The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-10
TOMS SACRIFICE.

could pass very en1oyaDie nour- You
| would get a glimpse of Bohemia-the
higher, more noble Bohemia. The brio
a-brac collected from every corner of the
globe would interest you and arouse your
! imagination; the many pictures. stunning
oils and dainty water-colors, would de-
light your eye
And occupying a prominent place on the
walls you would see a large portrait-the
only one in the rooms. He is q fine-look-
ing young man of about twenty-five, evil
IDENTIFY tall and fair. with a strong face
and a frank, clear eye, full of sentiment
and humanity, that makes you imagine
him as most lovable fellow.
II you could go with me to Los An
geles. California, you would dine with
ne at the home of a very dear friend
You would find 1t a most attractive little
cottage, surrounded by its myriad trees
and shrubs and blossoms. Within you
would find charming happy little wo-
man, still young and wonderfully clever
and rather quiet but sterling man about
thirty1eight, and a royal welcome. Per-
haps. when she talked to me. you might
occasionally notice a PARKWAY. rather sad
look in her big, dark eyees-yet you would
go far before finding a happier young
wife and husband. The whole world seems
to smile up them, and their lifes path
way is as rose-strews as is the walk that
door.
And If Nora would but give me a GER
tain little key, We could steal quietly into
the closet of her room. open certain
little tin box, and find there picture TO
which is pinned a few dry. dead violets.
1t is the only picture in the box; and it is
that of fine-looking young man of about
twenty-five, evidently tall and fair. with
strong face and a frank. clear eye;
full OF sentiment and humanity, that
makes you imagine him as a most Iowa
BILE fellow.
In the long ago ne was my chum, and
it was through him that l met Pierre
We went together UP into the Big Woods
one late summer.
Il want you to meet the French-Cana-
dian guide of mine Tom said to me one
day. land you'll also get some fine
ouananiche fishing and a shot at a big
moose"
So we went-and we hunted and fished
and loafed through nearly eight weeks OF
matchless happiness. Pierre and | be-
came good friends, and the memory OF
that first season with him, when Tom.
Pierre and l were the only occupants of
Pierre's cabin on the banks of the great.
roaring stream, will live with me long af-
ter my hand is too weak and shaky to
cast a fly and when my eyes are too
blurred to see a moose through the gum
sights.
During the two following seasons the
three of us hunted together, inexpressibly
happy. Then l missed and Tom went
alone. 1t was a comparatively trivial
thing that kept me at home; and had L
then realized what my going might have
prevented nothing would have kept me
from accompanying Tom. AS matter
of fact, / didn't feel that l could af-
ford the trip. 1t had been disastrous
year in business circles, and while l was
not hard hit, yet money was not as easy
as it had been and | concluded to econo-
mize until the atmosphere should clear.
Little did | realize Toms condition.
knew he was depressed and unhappy-but
he was always a proud fellow and spoke
little of his personal troubles. That was
because he had schooled himself TO leave
care outside on his doorstep, when he en-
tered his home His mother. with whom
he lived, had not had a particularly hap
py life and Tom spared her as much as
he could. He was always cheerful, al
ways happy-outwardly at least, no mat
ter how he may have felt inwardly. He
believed strongly in his friends (of whom
he had scOres) and in their sincerity. But
just when he needed them most. they
disappointed him-and the revelation was
one of the things that led to his death.
L
depression and ] knew he needed help.
He didn't come to me. probably because
he knew l couldn't give him the help ne
needed. He used to come and sit of an
evening in the same old way, and sip
hot Scotch and smoke a cigar; but he
was quiet and sad and deeply worried,
l knew.
One night he suddenly turned to me
and said:
Jack. do you believe that grief every
really kills people,
Without attaching any particular sig
nificance to his remark ! answered mega
lively and said that every deep grief. like
that which follows the loss of a loved
one might cause long unhappiness and
regret. but not actual death. and that
time would heal even such wound
But why do you ask?' l said.
mo special reason-only 1 sometimes
wonder what mother and Nora would do
if anything should happen to me-" CBy
the way. every one expected the early
marriage of Tom and Nora)
Then ne changed the subject. and pref
~ soon he went home.
The next day he ran into my office. in
excellent spirits Said he was going UP
into the woods with Pierre. l had not
seen him as happy in months as he was
that day. yet his face clearly showed the
marks Of a recent hard struggle. But his
eve was bright and clear his laugh had
its old-time ring and il was really the
same old Tom who burst merrily into
nv office that day fairly Rugged me and
bade me goodbye.
That was the last ! ever saw of him.
About three weeks after he left US,
received a queer letter. II was written
in Pierre's scrawly French on long
piece of birtch-bark. carefully folded and
tied securely with string. This was the
letter. translated as literally as possible:
Mister Jack: Pierres heart is like
stone in his bosom-for it is that Mister
Tom is dead.
The sudden explosion of his gun in
the Big Woods How Pierre cannot tell.
I'VE are far up into the hills. Pierre
has buried him by the river. Shall it re-
main so?
.'Piet. the Indian takes this letter 70
the town. for Pierre will watch beside
the grave untH Mister Jack writes in the
French, for Pierre reads not the English
PIERRE
M reed 70 tell Of the grief Of the
mother and sweetheart: Of the shocked
friends; of my own sadness. Among his
papers I found a statement from him.
leaving the settlement Of everything with
me. and in his usual thouEhtfulness slip
ulatirg that his mother and Nora should
know nothing OF the business matters
Just collect my s20."o lie insurance,
Jack. and pay my debts and turn what's
left over TO mother. Then followed
carefully prepared list Of his debts. which
amounted to about a thousand dollars
When the estate was settled ] was able
10 give the mother something over $500.
II was enough To keep her comfortably
the rest of her life
Somehow. tho whole affair vas most
tragic and weird to me. For instance.
Billy Wheaton told me that Tom had
told him all his business troubles. that
-. bas emo - All his eo-calicsi friends