Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-01-27
Was He a Brute?
BY oPIE READ.


Office buildings and stores were
pouring tx cir streams of life into the
crowded streets. 1t was six o'clock at
evening. At corner where human
tue swept like torrent from broken
dam a woman stood under lamp
post. She vas tall ana dark, and so
motioniess that she might have been a
statue. Her arms were folded under
her cloak. A policeman edging his
way through the crowd, touched his
sap (for she was neatly dressed), and
asked her question. She shook her
head slowly, and did not look at him.
The policeman passed on, and the next
moment there were two quick pistol
shots, scream and a stampede. The
officer ran back, fighting his way
through the swirling crowd. He
found the woman, pistol in hand, bend
ing over man lying upon the pave
ment. The officer seized her wrist,
and looking at him with strange
smile, as she relaxed her hold on the
pistol, she said:
81 am a woman, and I demand to be
treated as SUCH
When she had been taken to the
station and asked to make state
ment, she said: ''My name is Laura
Hoytt. The name of the man I shot
is Douglass Brown. 1 shot him be-
cause he ought to be killed. He was
engaged to marry my sister. He did
not keep faith with her, and she died
of broken heart. He is brute, and
ought to be dead.
Brown was taken to the hospital
His wounds were pronounced danger
Gus. An effort was made to interview
him. But all he would say was, 81
guess she thought she had a right to
shoot me-" He asked if they had put
her in Jail, and appeared to he pleased
when told that influential friends had
given bonds for her release
Three weeks later the wounded man
was sitting propped up in bed, when
a card bearing the name of Laura
Hoytt was handed to him. He looked
hard at it, rubbed his eyes, held it
further away, then closer, and then
remarked, ''I don't understand why
she should want to see me. Let her
come in"
With timid, awe-struck air the
woman approached the bed. She
coughed in embarrassment as she
seated herself on chair which the
nurse placed for her. She put back
her hair, made aimless motions in her
confusion, and then, looking straight
at Brown, said:
'I'm awfully sorry I shot you"
Brown smiled. ''And are you sure
you haven't come to shoot me again?"
he asked
She frowned in nreproof. "You know
/ haven't. If you had thought that,
you would have told them to keep me
out"
t'No, 1 wouldn't. You have come
30 far ont here that I couldn't have
found the heart to disappoint you.
ga plaster of sarcasm won't draw
out soreness, Mr.. Brown. I have
suffered 50 with remorse that I have
come to see if l could not find some
sort of consolation. You don't know
how have suffered. And 1 must go
through hateful trial, too, with
everybody looking at me. Oh, 1 do
wish hadn't shot your
t'Yes, he drawled, 81 rather wish
30 myself. SO, you see, we have
something in common. But you
needn't be worried over the trial
/ shall not appear against you"
The nurse had withdrawn. They
were alone. She put back her hair
again, and he followed the movement
VT her graceful hand-the hand that,
had shot him. ''No, 1 will not ap-
fear," he went on. cit is something
of distinction to be shotby the hand
soonest woman in Chicago" He hesi-
tated as he saw the tears gathering in
he- eyes. 81 take it all back" he
said. She wiped her eyes, and sat
looking far away through window.
The mystery that lies in the cloud
land was reflected in her eyes, and he
gazed at her. She turned her eyes
upon him, and the mystery flew from
them.
eyes, am sorry shot you," she
said; "but l hate you, and can never
forgive YOU
t'Ah! and 1 am therefore consoled
by the thought that you never can
forget me-"
'sBruter' she said. 81 almost wish
had killed you
when a woman almost wishes
4hing, she wishes it doubly," he
replied.
:I don't know but there is some
truth in that" she assented. "But
what beast you were to treat Helen
30. How could you?"
'sBecause I was beast, suppose. Y
eyes, you were. She was taken
down with fever shortly afterward, but
it was broken heart that killed her.
Her eyes shot shafts of hatred at him,
'tBut didn't come to reproach you, +"
she said.
'sThen why did you Gomez" he
asked.
"To ask why you could have been
80 heartless. ! simply want to know.
Was it because YOU had no heart ut