Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-23


God! what do you know about it?
am In the meshes. have sunk lower
and lower. You want to know about
this woman the world links with my
disgrace. Well, tried to break with
her when I married Dbl swear / did
but can't She is like a dog thnt
one has grown attached to-you can't
fling It out of your life completely.
There has always been wall between
Diana and me. tried in the beginning
to reach her, but she's afraid Of me-
know IT,
As the torrent Of words choked
him, he stopped with quick passion
Of agony He was sincere in this con-
fession of his weakness; Jim could
not doubt him, though he was aston
ished at the admission. He had ex.
pected Henry to assail him with hard
words and insolent denials. The &C
knowledged truth was sickening
Henry mechanically took some brandy:
he seemed a vibrating bundle of tor.
ments.
Jim watched him closely. IT don't
want to preach, Henry" he said, "but
when you stop that,"-he pointed to
the ha1f-empty fask-"youll have half
conquered yourself, and the rest will
be FAR easier. This drinking will pull
you into days of horror, days that
would mean desolation to us all"
He hesitated. Henry crossed to the
chimney and leaned against 1T with
his back to Jim.
There Is every, chance for you,"
continued Jim. I'm three months you
can have regained your place with
Di, and think-think what 1t would
mean to your mother"
Henry did not move; his head was
resting on his outstretched arms, ~
Ing across the mantel edge. The
broken figure of Henry touched him
deeply TITS all right, old man. Well
forget this. Forgive my frankness.
but, after all, your interests are mine
4 your mother and your home were
/ mine, and Di-was like little sister
so had to speak I'll not say another
word I'm off, And almost before
Henry could realize it, Jim had left
him-left him with the dull burning
In his heart and brain.
So Jim knew. 1t had been relief
to acknowledge his pent-up remorse.
but he was more deeply involved than
his cousin suspected. Jim knew but
y half; the other half, with its awful,
dreaded discovery, walked ever beside
him. He made sudden rush to the
door as though to recall Jim, to un.
burden himself and be saved, but the
moIentary impulse died. He stun.
! b1ed heavily into a chair; it was use.
less. He alone could save the situa-
ton, and the half that Jim knew would
be bitter enough to face In his daily
companionship with him.
August came with its heather-clad
hills, but England reioiced less than
usual in the beauty of the great flow
er-garden which the entire country.
side resembled Over 1t all hung the
trigic symbol of war. The call Of
Africa for men had been appalling. In
the park Of the Towers a detachment
Of Yeomanry were encamped for a
fortnight's training. and the restful
beauty of the place for days had been
I broken by the firing manoeuvres of
4 the men. Tonight all was quiet, with
Y only the sounds from the men in their
i tents family reaching the Towers.
Henry was giving a dinner to the Of.
f1cers In command and coffee was be-
ing served in the garden. A flaming
border of evening primroses were
opening their yellow, cuplike bios
SONS. In the distance boys clear
voice was singing:
ooh, Tommy, Tommy Atkins, you're
a good 'un, cart and and,
You're credit to your country and tc
all your native land"
Lady Elizabeth had gathered 8
4 house-party to see the afternoons
4 raanoeuvres and to remain for the
4 dinner. The Bishop leaned back in
4 his chair and folded his hands over
) his apron; his short. lean legs were
4 stretched out comfortably-the Ker
hills knew how to entertain the
a Church, he was convinced Near him
sat Sir John Apologize and Mrs
Chichester Chichester Jones. Close L
q a great bed of white pansies. with
! scarlet standard roses cleaning like
& sentinels over the delicate white bios
q SONS. we're Mabel, Diana, and Mr.
4 Chiswick, the young ascetic curate
& Henry, who was standing. near Lad,
Elizabeth. kept his eyes modify or
i the ground. Sir Charles, with heavy
q shawl wrapped around him. was
stretched out in long basket-chair
The air was SO still that the moving
a of bird in its nest or the rustline
u VI u lOGt ulol III Dtu llS oiiSlCS.
God bless you, Tommy Atkins
Here's a country's 'ealth to YOU"
The voice ceased.
Sir John had been telling story
to Mrs Jones of the mule who drew
3 a pension from the American govern
ment.
Heard that story in America. Rath
s. er good, eh, Mrs. Hobart Chi
ANONYMOUSLY he stood stricken b.
y the American name. The Bishop
seeing his bewilderment turned quick
ly and whispered the dreadful cogno
men. AS Sir John finished the broker
sentence there was quiet laugh.
Henry leaned over his mother
Mater" he said, Don't you thinl
that Mrs. Hobart Chichester Chiches
ter Jones would make a ripping mattel
for jim? | wish you'd try and make
an opportunity to help it along"
AS he spoke he already saw tn,
gold from the Battle Creek mine.
pouring into the Golfers of the house
Il of Kerhiu adv FliZabeth looked ur