Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-01-03

Il
that have been working upon for
the last year. She agreed with her
usual complacency, and it was Ger
tainly not her fault that she was I'M
| able to give the expression to her
face that I desired. You, who are
| not an artist and not subject to IT.
rational fits Of violence, can scarcely
understand the fury which sweeps
over us when we struggle In vain
with a dream that cannot material
lie. It is enough for you to know that
in an attack of 1mpu1sive fury l
threw the hammer that / had in my
hand across the studio. 1t struck
Gabrielle on the temple. Need l
swear solemnly to you that 1t was
quite an accident. How can I de-
scribe my terror--my feeling Of hor-
ror-at that moment! Gabrielle was
killed. She fell without cry at the
foot of my statue Of Life"
And this quick deed, in which no
human wish had collaborated, which
occurred solely through the extrava-
gance of an act, maddened me, and
If at that moment I had had a
weapon in my hand it Is certain that
in obedience to the same uncon-
scious impulse should have paid the
penalty with my life. I should have
done justice. Justice! Yes, my
friend. that is word on which we
have not the same ideas. l cannot
say more, but / must ask you, in
mercy, to be father to my son Poly
dore and to my beloved daughter
Evelyne.
It is impossible for me to see
either of my children again. count
upon you, the calm, clear sighted
man, who calls me the "King Of the
Fools to give to my two children
the lesson Of wisdom which they will
need in this life. Barrabas. ,
/ made a sign to Polydore to ap-
proach
Read this" I said, quietly.
He held out shaking hand When
he had read it the convulsive tremb-
ling which shook his body ceased. His
eyes regained their calm, innocent
look; his voice was firm as he asked:
What are you going to dor
What are you going to dor re-
piled.
ooh, II" and he shrugged his shout
ders which signified nothing in par
ticular. This new attitude contrasted
strangely with his shattered nerves q
short while ago. He thought for mo-
ment, then he looked hard at me and
said, in a harsh voice:
"Give me five louis"
was speeches. with amazement at
these unexpected words. Then he
continued in his usual soft voice:
IF you wish me to do justice imme-
diately it will be quite simple. Ny
suicide could be easily attributed to
the grief caused by the accident you
have invented in your letter. But
will quick suicide, which am pre-
pared to commit, be punishment in
proportion to the crime? 1t is not to
invoke your clemency, father, that l
make a., comparison between the I'M
conscious fury which you give as ex-
cuse for the accident you invented.
And yet for all that
eyes, for all that, you loved your
mother"
He moaned like wounded beast,
then said. roughly:
"Give me five louis"
I counted out five pieces Of gold and
placed them on the table before him.
He took them up and carefully put
them in an inside vest pocket. Then
he knelt down beside the body Of my
wife. Frantically he placed his warm
lips on his mothers icy lips-on that
enigmatical mouth. He made a visible
effort to stif1e the sobs which rose In
his throat
He rose abruptly and went out
without addressing a word of farewell
to me.
In my turn I leaned over the face OF
the beloved companion Of my life.
Then recoiled in terror. The con-
tracted lips, which seemed as though
they we're locked, were loosened under
the filial kiss of her assassin, and l
imagined I could trace faint smile,
as though to thank me for obeyfng her
secret wish, which beyond death was
to save, by any possible means, the
child of our flesh and our love. COW
cred the face that I should never see
again with light piece OF SILK ana LETT
my studio, where the unfinished statue
of Life" stood on it's pedestal, I'M
maci1lately white, a living piece OF
marble
went up to the room where Eve
lyme still lay unconscious. took her
little hand on which the emerald gfis-
tened in it's golden setting In my
rough hand and drew It reverently to
my lips.
Goodbye, my little GIRL" | said.
NV love for Evelyne was my life.
I hurried below, for knew that the
servant might return at any moment.
went quickly to the garage and pre-
pared my automobile. took enough
gasoline for a long journey. Throw
ing q last look at the little cottage
FOR MANY YaaES [