Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-21

tress Callista's voice fell and the flame.
which had thrown q partial light on
her countenance, died down until l
could but family discern the secretly
inouiring look with which she watched
me as she went on to say:
"'Reuben and I-Reuben was her
brother-'were posted in the dark cor
ner under the stairs when my father
met the general at the door. We had
expected to hear high words or some
explosion of bitter feeling between
them. and hardly knew whether to be
glad or sorry when our father wei
coined his guest with the same elabo-
rate bow we once saw him make to the
president in the grounds Of the White
House. Nor could we understand what
| followed. We were summoned in to
supper. Our mother was there, great
event in those days. and toasts were
drunk, and our father proposed one to
the generals health. This Reuben
thought was an open signal OF peace
and turned upon me his great round
eyes in surprise, but /, who was old
enough to notice that this toast was
not responded to and that the general
did not even touch his lips to the glass
he had lifted in compliment to our
mother. who had lifted hers, felt that
there was something terrifying rather
than reassuring in this attempt at
good fellowship. Though unable to
reason over it at the time, | have often
done so since. and my fathers attitude
and look as he faced this strange guest
has dwelt SO persistently in my men,
DRY that scarcely a year passes with
out the scene coming up In my dreams
with its accompanying emotions OF
fear and perplexity. For-perhaps you
know the story-that hour was the
generals last He died before leaving
the house-died in that same dark Ii
brary concerning which you have
asked so many questions.
az remember the circumstances well
how well!--down to each and every
detail. Our mother had gone back to
her room. and the general and my IA
Their, who did not linger over their
wine-why should they when the gem
eral would not drink had withdrawn
to the library ut the suggestion of the
general. whose last words are yet lin
gering in my ears.
1.-The time has come for our little
talk said he. your reception augurs'-
"'You do not look WE'LL my father
here broke in in what seemed an I'M
naturally loud voice. Come and sit
down
".Here the door closed
eve had hung about this door. curl
GUS children that we were in hopes OF
catching glimpse of the queer new
settle which had been put into place
that day. But we scampered away at
this and were playing in and out Of the
halls ,chen the library door again opened
and my father came out
"".Where's Sambo?" he cried. "Tell him
to carry glass of tcine to the general. |
do not like his looks. am going upstairs
for some medicine" This he whispered in
choked tones as he set foot on the stairs.
Why I remember it do not know,
for Reuben, who was standing where
he could look into the library when our
father came out and saw the settle and
the general sitting at one end OF 1t, was
chattering about it in my ear at the
very moment our father was giving his
orders.
"'Reuben Is man now, and have
asked him more than once since then
how the general looked at that critical
instant. It is important to me, very,
very important, and to him, too, now
that he has come to know mans pas
sions and temptations. But he will
never tell me, never relieve my mind,
and I can only hope that there were
real signs Of illness on the generals
brow, for then could feel that all had
been right and that his death was the
natural result of the great distress he
felt at opposing my father in the one
desire Of his heart. That glimpse which
Reuben had Of him before he fell has
always struck me with strange pathos.
A little child looking in upon man
who for all his apparent health will In
another moment be In eternity-I do
not wonder he does not like to talk OF
it, and yet
"It p0s Samoo cho came upon tho
general first. Our father had not yet
descended When he did it soas fcith load
cries and piteous calculations. Word had
gone upstairs and surprised him IN the
room tcith my mother. recollect Won
dering in all childish simplicity why he
wrung his hands so over the death OF
a man he so hated and feared. Nor
was it till years had passed and our
mother had been laid in the grave and
the house had settled into gloom too
heavy and somber for Reuben to en-
dure that l recognized In my father
the signs of settled remorse. These
l endeavored to account for by the
fact that he had been saved from
what he looked upon as political death
by the sudden but opportune decease
of his best friend. This caused shock
to his feelings which had unnerved