Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-04-12
A Narrow Escape.

The end had come The old firm
name which had been carried like a
banner above the commerce of the
city was down. 1t was dragging in
the dust. Arthur wilkinson, last of
his line, heir to his fathers fortune
and responsibilities, who had made
mucker of affairs too large and far
reaching for him to manage, attained
the conclusion that the simplest
thing to do was to put sharp quietus
to life whose energies had evidently
been misapplied.
There were, of course, complica-
tions. There always were. To begin
with, there was Winnifred Inderrier-
den. He had expected to marry her
they had, in fact, had an unusual
courtship, the particulars of which it
would be pleasure to relate il there
were time. Which there is not He
knew what her expectations were.
She had always been surrounded by
luxuries. 1t would hardly occur to
her that there could be any other con-
ditions-for Winnifred Inderrierden
She loved him, he thought, but after
all 1t had been a love that fed on the
beautiful and on the luxurious They
had usually met in the evening, she
exquisitely attired and in her best
mood, he eager for the diversion
which her vlvacity afforded him and
the delight which her loneliness gave.
They had eaten in the stately Inder-
rierden dining-room together. They
had driven abroad on the boulevard
at the gayest hour, in the most fetch
ing of carts; they knew the opera to-
gether and the orchestral concerts.
Their love had fed on the roses and
lain in the lilies of life" How would
it weather the storms of poverty and
self-denial and social oblivion? The
simplest way out of his difficulties,
Arthur Wilkinson assured himself
again, was to make the sharp quietus.
Why could he not stop thinking.
having made his resolution? Why
must he remember those hideous de-
tails that brought the blood in a hot
rush to his jaded face? Why must
he recollect old Effinger. for twenty
years the manager of the house.
whose careful savings had gone up
with the rest? Effinger impoverished.
and in his old age, and because of the
fatuous folly of an incompetent ass
who lacked the ability to run a con-
Germ himself and who had not the
sense to ask advice of his elders!
There were other things which were
no less distressing to remember
There were the men and women who
had counted on steady employment
from the firm. some of whom had
every reason to suppose that their vo-
cation for life was fixed. He knew
some OF the young men who had mar
ried on this superstition, men who
trusted him entirely. He was. I'M
fortunately for his peace of mind, ac-
quainted with the private life Of many
or his employees. He knew what their
responsibilities were. He thought of
Maggie 0'Neill who cared for five
brothers and sisters and who had no
one to help her in the fight-patient
Maggie, whose eyes had always looked
into his with frank goodwill and graf
itude.
He calmly set date for his decisive
act, and counted the days with some
thing like anticipation. The burden
of ohagrin and regret upon him was
so heavy that the thought of rest was
heavenly indeed He had no doubt.
he told himself, that the grave meant
absolute oblivion. When that ingen-
ious piece of workmanship. the brain.
ceased its restless labors. there was
nothing-no knowledge, no fears. no
joys. Oblivion was best. Still, what
II his reckonings were wrong? What
II he found himself plunged yet more
irretrievably into a sea of remorsee
What it-but what childish folly. rhe
grave was the grave. 1t was the peri
Cd. When one achieved death. one
wrote 'fnis."
The fatal day came. He saluted II
This is the day Of my release.
said he. and the heart which had
dragged at him till it seemed an in
supportable physical burden was