit Of the Mi. 'lutt'f'uch
stopped the chaisc. desired the driver 10 aWal'
his return. and aiighting. walked Forward i'-
meath him in the hollow. stood a great sluiI'
house giri about with trees: blu smoke 'ur'd
from the chinncys: and beyond. slop'd IN" long
roof. Of farm buildings. whence aroi" IN" ch'"f-
full noise of cocks and hens. Clut,"rbuck passed
through gate in tn" new flint wall 'therr us'I
io be a hci;e and a green opcning), ana entered
the little wood which climbed IN" mn uJpn :"
s,cep an ascent that the branches hrush"d IN"
uDper windows Of the house winding pain i"h
downward. Coming opposite To the long WIN
dow Of room on the gr"unn' ana d I'''r 49,
il. Cluttcrbuck stopped. and the next moment
stepped aside behind holly bush. from when
he could see into the room without being seen
from there. For within that chamber S'"hi-
,rc herore the fir. Of logs. tn. woman hc
had come % SOC. ard beside her stood young
man with A pink fresh face "ho va looking al
Menella Waring "Nac'ly AZ Mr ''u''rrpu' * mao
rcga rd,d Mcnrlla Iarb"ri thirteen year, ago.
Save that Mcnclla WAS something stnui"r III nG-
ure and wore her dark hair bound with rcd
rihbon in which q jewel twinklcd. instead ~ no"-
ing loo;. upor her shoulders. the thirteen years
had passed upou hcr like breath upon u mirror.
Cluttcrbuck looked for a moment WIN III" same
cold curiosity. then a ypasin oi pam took MN.
s.. that he must SIT down on tn" frosted leaves.
and drink from h.s vial Through tn" fiery mist
which settled upon him h" saw ne -" figures
rraW together and stand 'ntvircd ~ an ON
brace The mist clearing away ny slow degrees.
Mr.. C!utt,Yluck discovered himself contemplate
lue, TWO definite. IDEAS. one. that IN fresh faced
Young gentleman Mas not "a" husband ~ Men
ina War.uf,. the other that Mr Harry Clutter
luck nearing TIE shai-s 50 swiftly. had no
longer any reason for lingering IN tits place.
hlihOugh in his peculiar situation y" might have
played the innocent SPY WIN th' "h'ranch,sr-
inent " one returned from the dead. Nj. 'lu'-
icrb,Ick turned away and began 10 ascend the
hin once more For the first time. h" Was con
Icio,s Of TN. hoarsc music ~ the wind rushing
-. and I...r lf..pfn H..