Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-03-15
THE Man IN THE MASK.
G1HE night was dark and dreary;

seemed to have forgotten to throw
their CHEEKY glow over the scene.
Down the darkened highway stealth
lily crept the deep shadowy form Of
man on mischief bent. His clothes
were rough his hat drawn low down
over his eyes, and the collar of his
coat was turned up, although 1t was
not very cold.
Now and again he would stop and
listen, and when the solitary police
man walked his beat near him once.
ne darted into nearby doorway.
Cautiously, keenly, he looked at
every house until he came to one
little more pretentious than the rest
Producing skeleton keys, he silently
unlocked and opened the side door.
let himself in and, by the aid of
dark lantern. he SWIFT made his way
toward the dining ro. There. he
knew, was the sideboaro 1t would
be some valuable sllverS e, well
worth his pains and he thought the
table, too, might yield rich booty.
He was hard up for money, they had
plenty and could spare little just as
well as not.
But sor the very people that house
now sheltered, he, too, might be hap
py, loving, loved and. above all. hon
est. His wife should wear the silks,
the velvets he knew Mrs. Markham
now Haunted. Often had he cursed
her as she had passed him on the
crowded street, drawing her rich skirts
more tightly about her,le they should
become contaminated by contact with
him. Him! What was he to her?
Nothing worse than nothing!
Just such thoughts ran through his
fevered brain while hunting for the
dining room door. Into the room he
went, and cast his light around. At
the farther end hung picture, over
,the mantel shelf. Going to the shelf
ne threw the rays upon 1t, and sud
denly started back. He looked at the
itcture again. 1t was a likeness of
\ ,mself! How came it there?
rob, God OF heaven" he murmured,
4 that does 1t mean? Is she here2"
zone side was smaller picture. As
lekNt tiny ray of light fell upon it he
4 the picture Of a child, with his
" brow, eyes and general expses.
n God. thou who hast been SO
Cd me, spare my baby now! Oh,
int take my only comfort, my only
7he! My baby. cannot, cannot part
9th your
n From the other room. low, sweet
foice In agonized, pleading tones came
lsobblngly to his startled ears.
Father in heaven, bless my baby's
papa, he who never saw his child: send
him back. oh God! Tell him, Lord,
I. love him now after all these long,
heartbreaking years of silence, just as
much as when married him."
As the sweet tones became fainter
and fainter and more broken. the man
lii the mask fell on his knees. With
folded hands and bowed head, he MUIR
INJURED: "My little faithful wife! 1t is
to good to be true. She has kept her
love for me, thank God. but she must
never know how low have fallen.
Please God, will turn about. l will.
i swear 1t. will be honest from
henceforth!" And picking up the little
lantern he silently turned, looked once
more at the pictured face Of the baby,
and, making his way out, he shut and
locked the outside door and disappear.
ed down the silent street, a wiser, a
better man.
At first for many long month, II
was hard, uphill work trying to be
honest, but those pleading words, that
sweet, wee baby face, were his guild
Ing stars, his guarding angels.
One day sweet, sad-faced little
woman was hurrying along the st-eot,
and unknowingly. she dropped her
glove.
There happened along just behind
her q tall, handsome man dressed In
violating, new-looking clothes. who.
as luck would have 1t, was none other
than the gentleman whose couute.
nance, when he first appeared to ia.
was well concealed by a SLOUGH hat
aps's,a black mask. He saw the glove
hurried forward and picked 1t up.
but the crowded street was no place
for the blessed, tender meeting he hop.
ed would follow the return of the
dainty little glove.
It is said that drop your glove,
you'll meet your love-" and when the
little lady turned to answer the re-
spectful words of the gentleman who
had touched her arm 1t proved no un-
truth in her case. 1t was just In front
Of the house.
Pardon me-, madam. but believe
this glove belongs to you, as you drop.
ped 1.-THE said. The words sent a
thrill through her entire being. Eag-
erly she glanced up. Charley. Char
ley. don't you know me? Oh. Charley,
1t is none other! Don't you know your
own Adder" she cried. in low.
tense voice. looking pleadingly up at
him.
Yes, my darling, know you; 1t is
your own Charley come back once
more, never to leave you again. Say
you forgive me, pet. and will make
you as happy as can"
;.Come in, Charley, come into my
own, our own, little home, for, darling,
this beautiful home is ours once more.
! have worked hard for it. dear, but
have something else to show you.
More precious to me than all else be.
side"
And she led the way into little
room just of the dining room. straight
toward small white bed. On 1t lay
child, sweetly sleeping. The parents
knelt beside the bed. those two, long
parted and 20 recently united. and
then and there pledged once more their
everlasting loye.
Angels seemed to tell the sleeping
child the glad news, for the little face
was wreathed in smiles. the blue
eyes opened wide and a curly head
touched theirs. And the man shud-
Gered to think how nearly he had lost