The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-08-09

pose l snow you what manner of man |
you are. Take your mind back ten |
years, and tell me what happened |
then. You can't?"
II was married ten years ago."
Maine replied hastily.
so you were married ten years ago,
were your"
"As an unknown man." the voice
continued evenly. without penny to
bless yourself, you married the sweet
est little girl in Christendom. Sheleft
| her parents, she abandoned all to
make a mesaliiance with you; she
shared your garnet, she helped you
With your work and she bore her al
tered condition of life with fortitude
which only threw your quibbling ma.
ture into more heinous relief. Slowly,
gradually, as you mounted the ladder
of success, all the magnificent reso-
| lutions Of your early married life faded
into insignificance. You lived only
| for your work. You became a supreme
artist. And you, for whom she had
forsaken everything, forgot the very
existence of the woman whose heart
was still yours"
Five years ago." continued the
voice." "a son was born to you, and
for a time you forgot you were man
of letters. But you soon slipped away
when your clubs called you. When
the public fawned to you; and your
wife, broken-hearted and neglected fled
from your home. Did you realize then"
the words came in a laundering tor
rent now-"the revolving act of saw
agery which cast your wife adrift with
out the child she loved so dearly?"
Good heavens!" exclaimed Maine
fearfully. Are you-"
'Listen!" came the imperious COM
mand She wanted your love, and
you had buried it in your success. But
strangely as it sounds, you still loved
the child that is sleeping in this house.
Do you think that the boy has not
missed his mother more than you
have missed your wife? John Maine
in the CRATE before you are ashes, col
and grey. They are your portion in
life for that boy of yours. his heart
yearning for the tender love you can
not give, is even now slipping into the
void"
Enough" screamed the wretched
man. you lie-you know you lie!'
He moistened his lips with his tongue
who are your he asked, with sudden
humility.
81 am your better SELF" came sadly
morosely from a long way off; ant
John Maine sat up on the words t
find himself blinking, terrified, in the
, small arc of light from a policeman
lantren.
beg pardon, SIR" whispered thu
policeman, quickly averting the light
but guessed you would be in here a
work as usual, and"
1--WE been asleep, constable" Main
> interposed slowly, and the words con
veyed a subtle relief to his achini
+. head at once. But how on earth di,
Il you get in?" he asked, suddenly real
izing that the presence of a policeman
e in his house in the early hours of tn
e morning was something to be ex
r planned.
|. Softly sir" counselled the Other
r Il saw a woman creep through wiz
r dow at the back, and followed hel
J. GAL TWO-SPOILED BY Success
I've been on this beat for a good man
!. years, sir, and l fancied l knew VIII
!. she was. l thought perhaps 20
might like"
Maine was standing up now, aler
. and brisk.
as she still in the house?" he asked
The constable nodded. "She crep
upstairs, sir" he said simply.
But John Maine waited for no more
With his heart pounding at his rib
he sprang out of the room and leape
swiftly up the stairs.
>, The policeman followed him slowl!
Maine had reached the landin
which led to the boys room, when h
: heard a door in front of him opel
II He switched on the electric light. an
II there, painting fearfully in the sudde
\ blaze, leaning against the wall, we
II the thin and emaciated figure of
woman.
III Her clothes were in rags and tatters
in her arms she clutched sleepin
child to her breast.
They stood thus, silently regardir
II one another, until the sound of di
u Greet cough warned Maine of the pre-
II ence Of the constable. With han'