Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-07
lamp-"you really do not look well,

lamp-"you really do not look well,
old man"
Goddard smiled and motioned to a
chair. His smile was a very artificial
affair, his gesture mechanical.
"Sit down." he said, before lose
my courage"
Father surtees complied, wonder
lngly.
"You have been profound mystery
to me for the last month, Rowland.
Would you believe was joking if I
were to tell you have lost sleep wor-
rying over you lately? When 1 close
my eyes at night I often see your face
and it's awful gloom and mystery
drives my rest away. l am glad you
came. ] was going to look you up if
you hadn't"
"Do yon remember how 1 laughed
once said the major, Eat the idea
some fellow at the club advanced that
there could really be such thing as
an objectionable sin?"
81 think I agreed with you" said
the priest, strolling his round, beard
less face. while his gray eyes cleaned
In the light of the fire.
The major drew deep breath. II
was like the sigh of a dying man.
'Would you mind lowering that
lamp" he said.
Certainly not" And Father. Sur
tees leaned back in his rocking chair
and turned down the light.
I;lyae;+ th;, IL ..:S
"One can think better in a subdued
light like this from the CRATE"
lam not a member of your church. !"
began Goddard; "but If I were to
make special request would you al
| low me to make a confession to YOU
to unburden conscience that is tot
tering on the verge of spiritual de-
spair?"
you know Should listen to any
thing you said, dear friend, as would
to the trouble of brother"
Goddard drew himself up in his
chair.
81 am hungering for something
else" said he. II have heard that a
confession made in due form under
the rules of your church really does
help men maddened by the cons.-
quences of-of their crimes. Iwant
that aid-whatever it is. 1 want it If
you can by any hook or crook get It
for me-"
"If you have done wrong, God will
pardon it," answered the priest, bend
ing forward and sympathetically look
ing into the face of his visitor. 1.-THE
pardon of God is the most beautiful
law of the universe. You can get it.
You have it now, for l see that YOU
!. have already repented as deeply az
man cam w.. 49, -
Goddard laughed harshly.
wait until tell you my story" he
said.
~ am ready to hear it,
II dislike to begin it, because !
know that you will never look at me
in the old way again. said the ma
jor; '.but to know that I have con-
fded my agony to some one will help
little"
Nothing you have done could make
me feel differently towards you. my
old friend, SO go ahead. 1 feel that
God will let me help you. | think
have helped every soul that has ever
confessed to me-"
Then in a low, uneven voice Goddard
told the story of his first love for his
ward, his intention of making her his
wife.
"Ah, remember that WE'LL" put in
Father Surtees. II remember when
4 you first came to me in your boyish
enthusiasm and told me about her
Then you remember, when you intro
duced me to her, how her rare beauty
her wonderful personality swept me
off my feet in admiration. Why, ole
man, felt like shouting for JOY wher
you told me she was to be your wife
''Then I met the other" said God
dard.
~Ah, yes, you met the other" TIL,
eyes of the priest were fixed on The
rug at his feet. And as the major
began the second part of his recital
and plunged into the details O
Jeanne's plot, Father Surtees' fac,
seemed to turn to bronze in the fitfu
CLEANS of the burning Goals. He ga
listening with clenched hands, his fin
features almost awry from the menta
strain upon him.
"Mercful God!" he exclaimed
II knew you would be quite unpre
pared for my disclosure" said God
dard. 'You see, even your churcl
can't undertake to palliate such stu
pendous offenses against human Law
and ORDER
"And you say you now low
Blanche?" said the priest.
"As never dreamt 1 could love-
it has been a revelation of all tn
forces of tenderness which lay dor
mant in me. There is but one solu
ton can make OF it, and thatis tina
God has visited this love upon me a
the only adequate punishment for M
crime. / tell you there is a hell.
am in it. / had rather undergo tn
physical pangs of an eternity in burn
ing flames than to bear this mont.
longer"