The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-09-08

arms around my neck. burst into tears
in the manner of one whose fortitude
fails at unexpected release from SOME
supreme dread.
What has happenedT I asked.
catching my breath.
"Sam learned on arrival at his Office
that Miss Wolsey had died suddenly
in Paris, and tie news so upset him
that he talked iucoherently for time.
and then had some scrt Of seizure.
greatly frightening his clerks; but he
is conscious now and Gertie is with
him."
There are few tasks which the COM
plex relations Of humankind impose
upon us more painful or difficult than
being called to comfort a sorrowful
one whose burden presses with equal
or greater weight upon ourselves. and
l could scarce restrain my own grief
while endeavoring to pacify Constance.
whose agitation arose entirely from the
present circumstances Of uncle Sam
and aunt Gertrude - circumstances
which, though 1 was by no means In
different to them, were in my case OBJ
scured by consideration of the tragedy
in Paris. Constance Marsh had never
seen Annie Wolsey, nor was 1t until
quite recent days that she had been in
formed Of the existence Of that un-
happy woman; and not only that, but
for other and stronger reasons 1t would
have been absurd to expect that Con-
stance should regard the death other
wise than as the welcome extinction Of
an unseen but potent power for mis-
chief. While recognizing this to the
full, could not but think Of the girl
companion of my childhood; of how
after Annie's brothers and sisters had
one by one all been laid to rest In
the shadow of Holdenhurst church she
alone remained. and was the only de-
light of her widowed fathers life;
of how, later, she had fed from him
who loved her so well, and how tire
lessly he had sought her again until
at last his efforts were crowned with
success, though only to precipitate the
needless and awful waste Of her young
life. 1 thought also Of the cruel effect
this disaster must necessarily have
upon my grandfather. and wondered
IL that careworn old man was yet ac-
auainted with it. The fear to which
nv uncle had several times given ex-
preston now being realized, it occurred
to me that its i'll effects upon my pow
erful friend, said to be already severe,
might possibly be of permanent char
acter. Something of these troublesome
thoughts and speculations must have
been apparent in my face to have in
duced Connie to smile at me through
her tears, and to repeat those vows
with which we had consoled each other
in previous difficulties-that come what
might, and we were both alive, nothing
should again separate US.
Constance and 1 quilted the study
and returned to my room. When asked
to decipheY Mr.. Prices letter I was en-
gagged in making fair copy of list
of my future wife's possessions, which
uncle Sam had roughly drawn up for
my use-a heavy task, to which had
already devoted two whole days.
Though rot more than three-fourths OF
my transcript was completed per-
cefved l was too disturbed to advan-
tageously apply myself to it again that
day. and therefore hastily put away
my papers and devoted myself to Con-
stance. After nearly an hour had
been spent in a profitless exchange OF
opinions and the venturing Of various
surmises, We decided to go together
to Mills Building and ascertain by
actual observation exactly upon what
our anxiety was founded.
When we arrived at Mills Building
we found my uncle's Offices deserted
by all but one clerk, and the usual
business of the place suspended for the
rest of the day. Telegraphic tape was
automatically unwinding from a score
OT ulOTe Cyuuucls, dho AoAAAhS
into the baskets placed to receive 1t.
On my uncle's desk, in an inner private
room, lay a pile Of correspondence.
the greater part unopened. The clerk
in charge was brushing his hat pre-
paratory to locking the doors an de-
parting. and had We been few min
utes later we should have found the
Office closed. From this individual we
learned that Mr.. Truman had become
violently agitated Immediately after
reading q letter, the envelope OF which
bore the Paris postmark; that he had
rapidly paced up and down his room,
incoherently talking to himself mean
while; and that altogether his behav-
ior had been so extremely different
from his usual habit Of self-possession
that the people about him became
alarmed. Mr.. Truman's secretary, Mr..
Fisk, who enjoyed his employers con-
fidence more than anybody else, took
the letter from Mr.. Truman's unresist-
ing hands, and read it to ascertain
what had created this disturbance.
Tho laftor which Was very brief and