The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-08-30
THE LAST JOURNEY.
Bv Octave Mirbeau.

Having found an empty first class
compartment, placed my grip and rug
on the seat and tipped the
not to allow any one else in my COM
partmcnt, | went up n down on the
platform to look at my fellow travellers.
There was the uSua crowd of lat,
noisy Germans, nervous Americans and
stolid EngAshmen, whose faces wore no
expression, and though travelling for
pleasure looked as if they We're bored
to death.
1 had seer his class of people 50
aften that they were thoroughly un-
interesting to me, but | was attracted
by a group CT three people Who stood
outside a third class car.
One was an elderly lady dressed in
black. A thin shawl covered ner bony
shoulders, and though it was warm she
was shivering with cold, ard o dry
cough seemed to shake her whole body,
She was accompanied by Il younger
man and The man had a Very
unpleasant face, with coarse features.
The woman was tall and slender, with
a long, marrow face with protruding
chcekbones and a pointed chin.
"Oh, my dear children" signed the
old lady. Il feel 50 miserable, really
am not we'll at all"
You only think so. Il is all magma
ton. You will be all right in a little
while-won't she, Adele"
why, of course, dear. But you
know, mother must always complain;
she would not be herself II h dld
not"
But why should 1 leave today; it
was not necessary at all when l. feel
so bad"
A violent attack of coughing rackcd
her poor body, she held n handkerchief
to her mouth, and l noticed a bright
red spot on it.
''Oh, God, I am sure something will
happen to me-" she cried almost with
tears.
Nonsense, mother, what should hap
pen to you-it is nothing but a cold
Il know better, and it was not nee
essary to send me off today, but, Of
course, l know 1 was in your way, and
a burden to YOU
Why, the idea, mother"
you only need a few weeks rest in
the country, plenty of food and good
fresh air." said the a IF it had
not been for that you might have
stayed with u.s."
But you might at least have given
me a cup Of beef tea this morning be-
fore I left feel so weak"
Nov that Is your own fault, mother.
Why didn't you get up in time instead
Of waiting until the last minute. You
would have missed your train if we had
not hurried you off"
The old lady sighed. A tear g~listened
IN her eye.
ooh, God! Oh, GodH' she moaned II
know something is going to happen
What foolish nonsense exclaimed
her alniable son-in-laW.
ooh, il l had only had my beef tea
before l left! I will Gle OF the way,
and no one will be with me in my last
minute"
Il wish you would be a little more
sensible, mother. I hate to hear you
talk like that; it is ridiculous. 1t is
time you got into the car now"
"Goodby, my child God bless-both
of you"
The conductor rushed her roughly
into the compartments as though she
had been a bundle and slammed the
door
I hurried back to my comfortable
seat, indignant at this heartlessness
How could a daughter treat her mother
in this manner? 1t was outrageous
Her poor suffering face haunted me
I could have thrashed this monster OF
a son-in-law who had taught his wife
to abuse her own mother.
At Versailles, where we stopped FOL
fifteen minutes, l left the car ant
walked along the train. I stopped be.
fore the old lady's compartment. Sht
had tainted, and some friendly person
was bringing her to and handed her {
cup OF beef tea, which she swallowed
eagerly, as if she was starving.
clenched my fist at the thought of those
brutes she had left behind.
The beef tea seemed to revive her
She was less pale; there was even {
tinge Of color in her emaciated face
Maybe she would get over it.
I slept all night in my comfortabl,
berth and only woke up when we ar
rived at Rennes, the end of my trip
Mechanically l followed the porter VIII,
carried my things.
Suddenly there vas q commotion
Trainmen and passengers hurried to
ward the third class car.
"a doctor-a doctor, quick!" I hear,
the conductor cry.
I rushed to the car. There was tn
poor old woman, dead, holding in he
cold hand a handkerchief covered witt
blood.
Two trainmen lifted up her body an,
carried her into the waiting room.
What Is it-an accident or a muir
der?" an Englishman asked me.
"A murder" I answered. a murde
for which no one can ever be pun
ished by human justice. She was muir
dered by her own child as surely as
she had been stabbed in the heart"
A Bad Mixup.
Clyde Fitch was reading extracts fro1