The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-10

You declare yourself TO be the only
man on the commission who is ac-
quainted with the facts you are pleased
to style traitorous?
The generals lips curled. Have !
not said:' he asked.
Something i'm this stern honesty
seemed to affect the father. His face
turned away, and it was the other 8
voice which was next heard. A change
had taken place in it, and it sounded
almost mellow as it 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 a position which will cause us
both endless regret
"PeShaps the father answere2; 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 50 and from that day on carried
his head higher and showed himself
more and more the master both at
home and abroad
But he was restless, very restless,
on6 nnSCihlv aIlav al
uneasiness. he began having some
changes made in the house, changes
which occupied much of his time and
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 I'M
welcome guest, who kept his appoint
ment to day.
at this point in her narrative Mis-
tress Callista's voice fell and the flame,
which had thrown a partial light on
her countenance, died down until 1
could but family discern the secretly
inquiring look with which she watched
me as she went on to say:
"'Reuben and T-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 vel
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, a great
event in those days. and toasts were
the generals health. This Reuben
thought was an open signal of peace
and turned upon me his great round
eyes in surprise, but I, 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 mem
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 IL
brary concerning which you have
asked so many questions.
81 remember the circumstances we'll |
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 gen
eral would not drink had withdrawn l
to the library at the suggestion of the /
general, whose last words are yet lin I
gering in my ears.
"'The time has come for our little /
talk. said he. Your reception augurs'- I
You do not look well,' my father i
here broke in in what seemed an I'M /
naturally loud voice Come and sit /
DOWN
Here the door closed.
"'We had hung about this door, Curl
JUS CQlluTon lnaL we were. III hopes Ol I
a glimpse of the queer new
settle which had been put into place
hat day. But we scampered away at
This and We're playing in and out of the
halls iChen the library door again opened
md my father came ont.
"'"Whcre's Sanbog" he cried. Tell him
% carry a glass of fCine to the general. I
10 not like his looks. am going upstairs
for some medicine" This he ichispered in
'hoked tones as he set foot on the stairs
Why 1 remember 1t 1 do not know,
'or Reuben. who was standing where
lie could look into the library when our
'ather came out and saw the settle and
he general sitting at one end of it. was
,hattering about 1t in my ear at the
Tery moment our father was giving his
orders.
Reuben is man now, and I have
lsked him more than once since then
low the general looked at that critical
instant. 1t is important to me, very.
Tery important, and to him, too. now
hat he has come to know a mans pas
lions and temptations. But he will