The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-03
A Hand In the Dark.
lorlsinaLl

IOTlblnalsl
When my father who had been
very wealthy man, i'ed insolvent his
children were like persons thrown into
deep water without having learned to
swim.
Had IL not been for my mother and
sisters would have got on well
enough. l was young and strong and
perfectly willing to work. But they
must live. Mother was too old 20 do
anything for herself, and, as to my sis.
ters, II was before the admission TO
the various fields which are now open
to women I secured an agency for
the snle OF sewing machines One day
I went home and found the family all
being turned out of the little cottage TO
which we had been reduced for non
payment OF rent. ! had sold that day
n machine for which had collected
the money. l paid the rent with IT,
There ara cases where the penalty
for dishonesty seems very harsh. That
I had appropriated the sewing ma.
chine funds soon became known TO my
employers. was given twenty.rour
hours TO make good the deficiency or
submit TO arrest. There was no way
in the world TO save myself. or n
naturally sensitive disposition, 10 go
behind bars was more than could en-.
dure resolved on suicide.
owned n revolver which | had pur.
chased in the halcyon days. had n
few cents necessary 10 buy cartridges
Following plan usual TO suicides for
the purpose of lessening as much as
possible the shock TO those who love
them, went TO hotel, registered and
asked for n room. The hour was for
o'clock In the evening but It was
In December and as dark as midnight
The clerk assigned me TO n room. and
was shown to IL by a bell hoy. II
, was in wing of the hotel Mt the end
of q dimly lighted hall. My conductor
found the door unlocked ana opened II.
entered aud shut the door behind me.
was I'm absolute darkness, which was
what preferred-thut ls II man
about to die has any preferences.
My knee rubbed against a chair.
took hold Of It and sat down with my
face to IFS back, and dropped my head
on my hands My mind Of course was
on my misfortunes. Had | not been
suffering from a partial temporary I'M
sanity might have seen the folly OF
my course. 1t would have been better
for me to disappear. Then | might
still he of use TO my mother and sis
| tcrs. This did not occur 10 me. Ny
| mind had become saturated with one
| subiect-nrrest. hundculfs, prison bars
| am believer In the power Of purely
temporary physical conditions TO force
! one into crime. aud such condition
suffered from.
Presently Strengthened up, put my
hand TO n hip pocket aud took out my
revolver. There was no necessity TO
a light: could do what ! intended
through the sense OF touch. Indeed,
did not care, as some suicides have
done. TO shoot myself standing before
] mirror. / dreaded to see the hor
| rible expression that was on my face
| slowly raised the revolver my linge
on the trigger, intending to place th,
muzzlc against my temple. Just as
| felt the cold steel a hand grasped m!
wrist
Doubtless nothing could have oc
Cured better calculated TO bring M
to my senses. The spell in which m!
mind had been caught was suddenl!
broken. Surprise was the first scnsa
ton, curiosity the second. Neither haC
anything to do with the monomanii
that had possessed me. | had sud
denly been transferred into fre
thinking man. noticed FIRST that TN
hand about my wrist was small ant
soft. 1t must be n woman's. Bu
| what was woman doing In that room
and how did she know that ha,
raised a pistol TO my head! She nigh
have heard me come in and sit down
but It would have required light TO de
test nolseless motion. Not for mo
ment did | fancy that some one frou
the dead had come TO save me. Tn
hand was warm, human, and ! fel
human currents passing from 1t
owner TO me. What has required
whole paragraph TO tell aashe,
through me in an instant.
"Who are you?' I asked.
zone whom God has doubtless sen
to save you from crime" came th
reply In n low musical voice.
Il will strike a light"
"Please don't am under the car
of an oculls,. lie has placed mo Il
darkness preparatory to an operation
| have been here all day without a ra
of light entering my eyes, for, in add
tion to the room being darkened, m
eyes have been baudaged. Henrin
some one enter lifted the bandagC
Having been so long In perfect darl
ness, my sight is very strong. hay
seen you, though dimly, from the frs
and can see you now. Hadn't bette
ring for some one TO take you away?
mo; | viii go alone, Thee is no fea
that | will act as intended. You hav
relieved the mental strain under whic
l suffered"
gave her brief account OF tn
causes that had led up TO my intende
suicide. She eXacted promise fror