Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-22

ture and say, a bird of tho air carried |
it.. But, Miss Butterworth, you would
never believe the truth of your own
words, and yet that was the very way
it was done--a bird of the air carried
it. In those days-it is three months
ago now-Mother Jane kept two tame
pigeons. They slept on her house top,
they ate from her hand and they flew
sometimes as far away rs Mr.. Trohm's
garden. One day aysung man, equipped
for travelling, paused for glass of wa
ter at the famous we'll there while
these pigeons were picking up corn
which Mr.. Trohm had scattered for
them, for his tastes are confined to the
cultivation of fruits and flowers, but
extend to dumb animals, to whom he
is uniformly kind. The young man wore
ring, and being. nervous was fiddling
with it as he talked to the pleasant old
gentleman who was lowering the bucket
for him. AS he fiddled with it the
earth fell from under him, and as the
daylight vanished above him the ring
flew out of his up thrown hand and lay,
the only token of his now blotted out
existence, upon the emerald sward he
had but moment before pressed with
his unsuspicious feet. It burned-this
ruby burned like drop of blood in
the grass when that demon came again
to his senses, and being telltale evil
dence of crime to him who had allowed
nothing to ever speak against him Of
these matters, he stared at 1t as at
deadly thing directed against himself
and to be got rid Of at once and by
means which by no possibility could
recoil back upon himself as its author.
"The pigeons stalking near offered to
his abnormally acute understanding the
only solution which would leave him
absolutely devoid Of fear. He might
have swung open the lid Of the we'll
once more and flung it after its owner,
but this meant an aftermath Of expe-
rience from which even he shrank who
delighted in the thought that the VIC
tins he saw vanish before his eyes were
like something wiped out by sweep of
the hand. To see or hear them again
would be to this notion. He preferred
the subtler way and to take advantage
of old Mother JAMES characteristics, SO
he caught one of the pigeons Che has
always been able to lure birds into his
hands,, and tying the ring around the
neck of the bird with blade Of grass
plucked up from the highway he let it
fly and SO was rid of the bauble which
to Mother James eyes, Of course, was q
direct gift from the heavens through
which the bird had flown before light
ing on her doorstep"
Wonderful" I exclaimed, almost
overwhelmed with humiliation, but
preserving brave front. "What inven-
ton and what audacity-the audacity
of man totally irresponsible for his
deeds, was it not?' asked. "There is
no doubt, is there, about his being an
absolute maniac?"
mo, madam" What relief felt
at that word "Since we entrapped him
yesterday and he found himself fully
discovered he has lost all grip upon
himself and filled the room we put him
in with the unmistakable rawlings Of q
mailman. Itwas through these learned
the facts about the ring and the pigeon. u
drew deep breath. We were stand
ing in the sight Of several men, and
their presence there seemed intolerable.
Unconsciously began to walk away.
Unconsciously Mr.. Gryce followed me.
At the end of several PAGES we both
stopped. We were no longer visible tc
the crowd, and felt could speak the
words had been burning to say ever
| since saw the nature Of Mr.. Trohm ex
| posed.
"Mr. Gryce," said /, flushing scar
let-which I here solemnly declare il
something which has not happened tt
me before in years and if can help /,
shall never happen to me again-''I an
interested in this which you say be.
cause yesterday, here in the open road,
Mr.. Trohm proposed to me, and"-
"You did not accept it?"
"No. What do you think am mad,
of, Mr.. Grycep did not accept him
butt made the refusal a gentle one
and-this is not easy work, Mr.
Gryce," interrupted myself to say
with suitable grimness-"the sam,
thing took place between me and Dea
con Spear, and to him gave arespons'
such as I thought his presumption war
ranted. The discrimination does no
argue we'll for my acumen, Mr.. Gryoe
You see, want no credit that do no
deserve. Perhaps you cannot understand
that, but it is part Of my nature"
Madam, said he, and must own
thought his conduct perfect for, tn,
nonce, chad not been as completed,
deceived as yourself might find word
of criticism for this possibly unprofes
sional Partially. But when an old hant
like myself can listen to the insinua
lions Of maniac and repose, as mus
say did repose, more or less confidenc
i'll the statements he chose to make me
and which were true enough as regard
ed plain fact, but wickedly false ant
preposterously wrong as regards thei
suggestion, 1 can have no words O
blame for woman who, whatever he
understanding and whatever her expe
rience, necessarily has seen less of hu
man nature and its incalculable sur
prises. AS to the more delicate matte
you have been good enough to confide t.
me- madam, l have but one remark Il
make. With such an example Of won
anhood suddenly brought to their MOTTO
i'll such wild as this, how could 20,
expect them, sane or insane, to do other
wise than they did? I know many
worthy man who would like to follow
their example," And with bow tina
left me speechless Mr.. Gryce laid hi
hand on his heart and softly Withdrew
THE END.
Beware of ointments for catsrrl
| that contain Mercury,
as mercury will surely destroy the sense
smell and completely derange the whole systel