Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-04-04
Sunny Bank Farm
FLOYD LIVINGSTON
CHAPTER xIv.--(Continucd.)

night, came Keeling home. until at last
poor Anna learned to tremble at the
sound of his footsteps; for he daily grew
more and more violent and uninanage-
able, defying every one save Mr.. Wat
son, who possessed over him singular
power. Thus the spring and summer
passed away, and when the autumn came
few would have recognized the once
handsome Herbert Langley In the crea-
ture who, weak. and feeble, lay all day
long In bed, begging for "brandy--more
brandy" to fan the flame which was
feeding upon his vitals. Sometimes In
his fits of frenzy he would spring upon
the floor, and shrek for us to save him
from the crawling serpents. which, with
forkcd tongues and little green "yes,
Missed Mt him from all parts of the room.
Again he would say that the spirit Of the
murdered maiden was before him. whis-
pering to him unuttcrable things concern
Ing the drunkard's home beyond me
grave, while COLLINS Of every concei'-
able form bcckOned him to come nnd JOIN
their hideous dance. They said he could
not live; and though 1t was a painful
task, Anna wrote to his mother appris-
Ing her of his danger, and bidding her
hasten, II she would see him again.
During the few remaining weeks of his
life he was subject to strange fancies.
For a time n prayer book beneath his
pillow had the effect Of keeping him COM
paratively quiet; but, anon, It lost Its
power, and one day he awoke with tear-
ful shrek. The imps, as he called them,
had again returned, and were mockinEly
haunting him with the victory he vainly
IMAGINED he had obtained.
About noon one day he awoke md In.
Quired for me. With some trepidation
approached him, for his. eyes were those
Of a mailman; but he meditated no ham,
and only asked X supposed that the
prayer book ibid upon the outside Of his
pillow, where the imps could see It.
would have the effect Of keeping them
away.
perhaps So" I said, at the same time
placing 1t so that his heavy brown hair
fell partially on It.
"'Twon't do-'twon't do" he sobbcd.
"All the hymns DR.. Watts ever wrote
can't help me, for they come nearer ind
nearer, as wolves hover round their prey.
IL there no help, no escapeT' he cried,
with the energy Of despair, adding, ms
sudden look of Joy lighted up his ghast.
~ features, Eyes, the Bible! Strange l
have not thought Of that before. The
Bible will keep them at bay. Bring 1t.
Anna, quick; for they are almost here"
She Obeyed, and grnsping the word Of
God eagerly In his hands, he laughed
aloud, saying, snow do your worst, yc
fiends incarnatc. Tho Bible will save
me-"
There was a moment OF perfect 81.
lence, and then, with a grOan 10 full Of
anguish that invOluntarily stopped my
ears to shut out the fearful sound, the
Bible was loOsed from the clammy hands,
which for brief instant fought fcrcely
In the empty air, and then dropped life.
less at his side. Herbert was dead!
.
At the foot Of the garden. near tho
long avenue where the shadow OF the
maple trees would fall upon his grave,
aud the moan Of the lake bc always
heard. we buried him; and then, the
brOken.hearted Anna, widowed thus
early, went back to her accustomed du-
ties, performing each one quietly ana
gently, but without smile upon her
white, stony face, or a tear In her large,
mOurnful eyes. Aunt Charlotte, utterly
crushed and wrctched, went back 10 her
city home. And then We we're left alone
with our great sorrow, wholly dependent,
40 II were, upon Mr.. Watson for support
and counsel
There had always been about him a
mystery l could not fathom, and greatly
was l surprised when one evening, a
week after Herbert's death, he asked
me to 70 with him to his room, as there
was something he wished to tell ne
Drawing q seat to my side. he said, tka
Ing my hand In his, ROSA, what do you
think l am going to tell your
I tried to wrest my hand from his
grasp, for the unwOnted liberty angarnd
me, But he held II fast, smiling ut my
fruitless endeavOrs, and after a moment
continued: "Why do you try to remove
your hand from miner have held II
many time, aud have right to 10 sc
"a cousins right. Look ut me, Rosa
don't you know meY"
InvOluntarily l started to my feet, gax
Ing earnestly upon him, then with or,
Of 10y l threw my arms around his neck
exclaiming, "Cousin VIII! Cousin WIZ
1t was indeed he, come back to III
when We had thought Of him as dead. A
few words will suffice to tell his story
Perfectly disguised with sea life, he ha(
ueseTtcu Ut Sutcuttus Wucsc uc hSpt ush
self secrcted until the vessel sailed. Blu
It was not his wish to remain there long
and the first time IN English ship was II
port he offered to work his passage I,
Liverpool. The offer was accepted, IN,
while we were mourning over his sup
posed death. he was threading the smok.
streets of London, doing sometimes en-,
thing and sometimes another, but Away,
earning an honest livelihood.
"Never for a moment" said he, "did
forget your family. When lat last re
turned again to New York, went Oh,
lay TO reading room, where ! accident
ally came across Mr.. Langley's adver
tisen,ent for Il hired man, and something
prompted me to answer it In person. i
had ever heard of him before. hat
forgotten 1t; consequently ! neither ice
ognized hin, nor his wife; but when nc
cidentnlly heard them speak of Rosa AM
Sunny Bank. my curiosity was reused
and l became aware Of the Relationship
existing between us. Why I have KEEP
1t secret SO long can hardly tell, eX
cept that there was about 1t kind o
pleasing excitement, and then, too, fan
cied that Mr.. Langley would not so wei
bear restraint and direction from me
he supposed me an interested party"
Near the middle of September, We on
day received a letter from Charlie
which. owing to some delay, had been OF
the road two whole weeks. In 1t h
wrote that our father had failed rapid
within few days and we must com
quickly II we would again see him alive