davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

dents; he had even been known to an.
swcr correctly questions that were writ
ten but hold concealed In the 1uestloncr's
hand This tempted the.
'If this man can read the hidden mes
sages OF these notes" said to myself
| ..he can fcad the contents Of the inys-
| FERROUS package OF letters without un-
| tying them"
such is the fiexibilty OF the human
conscience that Immediately grasped
ut the idea. would obey the letter OF
| Johns post rnortem request, and would
| relieve tho tnbearable stress OF my desire
| to know tho contents OF the letters. |
did not go recklcssly to my doom wren
| this solution OF my problem took definite
| form IN my mind. planned visit to
| tho "reader Of life" with all the cunning
of q mononAninc, which I now know
| that thcn was.
| I permittcd Tom. the dear boy to take
81. long wished for whole holiday and go
nshlng with his mates. thought OF
| the awful possibility OF his being
drowned, and the responsibility resting
alone upon mo In his fathers absence e,
but took the risk. I made my visit
| iust after the noon hour, when other
women were likely to be occupied at
home.
| 1 found the Professor" In and gra-
cousy at my service. observed that
he looked me over carefully from head
to foot while ne estimated the price and
weighed the package OF l1tters carefully
| IN his hand, but assured him I would
nay anything II he could interpret the
contents OF the letters correctly. In
formed him that upon no consideration
would I permit the letters to be taken
out Of my sight because. II took any
risk OF their being opened, might as
we'll read them myself. He said that
his task would be the more difficult II he
were not able to Isolate himself from all
present Influences, but he thought he
could perform It,
He counted the letters. There were
thirteen OF them. IAN unlucky number"
ho observed, though he might have
omitted It. for l had said the same
thing over to myself q hundred times.
Then he laid the package against Ills
| forehead and turned his. eyes 80 that
they looked past me with something OF
! the expression that Is seen In Basten-
| Lepages picture OF Joan OF Arc--a
stendfast, fnraway gaze into the mys-
teries> OF lfe-and death.
After awhile he said: II begin to see!
I read! Ali It Is plain now" and he
seized a pencil and rapidly wrote page
after page on small tablet
Once in a while lie would cease for a
moment, press the letters to his drawn
brow and hold them there until his eyes
again assumed the look that sees visions.
I sat entranced. could not have moved,
! I think.
At last, after some hours, perhaps, Of
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

this mighty effort on his part and the
tense strain OH mine his pencil refused
to write 1t would start spasnlodically
and then suddenly stop. over and over
again this took place, until the Pro
lessor turned to mo and said that HIS
power was exhausted F
ut has required such tremendous will
force" he explained and indeed, he
looked Utterly limp and worn out. lie
said that he had translated six letters,
and he considered 1t the greatest feat OF
his professional life. He said. too, that
It might not DO entirely satisfactory to
me to have a portion Of tho letters only,
but that he could go no farther In his
work. and that he could not make known
to mo the contents OF these six without
the price In hand that We had agreed
upon for the whole He was sure that
there was mysterious obstruction be-
tween letters six and seven, some non
conducting material that disturbed the
passage OF the magnetic fluid-possihly
picture paid the price took from
him the little folded sheets on which he
had written and the package Of letters
l did not look at them till wns safely
locked In my own room Even then |
forced myself to remove my bonnet and
put It away, and to take my low rockt ,g-
CHAIR near the WINDOW DclOIc - OpciicH
the dread, tcll-tale lcaves.
My old-fashioned sense Of the fitness
OF things makes 1t impossible for me to
reveal these interpretations. Their whole
story will be plain. however, when you
know that they were written by wo-
man whom had never known, and that
they were filled with the specious reason-
Ing OF the Platonist, whose philosophy
was new and startling to me-.
When had read all the six letters
took up the old package again and turned
It over and over, realizing that to my
newly awakened Imagination this was
only the beginning-not the end.
Before another long night had passed
and another morning dawned my racked
brain had pictured thousand sequels to
tho letters. The days were days OF tor
ture after that, and hoped and reared
by turns for Johns return. .
At last he came, but long before his
return this whitening sorrow had passed
from my heart to my face, and John saw
that I was III.
I, ut cannot be that you think hard OF
me for remaining away?" he said. No, I
assured him, It. was not that: knew
that his absence was necessary. But he
soon discovered that I was moro than
physically Ill., that was heart-sick. I
could not conceal It from him, and
could not tell him the reason It seemed
SO trivial. that old, time -yellowed pack
age OF letters: and vet that very little
thing was eating my heart out. Time
and again took them from their hiding
place on the shelf and put them in his
desk. where he might find them unex-
pectedly, so that I might see his face
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

