Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-11-15


Come to Chicago by the 10 o'clock train.
JOSIAH.
She had gone, and that is ten years
ago. Ten years have spent in search
ing-searching in vain-and 1 have
come home now to await the end.
The boy, my boy, 1 have brought to
The Grange-brought him here five
years ago-and now 1 live for him only.
lAgain there was blank page in the
daryl
THE GRANGE, June, 1904 am
calmer than have been for years. l
am revenged-a life for life. Iset out
for Paris. not this time to hunt for her,
but to demand the Scriptural forfeit, a
life for life. gloat over 1t, only I'm
mad now. They call me Mad Marsden
in the village and shrink as l pass.
How they'd shrink if they knew ALI
have killed him, murdered him, stabbed
himl 1t wasn't wrong. "a life for q
life"-there's my excuse, the excuse III
shrek to my judges; commando
command from the Scriptures, "a life
for life. He and his gang killed her,
and lam revenged. He was getting old,
and SO am l. We were both young
when we first met. and now he is dead
dead by my own hand. He shrank
back when first we met. He saw his
doom in my eye. He could use the
knife, and SO could l. think laughed
as felt that blade go straight to its
mark. suppose am mad, but I'm re-
venged.
To Paris and back in a month. What
luck to have met him as didl More
than year ago since Astray left-left
because ] would tell him nothing of the
past He was always asking what mys-
terry there was about his life, always
flying into a passion because would
not tell him all was fool to let him
know there even was mystery, and
he's fool not to see in my every action
I try to guard his life. l should like to
see him once more-see him and tell
him he can marry the girl he wants to-
I've been hard and cold ever since the
day my wife was lured away. I've op-
pressed every one till I'm hated by all.
They don't think old Marsden was ever
young.
Jan. II, 1s9e.-Astray has been and
gone. He came back after two years to
be good friends. and we have quarreled
again.
He has gone-gone for good. sup
pose this time. He did not plead as he
used, but stood above me and demanded
to know who he was and who his par
ents were. He little knew he spoke to
his own father, and l would not tell
him-why l know not, but after my
death he will know all The ivory
queen. as l have told him all his life,
will reveal the secret. The ivory queen
he has sworn he will not touch until l
am in my grave. Why don't tell him
ALT Because I'm mad perhaps-per-
haps because l cannot bear another,
even my own son. to share my misery.
If he knew. his soul would go out in
pity to his mother. l am mad, for
should be jealous even of that But,
no; feel softer. A better light breaks
in upon me after these years of misery.
I understand now why have kept this
secret why l will keep it to my grave
and past the grave to eternity. l might
have found sympathy in my son years
ago if I had obeyed the promptings of
my heart, but for his sake have kept
it to myself. He shall never know. Let
him live his life happily with the girl
he has chosen. Tonight bury the past;
tomorrow will begin afresh. 1 have
yearned to recognize him as my son all
these years. Tomorrow the parchment
in the ivory queen shall be destroyed,
and will tell him his mother died, in
vent some story why l could not recog-
nize him before, and all will be we'll
Tonight l bid my book goodby for
ever. l dare not read its pages. Let
them die. Tonight place it where it
has been hidden for years-place it
there and forget it.
Tomorrow shall awaken in new
life. Astray, my son. and his wife that
is to be shall brighten the last years of
my life. I feel happier and brighter in
the thought of what will be- Goodby
to the past. to my diary and its horrors,
goodby to thoughts Of hatred and death.
Let me think of her with softer mem
cries Of how she lived. For Astray's
sake want to live now-I want to livel
j. M.