Middletown transcript., 1911-06-17
WHEN HOPE WAS GONE

Y WILLIAM TILLINGHAsT ELDRTDGl


the endless expanse of ocean. It
was habit, grown of two years
there was not the slightest
look of hope in his eyes.
Out over the stiffness a high
pitched cry rang forth; then,
suddenly, the wild, discordant
words of song broke the 81.
lence.
The voice came deep, like the
believing of an angry animal;
the words, discordant and rum.
bling, ran together, and yet
some semblance of the tune was
left.
The man en- the cliff raised his
head, listened an instant, and
then suddenly sat straight and
tense:
Home! Home! Sweet, sweet
home!
Be it ever so humble, there's
no place like home.
On came the singer, nearer
and nearer then, out Of the
brush, his arms waving wildly,
staggered a bearded man, to go
rocking and swaying down the
beach.
Clarkson! The man on the
rock leaped to his feet with the
call. Clarkson!
He seemed suddenly alive, the
inertia of a moment ago com.
pletely gone.
Home! shrieked the man, stop.
ping suddenly. Curse it all!
Curse it all! Home!
The sWaying figure reeled and
nearly pitched headlong into the
curling waves that touched his
feet.
Clarkson! Clarkson! The man
on the rock leaned down and
called through his hands.
The one below turned and
glanced above him. Across his
face was a huge cash, laying the
cheek open to the bone. The
blood poured down over neck
and chest.
He raised his hands, dripping
red, aloft; and as he stood there
I-swaying, cursing, and crying
out-the blood dripped to the
sands, where it made black spots.
He was like nothing short of a
beast-Wounded, mad, needless
of his surroundings.
Wendell! he cried, pointing a
bloody hand at the one above
him. Home! Curse it all! Curse
it all! Home!
| Wendell stood fascinated; and
then, before he could call or rush
down the path, the other wheeled
and with a shrek plunged into
the ocean.
Twice he sank, to rise and
struggle on, leaving behind him
as he went a red cast to the gray
waters.
Straight ahead he flung him
self; and then, suddenly, he be-
gan to swim.
Wendell watched, rooted to
the cliff. On, out into the rolling
combers, the man went-noW
under them, now up, until, with
a shrek that echoed from cliff to
cliff, he threw up his hands,
turned about-the open cheek
showing horrible and bloody
and sank as the current caught
his legs and sucked him down.
Home! Wendell muttered.
Home!
Then he began to sing as he
sat crosslegged upon the bare
rock, and his body swayed in
rhythm to his chant and his
head rolled and nodded. He was
closer to madness than at any
} time in the two long years:
To Thee I'll return, overburd-
ened with care.
The hearts dearest solace will
smile on me there;
No more from the cottage
3 again will roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's
no place like home.
Home! Home! Sweet, sweet
home!
u Be it ever so humble, there's
/. no place like home.
! The words came mounthed; and
4 as he ended, his eyes turned
D back to the spot where Clarksor
! had sunk.
r. Was that the way he would
e finally go homer Should he il
Q the end fall to fighting with one
b Of his companions, and with {
cheek laid open to the bone &
a plunging out to the quick.deal
! ing current?
What wac tn hn tho and FIJI