r7OR thirty years we had lived to.
gcthor, John ana !. might
x say longer than TINT, but IT.
Yaf33SS| would make what IS left TO ten
g8X2 seem too improbable. The tiinc
was, such h little while ago. when thirty
years after woman was married com
prlscd the limits Of her life, IN my in1-
nglnntion and 1t must be so IN the minds
OF hl girls.
Thirty years after the wedding day!
That day Of days rhc day THAI has no
Tomorrow ana no yesterday-thnt Is
BOTH n dream and Trust! always feel
sorry for n bride who has calculations"
on her wedding -day--it must ninr II.
lust gided into mine, like craft into
safe cove without II thought Of any
thing but John. IT Is nh experience that
nothing In al tho world can equal, and
FOR the lack OF which nothing else can
ever compensate.
John once said that nothing would
please him better than that my father
and mother should oppose our marriage;
he would 30 like to pick me up and run
away with me. to show them that Moth
Ing could keep mo from him. What more
could girl ask than that? And now for
thirty years John had said: we are 80
happy 1t seems as II something must
. IuppGH u w. an 'iIIlDSl an ~
think OF It, dear WIFE" And yet John
was not man to borrow trouble, and
IL lived In Johns reflected spirits. /
often wondered when John said he was
afraid, It was so Unlike him; he feared
nothing else, and had grown by long
habit to feel 80 secure In my happiness
that l could not find 1t In my heart to
fear. Children hnd been born to us,
friends had multiplied. and wc had never
been poor, for contcntmcnt makes any
wife feel rich. used often to think OF
the wise saying that n happy woman
Is the only person who has no history.
How true It Is. III all the thirty years
OF our happy homc-ifc there was moth
Ing that would make story
But Mt last Johns fear was realized
something did happen. Hc was called
away on buslness--n business that Inns
nothing to do with the circumstances
that turned the currents OF my life from
their peaceful channels and made me the
wrctchedcst OF women. He left home
expecting to be gone two or three months.
and for the first time since our marriage
we looked forward to parting that
was TO last more than q few days
Afterwards could look back and real
lie that n great apprehension possessed
me, and that said goodbye to John
with heavy heart. But he did not no.
tce It, being much absorbed in the bust
ness that was taking him away. and
did not break down.
'Be OF good cheer, dear wife, he said
as nc kissed me; 1.-The time Will soon
slip away, and I'VE will be together again"
And the days did pass rapidly, what
with my own household duties and the
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

