The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-14

very Clttn OF you Doln l trust you
VIII show little Jean how to make big
high towers OF blocks, which 1t is such
fun to tumble down. Be good chill
dren, and pet your mother when she Is
sad. Also be kind to your grand
father and grandmother, and play no
bad tricks on your aunts. When papa
returns from his journey, you will
come to meet him at the station with
little Jeanne, with mamma. and all
the rest.
More big kisses for you and Tor
Jeanne. Your Papa"
The last letter but one that is included
in the book is as follows:
~ have written very many letters
during these last months. To add
anything to these would be superiluous.
have told you concerning all the
appeals which have written since last
November to demand my rehabilita-
tion, for justice at last to SO many
innocent victims. In one OF my last
letters / told you that the last APP
peal which had just sent 10 the gov
eminent was stronger and more de-
termined than ever. l am expecting
every day to hear that my restoration
has taken place, that our punishment.
as terrible as 1t was unmerited is at
an end, that the day OF justice has
come for us. / desire today only that
| may kiss you with all my heart as
love you, as also our dear and adored
children. Your devoted Alfred
In conclusion, Il there existed the slight
est doubt OF Alfred Dreyfus' Innocence the
publication CT these letters can not iali
to dispel It, As lola says, NO guilty man
could have written them" One feels from
the very first letter that the writer is
brave and innocent man. Here is pas
sage from one OF the letters written from
Devils Island. My mind, he writes.
'can not extrcatc itself for an instant
from the horrible drama of which ] am
the victim, tragedy which has struck n
blow not only at my llfe--that is the
least of evils. and truly 1t would have
been better had the wretch who commit
ted the crime killed me instead of wound
ing me as he has-but at my honor, the
honor of my children the honor OF you
all" And again, In letter dated June 3,
1895 he writes: "You remember tn Sc
lines of Shakespeare in 'Othello, found
them again not long since among my Eng
fish books. l send them to you trans
lated:
Who steals my purse steals trash; tbs
something, nothing;
Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slaves
to thousands,
Rcbs me of that which not enrlches him,
And makes me poor indeed
"Ah yes! he has rendered me 'vtaiment
pauvre' the wretch who has stolen my
honor! He has made us more miserable
than the meanest OF human creatures
But 10 each one his hour. Courage then,
dear Lucic preserve the unconquerable
Will that you have shown until now
Md yipw tho trApAly in
which he was tho silent hero; "Ynu see,
darling. n man of honor can not live with
out his honor: 1t does no good to tell him
self that he Is innocent; he eats his heart
out. In solitude. the hours are long and
my mind can not comprehend all that mas
come upon me. Never could romancer.
however rich his Imagination, have written
a story more tragic. Some day when my
story Is told II will be incrsdible. But
what we must tell ourselves now is that
must be indicated My name must
shine anew with all the luster II should
never have lost. l should rather see my
children dead than to think that the name
which they bear is a dishonored one"
This thought is repeated again and
again, II Is the Arm resolve that his hon
or must he saved that prevents him taking
his life. Throughout he expresses the
soicitude of loving husband and father.
He must live to save his honor and for
the sake of his wife and children And
now. from present indications, tho whole
pltiful tale will have n happy ending, for
IT. is practically certain that the decision
will bo reversed. and that Captain Alfred
Dreyfus will realize the dream which he
has expressed SO beautifully in the fol-
lowing letter:
The body may give way under such
a burden OF grief, but the sour should
remain firm and valiant, to protest
against lot that We have not de-
served When my honor is given back
to me. then only. my good darling, we
shall have the right to withdraw from
the field. We will live for each other,
far from the noise of the world; we
will take refuge in our mutual af
fiction. In our love- grown still strong
er in these traglcal events. We viii
sustain each other that We may bind
up the wounds of our hearts We VIII
live in cur children, 10 whom we viii
c9nsecrate the remainder Of our dsye,
We Will try to make them good, sim
pie beings. strong in body and mind.
they may always find IN them refuge
from the realities OF life.
May this day come soon, for we
have all paid our tribute Of sufferlngs
upcn this EARTH Courage. then, my
darling; BIO strong and valiant: carry
on your work without weakness with
dignity, but with the conviction of
your rghts. ! am going to lie down.
TO close my eyes and think OF you
Coed night and a thousand kisses"