Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-28

OF John Bliss. that child. grown to mans
estate, VINO reminded me OF my Rolands
All! The bitter. bitter irony Of fate.
August -. There Is no peace. upcn
earth for such mo love in all the
world. Not long since in my contempt
ible self -complacency I accepted as my
birthrfght the preferment of my fellow
men. too often. nevertheless. secretly
scorning their tacit pleas for friendship.
Now | would sacrifice all that once seem
ed TO me TO be the essence of life-family
culture. education. wealth. for a single
tender word from one. however humble.
who truly cared for me. Sometimes. when
the thought of what | have become car
res me beyond all bounds of control |
cry aloud In my agony, terrifying those
who hear me, and. aye, striking fear TO
my own heart even.
Last evening l ventured again through
the deserted lower rooms at Overlook
and memories of the past and horror OF
the miserable present grew too great for
me to bear. That I shrieked I Am
aware. but of what directly followed as
must have fled to the secret room, for
presently ! found myself there. cold and
shivering with the fear OF detection. God
have pity on such as I,
September Il. Perdition would be rest
compared with this life for me. oh, the
torture of il. /. Peter Somhers. bounded
from place to place. They are on my
track. that young Bliss and Harry. They
contents, which should have destroyed.
and they know now who left those in
sane warnings. Insane? Yes: for
hoped through them to gain, after all. a
lease on life. But they have proved my
undoing-they and that last quarrel with
Arms. l did not kill Arms, though. NV
soul Is clean of that stain, IL stain IL
would be to send back to earth that
worm OF the soil! He had my revolver
my only friend. which was to stand by
me as Chauncey Mcclure (ah. yes, he is
another friend. thank Godo said that one
must In time of need. and he had all my
money and wanted more. Then he STUN
bled- And hid all the day in the woods
and at nightfall sought Chauncey Nc
Clure. Poor Chauncey Mcclure, I can
see him yet as he looked then-when he
knew, and I curse this miserable. selfish
life of mine which has brought so much
pain and distress into the world. The
pity of it. Aye! Strange though II be
can feel pity now for the sufferings of
others. Thus for Harry's sake at last
am willing to pass on by my own deed
to my punishment and leave him to the
vindication that he deserves. Poor Harry.
Yet. IL the world knows not OF the dis
grace to the name of Somhers what need
l care? All! I fear what may come.
mock me. And 1 fear Fear? What
Nothing in the hereafter can be worse
than this life now-and there may be-
rest.and.peace-.
The clocks in the city to the north Of US
were striking six as finished reading. 1
had been glancing from time to time At
Milbrath. whose face had changed at last
from its dull apathy to picture q ex-
preston, now tender, now hardening:
and now the tears welled between his
eyelids. and he laid his head upon his
folded arms upon the table and sobbed
aloud.
oil ho u,a0
enemy, and 1 have not suffered SO much
as her,
had not the sympathy of kinship
which influenced Milbrath. and at that
moment l could feel no tenderness for the
old villain who had made trusting
young man his scapegoat.
Come" / said. with my hands upon
Milbrath's shoulder. Let us freshen up
a bit and get away from here tonight
into q different atmosphere.
Milbrath made no answer. He sat up
with his chnsin his hands, his eyes star
ing straight before him.
"You can't see things in their true
lights now, lad," / continued. Better
not try. BY and by the perspective Will
be clearer and you will appreciate not
only that we have much to be thankful
for that our secret remains ours only, but
that no more satisfactory ending was
ever realized from sorry a beginning.
Moreover. Milbrath. Think of what com
plete exoneration means TO YOU. The
hour that you have dreamed OF ana
prayed for has come. and you are free to
acknowledge as yours the little girl who.
to respect your wish, has been denied her
right to comfort you these two years
and who is waiting for you there in Win
ton. Come"
Milbrath rose resolutely and grasped
my hand in a hearty grip. l knew then
that though only time. that merciful mel
lower, could soften the memory of recent
events and make them endurable to him.
h DO hv~nN oct nDavC tor n lSp
to the demands of the present, and that
a beginning had been made
cThe endD