out ef his sight. could think cf no
place that seemed safe except the hid
ing .plncc In which I had found tho let
tiers, so put them back In tho same spot
end replaced all the books In their for
iner order When Tom came was sure
nothing wo,,ld be different to his eyes
but he soon said, why, mother, YOU
look all tired out. What have YOU been
doing to-dny7"
And to keep from breaking down be-
fore him was Obliged to plead a head
nchc aud go 20 my room for awhile.
There snt Johns picture on my burcau
where had kept 1t In the little franc
since the day he went away 1t looked
at mo responsibility MS leaned my head
on my hands and cried. But could not
help It. The evidence was too strong
The shock was too rude
felt safe In going out to got TOMS
supper without his guessing my secret.
rho dear boy asked many questions about
the old paper, and specnlated nstutcly,
thought, as to It's probable relation to
his fathers business. But he still thought
looked tired, and insisted upon my 60
Ing to bed early, much to my relief for
I could not keep either my mind or my
eyes focused upon anything nearer than
the old days when John and I we're
young and the horrible possibility that
during all the years of our married life
John had been regretting his choice and
longing for her whose hand had penned
the treasured letters.
The night wore Itself out at last. but
not before had time to think OF all the
millions Of my fellow beings who had
watched the same hours pass by In slow
and painful procession because the heart
could not sleep and the eyes would not.
The next day was my regular day for
writing to John. We exchanged long
weekly letters. In which we rehearsed
all the little items of ohr daily expe-
rience, and told John all the news and
gossip OF the town. besides talking OF
matters connected with his business af-
fairs at home. To-day there were two
letters to answcr--the long one ! had
Ter asking for the old document, but
my pen would not go. The idea that I
could not write to John seemed prepos-
ferrous even TO my own mind, but Nuld
not sent off at last short, unsatis-
factory letter that knew was not like
myself, and vet I had really struggled
over 1t, and all the time was writing
1T my eyes were half blinded by tears.
Johns letter in reply to this one was
longer and more tender than usual, but
1t only puzzled me: 1t did not comfort
me nor quiet my fears.
Suddenly, one day, n great temptation
came to me- A man who could read
both the future and the past arrived in
our town and advertised his wonderful
powers. He could find lost articles with
but the slightest clue to work upon; he
could locate criminals and forecast acci-
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

added cares that Johns absence brought
me, until ono day found myself Think
Ing that 1t would not be so long, after
NIL until John would be ut home.
1t was ono afternoon In midsummer.
MY work was Ill done. and I had just
seated myself to rest for half al hour
before supper time, when Tom. the only
son left ut home with Jig, all the other
children being married and gone, came
In with letter from his father 1t was
n pleasant surprise. for j was not ex-
pectng letter that day, and yet
opened It with fear. for the very reason.
! suppose. that was not expecting II.
But John WIS well and had written
only to ask me to scnd him business
paper that would find, he thought In
his secretary. 1t was n very Old pnper,
and he could not be sure that he had
preserved II. He directed me in which
drawers and pigeon holes to search, but
not finding II III any Of these places, |
was to remove some old account books
that were packed tightly side by side
on an upper shelf and look behind them.
they had not been down for Il number
OF years, and John said TINT he had q
dim remembrance OF having put solno- =
thing behind them he, did not now,
know what perhaps nothing. but had
better look 10 make sure, for he was
very dcsrous Of securing the paper II
possible, aud that as speedily as might
be. Ha Gt t
searched all the drawers and cubby-
holes Of the old secretary, but found notli-
Ing answering Johns description. Then
l got the high stool from the Kitchen
and climbed up on It to reach the high
Shelf where the old account books were
packed. One by one removed them,
blew tho dust from their upper edges.
aud piled them on a little table beside
me. thinking that II should not find
the paper behind them | would look
through them. ! had removed more.
than half OF the row OF books when some
thing fell out Of the last one took hold
OF and futtercd off to the side Of the
room. It was an ilnportant-lookingd ocu-
mcnt, and Immediately got down to
examine It. Yes. 1t was the very thing,
Intact and properly attestcd John had
sent me large official envelope d.
rccted TO himself In which to forward
the paper II I should find It. and I'm
medintcly incoscd It and sent 1t to the
post office By Tom.
This done, climbed upon the stool
again, hesitating In the Incidence OF the
moment as TO wnether<1 should remove
and dust tho rema lnder Of the old books
or nut back those that l had taken down.
twirgc OF my housewifely conscience
prompt ed me to take them all down and
nut them back In good order. Such little
things make hinges for fate to swing on.
took a bunch Of the thinner books III
one hand and large one in the other.
and there lay revealed before me mys-
terious package. gazcd at 1t a moment
as stood ful-handed, realizing in an
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

