The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-04-13

CHAPTER MI.
guests door to waken him for break
fast. Not sound could be heard with
ill., He waited little while and then
knocked again. 1t was as still as be-
looked in.
To his amazement, there was no one
there. The bed was made up neatly,
everything in the room was in its
place; but the strange being who had
called himself Brother Man" was
gone.
Philip exclaimed, and his wife came
in.
80 our queer guest has flown! He
must have been very still about 1t. l
heard no noise. Where do you suppose
he is? And who do you suppose he isT'
Are you sure there ever was such a
person, Philip? Don't you think you
dreamed all that about the Brother
ManY" Mrs Strong had not quite for
given Philip for his skeptical question
ing of the reality of the man with the
lantern who had driven the knife into
| the desk.
Eyes, it's your turn now, Sarah.
Well, if our Brother Man was dream
he was the most curious dream this
family ever had, and if he was crazy
he was the most remarkable insane
person 1 ever saw"
''Of course he was crazy. All that
ha ,oi6 oh 1ix,;r, VII
gantly"
do you think he was crazy in that
particular?" asked Philip in a strange
voice His wife noticed it at the time,
but it's true significance did not become
| real to her until afterward. He went
| to the front door and found it was un-
locked. Evidently the guest had gone
| out that way. The heavy storm of the
| night had covered up any possible signs
| of footsteps. 1t was still showing furi-
| ously.
| forenoon as usual but he did very lit
tie writing His wife could hear him
| pacing the floor restlessly.
| About 10 o'clock he came down stairs
| and declared bis intention of going out
into the storm to see if he couldn't set
tie down to work better
He went out and did not return until
the middle of the afternoon. Mrs.
Strong was little alarmed.
"Where have you been all this time,
Philip? In this terrible storm too!
You are a monument of snow. Stand
out here in the kitchen while 1 sweep
you off"
Philip obediently stood still while
his wife walked around him with q
broom and good naturedly submitted
to being swept down, ''as if were be.
ing worked into shape for snow
man. he said.
''Where have you been? Give an ac
count of yourself"
81 have been seeing how some othel
people live. Sarah, the Brother Man
was not so very crazy after all. He
has more than half converted me-"
did you find out anything abou,
him?'
Eyes; several of the older citizen.
here recognized my description of him
They say he is harmless and has quite
a history; was once wealthy mil
owner in Clinton. He wanders abou
the country, living with any one wht
will take him in. 1t is queer case.
must find out more about him. Blu
I'm hungry. Can have bite of some
thing?'
: Haven't you had dinnerT'
"No; haven't had time"
"Where have you been?"
"Among the tenements."
"How are the people getting OF
there?'
81 cannot tell. 1t almost chokes m,
to eat when 1 think of it."
''Now, Philip, what makes you TAX
1t so seriously? How can you help al
that suffering? You are not to blam,
for it."
maybe I am for a part of it. Blu
whether | am or not there the suffer
ing is. And 1 don't know that we Ough
to ask who is to blame in such cases
AT any rate, supposing the fathers ant
mothers in the tenements are to blam
themselves by their own sinfulness
does that make innocent children ant
helpless babes any warmer or bette
| leu L nave Seel
things in these four hours time tha
make me want to join the bomb throw
ers of Europe almost"
: Mrs. Strong came up behind his chat
as he sat at the table eating and place,
her hand on his brow. She grew NOR
anxious every day over his grOwin
personal feeling for others. 1t seeme
Il to her it was becoming a passion wit
him, wearing him out, and she feare
its results as winter deepened and tn
strike in the mills remained unbroken
You cannot do more than one mar
Philip" she said, with sigh.
mo, but if l can only make tn
church see it's duty at this time and &C
the Christlike way a great many pei
sons will be saved" He dropped hi
e, knife and fork, wheeled around al
ruptly in his chair arsl faced her wit
the question, would you give up thi
home and be content to live in sin
pier fashion than we have been use
y, to since we came herew
YES" replied his wife quietly.
Is is will go anywhere and suffer anythin
with you. What is it you are thinkir
of now?"
81 need a little more time. There