The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-05-03

amount l might easily name-a home
which some might call palatial, Il love
~ if not altogether healthy wife, two
fine children and all the honor which
a man in commonwealth like this
should ask for Drop politics.
Politics is my life,' was the cold
response. TO bid me drop it is to
bid me commit suicide Then. as an
afterthought to which moment of
intervening silence added emphasis,
And for you to drive me from it would
be an act little short of murder
"'Justice dealt upon traitor is not
murder was the stern and unyielding
reply. BY one black deed Of treacher-
GUS barter and sale, of which none Of
your countrymen is cognizant but my
self, you have forfeited the confidence
Of this government. Were I, who SO
unhappily surprised your secret, to al
low you to continue in your present
place Of trust, myself would be
traitor to the republic for which have
fought and for which am ready to
die. That is why ask you to resign
beforeV-
"The two children did not catch the
threat latent in that last word, but
they realized the force Of 1t from their
fathers look and were surprised when
he quietly said:
"'You declare yourself to be the only
man on the commission who Is ac-
quainted with the facts you are pleased
10 style traitorousY
1.-THE generals lips curled. Have I
not saidY he asked.
Something In this stern honesty
seemed to affect the father. His face
turned away, and it was the others
voice which was next heard. A change
had taken place in 1t, and it sounded
almost mellow as 1t gave form to these
words:
"'Alpheus, we have been friends.
You shall have two weeks in which to
think over my demand and decide. If
at the end of that time you have not
returned to domestic life, you may ex-
pect another visit from me which can
not fail Of consequences. You know
my temper when reused. Do not force
me into position which will cause US
both endless regret
| Perhaps the father answered; per-
baps he did not. The children heard
nothing further, but they witnessed the
gloom with which he rode away to
the White House the next day. Re
membering the generals threat, they
imagined in their childish hearts that
/ their father had gone to give up his
post and newly acquired honors. But
he returned at night without having
done SO and from that day or carried
his head higher and showed himself
more and more the master both al
| home and abroad
But he was restless, very restless
and, possibly to allay a great menta
uneasiness, he began having some
changes made in the house, change.
which occupied much of his time anG
with which he never seemed satisfied
Men working one day were dismissed
the next and others called in until this
work and everything else was inter
| rupted by the return of his late un
welcome guest, who kept his appoint
ment to a day.
Sat this point in her narrative Mis-
tress Callista's voice fell and the fame
which had thrown partial light on
her countenance, died down until /
could but family discern the secretly
inquiring look with which she watched
me as she went on to say:
Reuben and P-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 well
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 We're summoned in to
supper. Our mother was there, great
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 l, 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 ou1
mother, who had lifted hers, felt that
there was something terrifying rather
1 than reassuring in this attempt al
good fellowship. Though unable to
reason over it at the time, have Otter
done so since, and my fathers attitude
and look as he faced this strange guest
has dwelt so persistently in my mem
DRY that scarcely Il year passes with
out the scene coming up in my dreams
with its accompanying emotions OF
fear and perplexity. For-perhaps yor
know the story-that hour was the
generals last. He died before leaving
4 the house--died in that same dark Ii
brary concerning which you have
i asked so many questions
81 remember the circumstances vel
how well!-down to each and every
detail. Our mother had gone back to
her room, and the general and my ia