The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-10
"You went blind?"

Eyes. My eyes have been bad for
me. guess it amt coming back nei-
Their. for Pm blind now. But it won't
matter for a day or two, if l live as
long as that which amt likely"
ct is dreadful, of course, to lose
ones sight. but why do you say that
you are dying?"
Because | am; that's why. When
lost my sight, l staggered like, and
then l fell down the stairs to the land
ing outside my own door. managed
to crawl in. but then the blood choked
me, and l tainted, l guess
why, what are you saying? How
could the blood from your head choke
you?"
Yes; know my heads cut, too, but
that amt the main trouble. Some
things broken inside of me, and lot
of blood came up into my mouth, and
that's what choked me-"
Some small vessel perhaps" said
Mr. Mitchell reassuringly. ut emptied
itself, and then the hemorrhage ceased.
1t has not come on again, which is
favorable symptom. We have sent for
a doctor, and he will take proper care
of you. Meanwhile take some more
whisky. 1t will sustain you until he
reaches here"
IN take the whisky because l like
it, more's the pity. But it's not the
doctor want; it's a priest"
why do you want a priest?'
I ho
mind that must be told before die. So
bring priest"
Mr.. Mitchell could not resist the
temptation to say:
IF you have anything to tell. confide
it to me-"
Are you a priest?'
mo. but am your sons friend
Then you are crook, and no crook
is ever a trun friend
You are wrong. | am not a crook |
am a gentleman"
''Ha, hal" she laughed. There are
gentlemen crooks and crooked gentle
men, If could only see your face,
| could tell. You couldn't fool Old
Mag. Wait. Give me your hands.
So!'' She took his proffered hand and
felt it With both of hers and then add,
ed: GAS fine as silk. You're gentle
man born anyway. I'll trust you.
must tell somebody. for doubt if I'll
live through the night. Besides, if
Matthew came back he'd stop me-"
"Who is Matthew"
"My SON."
"But is not his name Jim-Preacher
Jim?"
Eyes; you are right-Jim, of course.
was thinking of something else. Now
give me some more whisky. and I'll
tell you the story"
"Here it is. Take some from time
to time. suppose you are used to it?"
used to it? Why. I've drunk enough
in my time to swim in. And why not?
When a good girl goes to the bad, she
must either drown herself or her con-
science. That's nature"
"Then you mean that such was your
misfortune?"
You wait now! Don't hurry me
I'll tell it best my own way. You'll
see why I tell you when you've heard
ALL l was born in New England, ne
matter just where. 1t was on farm
and my people were strict Puritans-
too strict maybe: leastways it proved
70 in my case. l was just wild aftel
the boys, in an innocent sort OF way
you know. While child I wanted tt
play with them, when l grew to be {
girl l wanted a sweetheart, and whe1
l came to be a woman 1 longed fol
some one to love me. l wanted love-
like the men had read about in books
the novels, that | had to steal out Of
the bookcase and read in the haylof
in the barn, for all that sort of thing
| boys, sweethearts, lovers and novels
, my people kept from me as far as the!
could.
, $50 what wonder when I met 6
handsome city chap one day in thu
woods that l found it easy to answer
: him when he spoke to me? What won
der that when heard his smooth, sof
, talk l was charmed? How easy it was
} for simple country girl like me to b.
, fooled by the sort of polished scam
I that he was! He made me promise tt
meet him again the next day, and
hardly slept that night for wishing
. that the sun would rise again. Blu
this part of the story is awfully old
i What's the use of going over it again
The days went by. and the summe
q flew past. The nuts came. and th
leaves turned, and at last my love
S went away back to that great place
e the city. Then my dream ended sud
d denly, and prayed to God that my sill
e might not find me out; that, whateve
was in reality, might still be able t
!. pass among my people as the innocen
Puritan maiden that they all though
me. The preachers tell us that gu
prayers will be heard in heaven an
It answered. but guess that the prayer
l. of the sinners are not recorded. A
d any rate, mine We're either unheard o
d unheeded, and so one dreadful night
o left my home and my people and TO
It lowed my lover to the great metropolis
If to lose my own identity and becom
l. first Margaret Crane and finally OF