The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-06-24
OSIAS BARNAY

ed
When Oslas Barnay became the hus-
band of Sarah Klingman all their ac'
oualntances on the east side said It
could not lead to happiness. She was
nearly twice his age, and he, scarcely
more than n hoy, was too handsome
and impulsiye, they said, to be proof
against the temptations of the life he
had been leading
But then, he had been virtually on
the brink of starvation, and what
though the Widow Klingman had
daughter nearly eleven year old-m
have clutched at n straw on slighter
provocation; and nobody could say
that Mrs. Klngman was not good-look-
ING. and her worst enemies had to con-
cede that she was rich.
Esther, the daughter, disliked her
stepfather, or, rather, she despised
him. 1t was plain to her that he had
married for money; and never once
in five years did she address a word TO
him beyond what ordinary ciyility re-
quircd.
One day Barnay received letter
from his mother calling him home, II
was now six years since he had left
Budapest, Hungary, by the stern de-
cree of his father. who had grown
tired of paying debts and squallng
scrapes for him But now the father
was dead. and the heart of the mother
yearned for her boy again.
Oslas had never gone into details To
his wife concerning his antecedents.
When she saw the palace his mother
dvelt in. and saw the host of servants
bowling and scraplng in greeting to
their long-absent young master, she
felt like the bride Of the story who
had married n pauper and discovered,
inst as she was getting ready for a
life OF drudgery, that he was a prince.
Esther, too, was overwhelmed WIN
sunrise. and began to regard her step
father in a much more favorable hgnt'
Again two years elapsed, when who
should loom up In New York but OSas
Barnay. He was haggard ana pale, ana
seemed to be laboring under some
great worry.
ON" day shortly after his arrival he
said 10 his friend, Andrew Muhdcr a
lawyer;
81 need your help. Can l rely upon
yOn. .,
"To the drop of the flag. Just tell
tGL how 1 can be of service.
II want divorce. | must have IT,
Munder was thunderstruck.
"Why, your wife is in Hungary with
your mother You never mentioned
any wrongdoing. Has your wife de-
ceive1 youV
mo. a thousand times no! My wife
is the best, the kindest and the noIlest
of women"
Before he left the office Barnay told
Munder this story
my wife's daughter, Esther-you re-
member how gawky and ungaiDly she
was, and how she hated newell, she
is new eighteen, and accounted one of
the most beautiful young ladies III
Budapest.
when she saw my mothers house,
and recognized that | was, after all
not beggar's brat she became more
respectful, and in time we got to be
! quite chummy.
zone night about month ago, when
we returned home from concert, the
carriage collided with a wagon and
was wrecked ! was the only one in
! jurcd Not very seriously, but enough
TO keep me in bed for two weeks. Dur
ing that time Esther was almost con
stantly at my side. Her presence
made me happy. l had a vague, un
defined yearning for her when she
was away.
"Once, when my bruises gave mt
intense pain and | mOaned, Esther
bent over me and, clasping her arms
about me. exclaimed:
oh, If ! could only suffer instead
of youl love you SOL
"And then | knew that | loved her
too: loved her with a bOundless lov'
that consumed me, tormented me. II
check 1t was too late. The only saliva
ton lay in fight, and fee | did as sOoI
as my wounds permitted me. Ant
that's what brought me here"
Some weeks after this interview tn
war with Spain broke out, and Barna.
was one of the first to respond to tn
call for volunteers. He enlisted in tn
Forty-seventh regiment and serve,
with such distinction that he was pro
NOTED from the ranks to lieutenanc,
on the field of battle.
At the conclusion of the war he re
turned to New York. His wife am
Esther had also come from HungarT
to look for him, alarmed by his lon
silence. But although he knew the,
were here he did not go near them
His heart was still in turmoil and b
felt that his love was too mad to b
trusted.
And so he pinned away, each day
agony leaving him less and les
strength to battle with his passion, III
til at length he was worn away to
mere shadow.
One day he did not appear at breah
fast. And when his landlady afte
waiting an hour, went to see what WA
the matter she smelled gas comm
from his room.
When they forced the door the
found him dead. The gas burner wa
turned on and the cracks in the doc
and window calked with paper.
Over his heart. in his clasped hands
was the picture of beautiful girl
Irving r. Bacon.