The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-04-09

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throwing it's long shadow over the
moonlit road. followed only too closely
by that ether, whose ungainly. step he
feared to acknowledge to himsalf was
growing only too familiar in his eyes.
Failing into Il troubled reverie. he be-
held the well known houses and the
great trees under whose shadow he
had grown from youth to manhood fit
by him like phantoms in a dream. But
suddenly one house and one place
] drew his attention with force that
started him again into an erect atti-
tude. and. selling with one hand the
arm of the driver. he pointed with the
other at the door of the cottage they
We're passing. saying in choked tones
See. see: Something dreadful has
happened since we passed by here this
morning. That is Grape. Samuel. Grape.
hanging from the doorpost yonder.'
Yes. it is Grape answered the driv-
err, jumping out and running up the
path to look "philemon must be dead.
the good Philemon
Here was fresh blow Mr.. Suther-
/ land bowed before it for a moment.
! Then he rose hurriedly and stepped
down into the road beside the driver
Get in again" said he. land drive
on. Ride Il half mile. then come back
for me. | must see the Widow Jones'"
The driver awed both by the occa-
sion and the feeling it had called up in
Mir. Sutherland. did as he was BID and
drove away Mr.. Sutherland. with a
GLANCE back at the road he had just
traversed. walked painfully up the
path to Mrs. Jones door.
a moments conversation with the
woman who answered his summons
proved the drivers supposition TO be
correct. Philemon had passed away
He had never rallied from the shock he
had received Ee had Joined his bplov-
ed Agatha Oh the day of her burial and
the long tragedy of their mutual life
was over
1T is Il mercy that no inhertor of
their misfortune remains" quoth the
good woman as she saw the affection
her tidings caused in this much rever-
/ ed friend
The assent Mr.. Sutherland gave was
mechanical lie was anxiously study
! ing the road leading toward Porches-
ter.
Suddenly he stepped hastily in.
i'N"Will you be so good as to let me sit
down in your parlor for a few min
utes" he asked II would like to rest
there for an instant alone. This final
blow has upset me-"
The good woman bowed Mr.. Suther-
lands word was law in that town. She
did not even dare to protest against
the '.alone" which he had so pointedly
emphasized, but left him after making
him. as she said, comfortable, and
went back to her duties in the room
above.
1t was fortunate she was SO anne
nable to his wishes. for no sooner had
her steps ceased to he heard than MIR
| Sutherland rose from the easy chair in
which he had been seated and. putting
out the lamp Widow Jones had insist
ed on lighting. passed directly to the
!. window. Though which he began to
peer with looks of the deepest anxiety.
4 a man WAS coming up the road. a
young man Frederick. AS MIR. Suth-
erland recognized him he leaned for
ward with Increased anxiety till at the
| appearance of his son in front his Scru-
4 tiny grew SO strained and penetrating
that 1T seemed to exercise Il magnetic
4 ,tt INV fn,. I,op
directly opposite the window Frederick
! inyountarily reused from his abstrac-
.tion and looked up. The glance he gave
4 the house was but mumentary. but in
thai glance the father saw all that he
had secretly dreaded. AS his sons eye
fell on that huttering bit of Grape. tes-
|tifyinG to another death in this already
much bereaved community. he stagger-
ed wildly. then in pause of doubt
drew nearer and nearer till his fingers
grasped this symbol of mourning and
chung there. Next moment he was far
down the road. plunging toward home
in state of great mental disorder.
4, With sinking heart MIR. Sutherland
let his eyes drop from this flying figure
while before he had seen following inn
mediately behind his son. He was fol-
lowing him still and FASTENED by the
house just as Mr.. Sutherland's glance
fell on him. SO that whatever was
strange or pitiful in the foregoing scene
must have had this man for Il witness
4 han' hour afterward iir Suther-
land reached home He had not over
taken Frederick again or even his ac-
campaigning shadow. Ascertaining at
his own door that his son had not vet
come in but had been seen going far
Their up the hill, he turned back again
into the road and proceeded after him
on foot.
The next place to his own was occu.
pied by Mr.. Halliday. AS he approach,
ed it he caught sight Of man stand.
ing half in and half out of the honey.
suckle porch, whom he at first thought
to he Frederick But he soon saw that