Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-09-26

consciously emphasized the terrors Oh
my situation BY keeping me ii ionQ
curis and babyish attire long after the
other boys of my age were habted
ike miniature men. You can imagine
the humiliation to which ! was sub.
Jected, even had not been cursed with
representative nerves.
But underneath all my bashful-
ness | had the temper of a demon.
The first time l discovered it / was
frightened nearly to death. II was
still in the period of my long curls
and girlish costumes.
"A big fellow who delighted in bully.
ing, and who had made it his especial
delight to torment me because of my
eheminate appearance and bashful
manner, brought his prosecutions to
a climax by leading a crowd of
sehoolmates to catch me, throw me
down and pile on top of me | was
severely hurt, but my physical in
juries were Insignificant compared
with the humiliation. And as ! lay,
ground into the earth under that
wriggling mass of boys, the hot blood
surged through my head, carrying
with il sense of courage, and a bit
ter hatred which had never guessed
| was capable of possessing.
when they piled off of me and let
me rise, limping and nearly smoth-
cred while they ran away laughing,
picked up big jagged stone and fol
lowed them. remember it was
some hours before succeeded in get
ting squarely in front of the big
Peter Werner, who had led the as
sault, and who had by this time for
gotten it. ! let drive my stone with
all the force ] possessed, and re-
member well the wild JOY which pos
sessed my soul when l saw the blood
squirt from his head, and beheld him
lying unconscious on the ground. I'M
the days that followed while he lin.
gered between life and death, never
could be brought TO see wherein
had done wrong, although after the
excitement had passed away, and my
hashfulness had reasserted itself !
realized the terrific force of my pas
sion.
only two or three times after that
was il aroused, but those few times
served 10 demonstrate more clearly
my utter inability to restrain myself
when injustice or abuse set loose the
torrents Of my temper. / went on
through boyhood and youth with my
sensitive, reserved and lonely nature.
had few pleasures and no eompan-
ions after my mother died.
"The one bright ray that came into
my life, was Alice Wilson. As boy
l worshiped her. As a youth | made
her the goddess of my dreams. and
builded her into air castles which can
only come TO persons who live the |
lonely and companionless life that
led. After / was well along into |
young manhood, and had made some
thing of a success in my vocation
after contact with the world had |
the gloss Oft my dreams and |
had blunted somewhat the edge of |
my shrinking sensitiveness, plucked |
up courage TO propose to her. She |
refused me, but il was with tender
ness and with evident distress. She |
told me that she had never dreamed |
that admired her, and was fun of
pity and regret. She was engaged TO
Phillip Sherry. she told me, and loved |
him with all her heart.
"She married him, and | erawled
back into myself again. and went on
n nv lonely life. Philip sherry was
, rake and a cur. He broke her heart,
Iissipated what little fortune she had
md became involved in a notorious
scandal so badly that he was dragged
INTO court. in a divorce case brought
1y another man against his wife.
II happened 10 be in the Metropoli-
an hotel one day, where I had been
TO figure on some changes
% be made in remodeling it. and be-
anne the accidental and unseen wit
less Of an interview between Sherry
md his wife. II was in the public
,arlor. but they thought themselves
,uife alone. She was pleading with
i'm TO leave the country and save
heir children from further disgrace,
urely to be entailed by his presence
II the forthcoming suit. She was
lrv-eyed and calm, but pray God
Mn never let me see a face into
which IS written a broken heart so
ividlv as was in hers. He was some
What in liquor, brutal and sneering.
he did not talk angrily, but very
,lainlv. He became insoient. insult
nc and abusive. He said things that
He'd me with horror that they should
,e spoken to any woman, but most
4 all 10 her.
"And then. governor" and walked
.irectlv ia front Of the governor, and
ooked him squarely in the eye, "he
truck her. Yes. as tod is my Judge.
T. struck her. and reeled out of the
oom. With that blow started for
Yard from where I had stood trans
ned during the brief interview. As
be saw me she flushed deeply. and as
is caught the expression on my