Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-08-30
THURMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, MD" THURSDAY Angus

oupACHc uhSou'
what has happened?", 1 asked
catching my breath.
sam learned on arrival at his ONCE
that Miss Wolsey had died suddenly
in Paris, and the news so upset him
that he talked incoherently for time,
and then had some sort OF seizure
greatly frightening his clerks; but he
is conscious now and Gertie Is with
him"
There are few tasks which the COM
plex relations of humankind impose
upon us more painful or difficult than
being called to comfort sorroWful
one whose burden presses with equal
or greater weight upon ourselves, ana
I could scarce restrain my own grief
while endeavoring to pacify Constance,
whose agitation arose entirely from the
present circumstances Of uncle Sam
and aunt Gertrude - circumstances
which, though l was by no means IN
different to them, were in my case ob'
scurcd by consideration of the tragedy
in Paris. Constance Marsh had Lcver
seen Annie Wolscy nor was 1t until
quite recent days that she had been III
formed Of the existence Of that TN.
happy woman; ard not cnly that, but
for other and stronger reasons it would
have been absurd to expect that Con
stance should regard the death other
wise than as the welcome extinction of
al unseen but potent power for mis-
chief. While recognizing this to the
full, could rot but think of the girl
companion Of my childhood; Cf how
after Annie's brothers and sisters had
one by enc Ell been laid to rest In
the shadow of EoldeHhurst church she
alone remained. and was the only &C.
light Of her widowed Gathers lie;
of how, later. she had Fed frcm him
who loved her SO well. and Ecw tire
lessly he had sought her again until
at last his efforts We're crowned with
success, though only to precoitate The
needless and awful waste CT her young
life. thought also Of the cruel effect
this disaster must necessarily have
upon ny grandfather, end wondered
IL that careworn old man was yet &C.
ouainted with it. The fear to which
my uncle had several times given cE'
preston now being realized, it occurred
to me that It's i'll effects upon my pow
erful friend. said to be alreaCy severe,
might possibly be Of permanent char
acter. Something of these troublesome
thoughts and speculatiCns must have
been apparent in my face to have in
duced Connie to smile at me through
her tears, and to repeat those vows
with which we had consolcd each other
in previous difficulties-that come what
might, and we were both alive, nothing
Should again separate US.
Constance and l quilted tie strly
and returned to my room. When asked
to decipher Mr.. Prices letter l was cl.-
gagged in making fair copy CT list
Of rly future wife's possessions, which
uncle Sam had roughly drawn up fer
my use-a heavy task, to which l had
already devoted two whole days.
Though not more than threc-fourths OF
my transcript was completed l Per-
ceivcd l was too disturbed to advan-
tageously crply myself to 1t again that
day. and therefore hastily put awcy
my papers and devoted myself to Con-
stance. After nearly an hour had
been spent in a profitless exchange CT
opinions and the venturing of various
surmises, We decided to so together
to Mills Building and ascertain by
actual observation exactly upon what
our anxiety was founded.
When we arrived at Mills Building
we found my uncle's offices deserted
by all but one clerk, and the usual
business of the place suspended for the
rest of the day. Telegraphic tape was
automatically unwinding from a score
or more cylinders, and falling unread
into the baskets placed to receive it.
On my uncle's desk, in an inner private
room, lay a pile Of correspondence,
the greater part unopened. The clerk
in charge was brushing his hat pre-
paratory to locking The doors an de-
parting, and had we been few min
utes later we should have found the
office closed. From this individual we
learned that Mr.. Truman had become
violently agitated Immediately after
reading letter. the envelope of which
bore the Paris postmark; that he had
rapidly paced up and down his room,
incoherently talking to himself uean-
while; and that altogether his behav-
ior had been so extremely different
from Lis usual habit of self-possessicn
that the people about him became
alarmed. Mr.. Truman's secretary, Mr..
Fisk, who enjoyed his employers col-
fidence more than anybody else, took
the letter from Mr.. Truman's u1recist-
ing hands, end read it to ascertain
what had created this disturbance.
The letter. which YVES very lrief and
couched in affcctionatc terms, stated
that the writer would that night seek
oblivion in the waters of the Seine, end
that she commended her son to his
care. 1t bore til, lignature of ALnie
Wolsey.
"..Ed how Is Mr.. Truman now?' l
inquired. rs he better, and has he
gone hcmc with Mrs. Truman?"
II think he is better than he was."
replied the clerk 1--WE were afraid he
had become crazJ and sent for DR..
-
rived before Mrs. Truman, said that
Mr.. Truman was suffering from intense
excitement, but that with proper treat
ment there wCG 10 cause for alarm.
The Coctcr soon afterwards took his
patient TO Astor House, where h. NOW
u.s."
To t2 continued.