The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-18

, TO make no impression on her. and her
voice was not even raised in an at
tempt TO appear more brave than she
was Asa Cutler knew humanity In d
shreWd way, and he realized that he
was race to face with a new force: but
ne meant to meet and overcome it.
You say you disowned your son. -
she said quietly. Then you have no
grandson; this mans child is nv child.
and now he belongs to me, 20 me alone.
and to no one else in the world
1t was evident that Asa Cutler must
acknowledge the first relationship n ne
would claim the second Wen say
ne was my son." he said harshIv. IN \
louder tone. He was my son. he WIS
my son. Now he's dead, amt he? Then
I'm the natural guardeen Of his child.
l didn't come here to talk" he added
orutally. 4 come here to get that boy.
ana want you to produce him. I'm
gong 10 take him home with me. and
you may as we'll give him I'D without
any fuss"
The woman was still looking at him
unfalteringly. You are going TO take
MIN home with yOu?" she asked mild
~. And what are you going TO do
with him when you get him hOme7-
I'm going TO keep him out o. the
way Of the devil. That's what I'm go
ing to do with him. But 1 didn't come
here to talk" he cried.
The presence of his dead seemed no
reason for lowering his tones. Tnp
woman looked down upon the face OF
her husband and stopped to move =
lock Of hair from his forehead. When
she stood up her face seemed whittier
than before and there was = light in
her eyes which they had lacked.
She nodded her head a little. ..You
did not come here TO TALK" she cried
You did not come here to talk2 No
you came here to rob this mans chil0
of the memory he shall have of his
Fathers You did not come here totaIk.
but you shall hear some talk, Look
there, look at him, That man was vour
son, and he is dead, Why? Because
he was your son; because he had you
for father You gave him life. bun
you killed him-you killed nm
You are crazy" the old man said
The woman ignored his words. Il
know all about you" she said. g know
what sort of a father you were. You
began to kill Ralph the day YOU took
him away from school because vot,
wanted him to be under you. You were
afraid he might become q man wiz,
viii of his own, and you wanted him
10 be Ike your cattle, just belonging L,
YOU On, ! know what he did them
But who could blame him? You had
never taught him better way. and
you would not let him go away tc
learn one. And you-you. who SCI
yourself UP as a model, the deacon. the
man of God, the fine example for ,hg
neighborhood-you would rather have
him drunkard than give him q
chance to become anything else. be-
cause if he were TO become anything
else he would not be a possession OF
yours Haven't you known that to be
the TRUTH You have. you havel IF IL
were anybody else, you would be tho
first to say that he did wrong: but YOU
won't admit that you could do wrong.
SO you let Ralph become a drunkard
you let him be. q mark OF scOrn. rather
than give him chance to get beyond
YOU. Besides. having him near yon
Ike that made you seem all the finer.
The deacon's son. the drunkaTd-the
scapegoat, The poor deacon-such a
model, such a good man. to be afflicted
with such r son, That's what YOU
thought, wasn't it2 It wasn't so bad
being martyr. was it,"
The old man was glazing at her. too
angry and too bewiidered to speak
But she did not pause long. She
clasped her hands before her and
moved step nearer. her shabby black
skirt touching the dead mans couch.
And when he did finally have couT-