Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-06-05
AFTER MANY YEARS
Story of Love and Tragedy as
Told by a Dying
Man.
BY EDNA L. BURSLEY.

sat beside him, trying to persuade him
TO see a priest and receive the last
sacrament of the church before his
spirit winged its fight to the judg-
ment seat Of God.
NO." said the man, "a priest could
not forgive my sings in Gods name, for
God himself will never pardon me.
But, sister, you are woman, let me
confess my one great sin to you, and
have you forgive me in her name"
The nun thought his mind wan
dered, but seizing her hand with fe-
verish eagerness, he drew her closer
10 the bedside. and begged her not to
refuse him this one last chance of
easing his conscience. She silently
acquiesced. and motioned him to go
on.
1T is a long tale of foul crime, and
retributive suffering" he began,
''and before 1t Is ended you, sister,
all gentleness and goodness that you
are, will turn from me in horror and
loathing.
my father was a wealthy planter
with two sons, myself and brother
who was my junior by three years.
Our mother died when we were very
young, and as my father never mar
ried again, we grew to manhood with
out ever knowing the purifying, re-
straining influence of a woman's love
and guidance. We were educated
North. The summer attained my ma
1ority, returned to my fathers plan
tation. / set to work thoroughly to
familiarize myself with all the details
OF sugar farming, in order to one day
be able to relieve my father of the
burden Of personal management OF
his estate.
We had few near neighbors, but
] learned that widow had leased a
small cottage on our place, and had
come to reside there with her daugh-
ter. l met them both at church the
first Sunday after my return. Yes,
sister, It was just that way. for
see you anticipate the events that
followed upon that meeting. She did
NV bNthl W tut W dn
too slight in person and too imma'
ture in mind for that; but as we rode
home together the flowers, the birds
the soft blueness of the sky. and the
dazzling sunshine all contributed to
make me think her voice the sweetes,
and her laugh the merriest had ever
heard. We saw much OF each other
after that, and ! could not help no
ucing her Frightening eyes, and chang
Ing color whenever | approached. A
few weeks after our first meeting We
went for a row on the river.
Before ! was aware OF II, hat
whispered honeyed nothings by thu
score into her willing ear. and con
cluded by asking her to marry me.
Il pass over the next few months
We were very happy until was seizet
by an unaccountable desire TO - sc,
something OF the life and society II
the large city near by. My fathe
consented. and shortly after ] lef
home and took up my residence at on
OF the fashionable hotels OF the city
] wrote regularly for a time to m
nancee. but as invitations to parties
balls. dinners, germans and 80 fort
poured In thicker and faster. my lei
ters ceased altogether. never eve
thought OF her unless II was to con
pare her. and very unfavorably q
that. with the gay bellies OF fashio
TO whose piping was now dancing.
"a year passed away. and decide
20 make n foreign tour. | went
Europe. where / idled away thre
years. when | again set foot on IN
native soil hastened to my father
home. lie and my brother welcome
me gladly. and felt happier than
had been since had left them,
Il did not once inquire for m
cideyant sweetheart, but when dl
was told that she and her moth,
were living on our place still. N
brother invited me to go with him
call upon them that same evenin
I went, and would TO God | had n
done so! l saw again the girl hi
30 coolly cast aside in the years agoi
and In the same moment there flash,
across my soul the deep. unalterab
conviction that she--she was Il
only woman | had ever loved. or cou
ever love.
"Ah, II you could have seen q
springing step. the laughing ey,
the radiant bloom OF her cheekl Al
then the indehnable. irresistit
charm OF her manner and conyeri
tion. Another meeting. and W
mad in love with her. For days
lived in the doubt, the hope. the ,
stacy Of love. and then came its I,
turing terror. and chill despondent
i learned that In few weeks q
was TO wed my brother. few TO I
room. When l left II was no long
man. but n demon. crazy with je
ousy and thlrsting for what In I
frenzy told myself was 4 Just
venge.
Il affected delight at my brothe
approaching happiness, and no o
guessed the wild tumuit that rag
within my breast At length tn
wedding eve arrived. and from ,
porch ] could SEQ my brother wei
ing his way through the fast falu
shades OF evening toward the homo
his destined bride. I followed h
ieisurely. and reaching the strip
lawn outside the cottage windo