Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-12-16
Accused
Fortunately Vindi-
cation Was at
Hand
By OSCAR COX

Giuseppe, tOr THIS ACT OF pernuy you
shall suffer. You have handed me over
. to be dealt with by the law. Will be the
law to you. will not remain long behind
bars. No prison walls have yet been
built strong enough to hold me. When
am free, as the carrier pigeon looks about
: him for the flight he Will take, Will To-
cate you. And wherever you are there
| will I 60. 1t may be when the earth is
| awakening after nocturnal slumber, II
may be when the sun Is pouring flood OF
light on hill and vale. 1t may be when you
think yourself concealed in the shadows
Of evening, that will come, but come
will, and when you feel my blade cutting
into your heart your eyes shall serve you
for the last time. and they will behold me
bending over you gloating In my revenge.
paused in my writing and read over
what / had written. was dissatisfied
with 1t. There was not sufficient
strength, rancor. bitterness. diabolism.
in 1t to suit me. wrote it over. vivify-
ing the picturesque points and intensi-
flying the hate. Then put it with my
manuscript in its place at the close of
chapter and made my preparations to
leave my room.
Two reasons Influenced my going. In
the first place. suffered the impover-
ishment usual to authors who have not
attained recognition as geniuses, and
was expecting to be turned out for non
payment Of rent. In the second place.
l was in love and had promised to
spend the week end with my betrothed.
AS to my poverty, was expecting bet
ter things when my novel, 'The Ban
dts Revenge" should be published; as
to my ladylove. / hoped to conceal
from her the pitiahle condition OF my
finances till began to receive my roy
alties.
My apartment was on the top floor of
building in which there were many
rooms. | possessed an old satchel, but
no wardrobe except what l wore.
There were number Of unsold manu-
scripts in the closet. and in order to fill
out the bag put them in it and, going
with it out into the hall. descended. A
man OH the floor below, seeing me,
started toward me. Thinking he might
be intending to stop me for my unpaid
rent. hurried on and succeeded in
eluding him. Emerging from the build
Ing, felt satisfaction in knowing that
l had all my worldly possessions with
me and had left nothing in my room
that the landlord could hold as secu-
rity for my debt. Alas, had left one
little article that would bring me more
trouble than If had left abundant Sc
curity, but did not know 1t.
had in my pocket the wherewithal
to pay my way to the suburban town
where lived my beloved l expended
so cents for ticket and. having 81
more, spent 1t for some roses to
take with me as gift for her. leaving
me cent for newspaper. Then !
entered the train. laid my satchel on
the seat beside me, unfolded my paper
and. assuming II carelessness did not
feel. began to read the news. My pow
erty did not trouble me. | was used to
that. But | dreaded lest my betrothed
should find it out.
Nina, who was aware Of my coming,
was mt the station to meet me and
| took me to her home in a little auto
her father had recently given her. !
tossed my satche, containing no toilet
articles except a toothbrush, on the
floor Of the vehicle and took my seat
beside my adored chauffeur. Instead
of driving me directly home, she made
long detour into the country. 1t was
evident from her manner that she had
something Of Importance to say to Inc
and was making an opportunity to say
1t. As soon as we were on country
road she slowed down and said:
my dear Luigi, hope that what /
am going to say to you will not lead
you to think that do not trust you
Implicitly. 1t is papa who is uncertain
about you. He would prefer that ]
should marry man born in America,
whose family and antecedents we
might learn about. You know that
you have no relatives In America, and
in order to learn Of your ancestry and
status In Italy one must go there to
make an investigation have told
papa what you have told me-that you
are a descendant of the historical Co.
lonnas; that your father Is member
| of the Italian parliament and has been
a cabinet minister. Papa says. What
proof have you Of thisl' and can only
reply that have your word for It.
And when papa asks me why believe
you and l say 1t is because love you
he laughs Mt me-"
"My dear Nina" replied, have pa
tence. l have written for such proofs
of who and what l am as shall con-
vince any doubter. Meanwhile, though
I do not expect your father to feel sat
isfied concerning me. 1t seems to me
that IL yon really love me you will
trust me-
Had / not romance In my nature
would not be a novelist. Romance led
me to take the ground that there Is
some; hing in true love to induce q
woman to trust the man she loves
without calling on him for his creden-
iials. went into rhapsody about this
beautiful faith In loved one and sue
ceeded In infusing the sentiment into
Nina. was all pretended to be and
WAS only concealing from my betroth-
| td my poverty. which my hopeful dis
position led me to think would soon be
| ended. But there was not a single rea-
son I'm my words why she should put
faith in one whom she saw only
through the romance tinged eyes Of a
lover. Yet l succeeded in drawing
from her an impassioned statement
that If l were accused Of being MEM
ber Of the dreaded Camorra society. II
l were convicted Of being a perpetra'
tor of Black Hand crimes, still would
she believe that was maligned and
innocent. kissed her again and again.
telling her that her confidence in me
had enhanced my love for her tenfold.
Hours had passed when we returned
to her home. Leaving me. Nina went
straight to her father and told him
that my credentials were expected
shortly and till their arrival she would
only ask him to receive me condi-
tionally. This satisfied him. and was
made quite welcome.
The next morning. Sunday, opened
bright and beautiful, and my spirits
partOok of the serenity Of the day.
Sunday brings relief In many ways.