hla'.tl' I'M. H.f.lsG- ....gfl.
instant that 1t was Il package with which
,y,s .,vho,,v unfamiliar Then laid
MIN. 49,. ,t,,t h,,d ~ ~
down the pooAs una tooA ,'o'u
carefully, TO DC sure, anu shrlhk,ns'y,
must I. CONFESS, put not roverenuy' ~,
was bundle or OLD letters teu W.. w.
many turns OF q strong l'her tileau t.it ~
had almost cut INTO INC euses ~ -.
envelopes. Inc races - ,ne nv ou ~
letters had been tnougntiuly tu,"ou w.
ward, 80 mat there was ~ h,,,t vi ~. lle
hnmo OF inc person 10 Who!lt .''cy W. .1.
address. But on the pncK OF ono Q, llls'll
was an Inscription u, my liu ls'np''', q
hnnuwrit,hg. ~ read mus: .
i! tnls phchhse 10 iouiiu Al.ou ~ ny
death II is to be burned unopened.
VI READ IT over ana over, stanu'hs o.
the hish STOOL ~ ana noiulls ny pschaee ~
| ny hanus. lhen ! sot GOWN suuue...y y
sun holding y, ior PECAN 20 1ecl sor SOL,
q nncertaintv creeping oVer NJ, unu
was alrhla mat mlsh. ~. Sat Wv wv,
IN a chhlr near tne "'nuo" h,u i'elu
PACK u corner OF we slort a''ni.y cul
| ltn'n 80 lhht ! nisht nc sure t"at ny
eyes had not deceived me- NO. tnero
was no mlslaKihs John hanu. Ilhc
word death made the inscription an
| awcsome thing. and !aid the letters on
| the WINDOW sill ana brushed me uuse
| off my hands on my white apron. We
| had no secrets from each other. John
and !. At least had none from him.
and had never dreamed that he had
| any from me. Now here was the POSI-
| tive proof that he had secret. The
letters had been securely tied up with
/, the representations concealed from sight.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

cov-ry was real. Could he BIO mistaken
possibly? Could that congress Of tho
learned be all mistaken and imposed
upon? It was not possible. 1t could
not be. Would that It were possible.
There was no hope, despite tho news
papers. For centuries the world had been
living In FOOLS paradise. He had de-
stroyed 1t. It would be a hundred years
before tho echoes OF his deed had died
away.
But the terrible weight OF the world 8
burden was too heavy for him to bear.
He knew that Not for much longer
could he endure It,
The life seemed oozing out OF him,
pressed out by a weight-the sensation
was physical.
He wished 1t was all over He had
no hope for the future. and no fear.
The weight was too heavy The out
side dark came through the walls, and
began to close In on him.
/ His heart beat loudly. 1t seemed to
rise up In his throat and choke him.
The pressure grew each moment; noun
tains were being piled upon him, heavier,
more heavy.
The wind was but a distant murmur
now but tho weight was crushing him.
Only few more moments and his heart
would burst. At last
The dark thing huddled on the hearth
rug, which the girl found when she came
down in the morning, was the scholars
body
The newspaper he had been reading
lay upon his chest.
NsCHAPTER ~.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29

