Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1902-04-24
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HERR STEINHARDT'S NEMESIS

BY !. MAcLAREN coBBAN.


/ learned 10 few words from Free
man that the poor fellow had been EN-
ployed for years at the chemical works
where he had contracted liberation 0
tho lungs on Sunday night he ha'
stood In the doorway Of the crowde'
church, had caught cold and had com
homo 70 che bed from which be wonl,
never rise again.
While he spoke be was seized with
Nc Of violent delirium, In which he hat
70 DO restrained from getting out d
bed. Soon he Gained down again into
q more lucid interval. While he In,
speeehleas, and u neighbor by tho bed
kept m0istenlng his dry, cracked lipl
with ray soaked in brandy and water
he gazed around him, and at last fixed
hia eyes on me, and essayed 10 speak
but no words came. This prostration
and silence continued for some time.
Now and again the head OF the family
wonld ascend from the kitchen lin his
stockinga, lest he should make noise).
and stand In solemn silence with in
quiring eyes On his son; ne would stand
30 still and retired that his presence
was forgotten till the gulp OF big sob
was heard, and the loose back oi his
large waistcoat was seen disappearing
round the door. At length the son
found speech.
Father" he said, when the old
man was about to withdraw. "bide.n
He then signihed that all the others
should leave the room except Freeman
and myself, When they were gone he
motioned HE father TO his pillow. The
old man went,
"Ha'e yon summat 10 say, Dick7p Ie
nodded. Mum raise you upgn
He was raised and propped up with
pillows. He asked for drink. and
was given some whiskey and milk.
"i'm q dying mon," no began; al
know ! am. +" His eyes, glazed with
disease and want Of sleep. turned wildly
about; his head dropped, and his
damp thin fingers (stilI discolored with
dye) clawed at the bed clothes. He
resumed fixing his eyes on met
must confess summat; l hope God'll
forgive me. had nought to do VII IL:
what for should II He was aye good
to me. | had nought to do wit, tell
youn'
No, lad, !" said his father to soothe
him. th00 hadna
Weel, Said he, "dnnnot say had.
because hadna. Wasna ON night
shift9 That was all. took Jim's
places he wanted TO go whoam to wife
lin bed wi babby. That was it"
He muttered on some other phrases,
while he turned his eyes about as II
lost; his recollection was wandering.
He resumed with energy, "They came
right in, speaking loud and angry. He
walks up TO thing, and lifts lid. I'll
knowed it' says he. But yo' needna
let . th' world know it!'says tn other.
This shannot bel says he. /"
The poor fellow was growing terribly |
excited; every word was uttered with |
fierce emphasis and wild gesture; his
eyes we're fixed on vacancy. and, In my
reflex excitement, iancied saw the |
interior Of the color shed, with its
vague tinted vspors, through which
oomed the figures Of two quarreIins
men, whom tremblingly watched in
by the side OF this dyed
lemon Of the vat. The man grew so
'xcited, and we were 80 engrossed, with
lis revelation, that he had risen to his
lnees in bed before we could prevent
lin. He continued his fierce, dis
ointed utterances.
We nun ha' no more OF it!' saws
le. He leans loweri All. Lord he
wants to spill I'll A--h--h.n
With wild leap he was standing up
n bed, and 6ercely initiating the action
1 man STOPPING, and tipping or
hrowing some heavy body. We were
Q transfxed with surprise and horror,
hat we could not stir hand to restrain
i'm. He looked like weird corpse
raised from the dead to a
rotesque, galvanic life. What chiefly
eized my attention was the black
hadow on the wall OF this deiirious fig
re thus STOPPING with his head and
ands outstretched. The incident lasted
ut moment, and then the poor man
III back on his pillow with distracted
ries.
"Murderl Oh, my God! murderl ,
m couldna speak, Nay, I couldnal
ut I'd nought to do wi't!-noughtp'
Again he lay exhausted, and mis- rel. !
tives and neighbors came back hur. /
edly to his bedside to vail over him. !
10 looked sadly but calmly on them,
asping in the last faint struggle OF
ature against dissolution. And so he |
led, and the wailing broke out re- I
oubled. h
Before Freeman and left the house
'gether to 60 out into the cool summer
orning air, the old man said quietly /
} us--"I've seen for long he had sum.
at on his moind, but what he means, :
Gonna tell; so we'd best ho'd our .
ngues, think"
NqA I1TFD "