horror which Christians had banished
from the world :?
$50 when my latest breath
Eaa Shall rend the veil In twain"
Hands started. His thoughts came back
Y to the house in which he sat. The girls
voice touched him immeasurably lie
heard 1t clearly In a lull Of the storm.
Then another tremendous gust OF WIND
drowned 1t.
Two great tears rolled down his cheeks.
1t was midnight. and all the people IN
the house were long since sleep, when
Hands picked up the last OF his news
papers. .T.
SIT was Saturdays edition OF the London
Daily Mercury, the powerful rival OF the
ance market had brought 1t home for him,
Wire. woman who had been to Penz-
otherwise he would have had to walt
for It until the Monday morning.
He gazed YEARLY round the homely
room.
8 WEAKNESS, that was what lay heavy
over mind and body-an utter WEAKNESS.
The freight played upon the crude pie
lures, the simple ornaments, the snip
worked in worsted when the coast-guard
was boy in the navy, the shells from
a Pacific island, a model gun under a
glass shade But his thoughts were not
prisoned by these humble walls and the
humble room in which he sat. lie heard
the grooming Of the peoples OF the world.
the tramp of armies, the bitter cry OF
souls from whom hoped had been plucked
for ever.
He remembered tho fair morning IN
Jerusalem when, with the earliest light Of
dawn, he had gone to work with his
Arab boys before the heat OF the day.
From the Mosque of Omar he had heard
the sonorous chant Of the n1lezzln
THE night was gone with the darkness.
. ~, Il ohao r1vtfh o
brightness!
praise GOD for securing Els favor and
kindness!
God is most great! God is most great!
testify that there is no god but God!
II testify that Mohammed Is the Apostle
OF God!
Come TO prayer!
Come to security!
Prayer Is better than sleep!
God Is most great! f
There is no god but God!
ARISE make morning. and to God be the
pra!se!"
He had heard the magnificent chant
as he passed by. almost kneeling with
( his Arabs So short time ago! Hardly
three months-he had kept no count OF
time lately. but It could hardly be four
months.
HOW utterly unconscious ne nau pecH
on that radiant morning outside, the Da-
mascus Gate! He had seen the men at
work, and was sitting under his sun
tent writing on his pad; no was Just
lighting cigarette he remembered. when
Ionides, the foreman, had come running
up to him. his shrewd, brown face wrin-
killed. with excitement.
And now, even as he sat there on that
stormy midnight. far from the world,
even now the whole globe was echoing
and reyerberating with his discovery. He
had opened the little rock chambers. and
1t seemed that the blows OF the picks
{ had set free q troop OF rulnous spirits,
who were devastating mankind,
Pandoras box-that Legend fitted what
he had DONE but with a deadly differ
ence, letNEtI# lUa.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29
A LUNCHEON PARTY,

I Constantine schuabc's great room at
the Hotel Cecil had been entirely refur-
nished and arranged for the winter
months. x
The fur OF great Arctic beasts lay upon
the heavy Teheran carpets. which had
replaced the summer mntting-furs OF
enormous value. Tho dark red curtains
which hung by windows and over doors
We're worked with threads Of dull gold.
All tho chairs were moro massive III
material and upholstered warmly In soft
leather; the logs In the fireplace crackled
with white flame. amethyst In the glow
Ing cavern beneath. .
However the winter winds might sweep
over the Thames below or the rain splash
and weller on the Embankment, no sound
or sign OF tho turmoil could reach or
trouble the people who moved IN the
fragrant warmth and comfort Of this
room.
For his own part Schuabo never gave
any attention to tho mse-en-scene by
which he was surrounded. here or else
where. The head of q famous Oxford
Street firm was told to call with his
artists and Underwent; he wns given to
understand that the best that could be
done was to DO done, and tho matter was
left entirely to him.
In this there was nothing OF the par
yenu or OF an ignorance OF art as TAR
as Schuabe was concerned,
He was a man OF ca tholic and cultured
taste. But experience had taught him
that his furnishing firm We're trained to
be- catholic and cultured also, that an
artist would see to 1t that no Earring
notes appeared. And since he knew this,
Sch,abe Infinitely preferred not to be
bothered with details In absolute con-
trast to Llwelyn, his mind was always
busy with distractions, with thought and
forms OF thought, things that cannot be
handled or seen. They were tho real
things for him always.
The millionaire sat alone by the glow
ing fire. lilo was wearing IL long gown
of camel's hair, dyed crimson. confined
round the waist by crimson cord. In
this easy garment and pair OF morocco
slippers without heels. he looked singu-
larry Eastern. The whole face and figure
suggested that-sinister lonely and
splendid.
The morning papers were resting on
chair by his side, He was reading one
OF them.
1t announced the death from heart dis
ease of Mr. Cyril Hands while takins y
few days rest In remote village OF
Cornwall. Not shadow ot.regret passed
over tho regular, impressive face, inc
eyes remained In fixed thought. lie was
logically going over the bearings or inns
event In his mind. How could It AFFECT
him? Would 1t affect him one way or the
other?
He paced the long room slowly, On
the whole, the incident seemed wlthoN
meaning for him. II It meant anything
at ALL 1t meant that his position was
stronger than ever. Tas ysses q the ass