The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-07-02

which ! was engaged. had not thi,
knowledge OF actual and UNPUBLISHED
crime come to ease my conscience
John Scoville was worthy OF death
ana, being so. should receive the ful
reward OF his deed | need hesitate
no longer
That night ! slept. But there came
Q night when did not. After the pen.
atty had been paid and to most mems
eyes that episode was over, turned
the first page OF that volume of slow
retribution which is the doom OF the
man who Gins from impulse. and has
the recoil OF his own nature to face
relentlessly to the end of his days.
scoville was In his grave. | was alive.
scoville had shot man for his money.
! had struck man down In my wrath.
Scoville's widow and little child must
face q cold and unsympathetic world
with small means and disgrace rising.
IKE wall. between them and social
sympathy. II not between them and
the actual means OF living.
divers future faced him untouched
No shadow lay across his path to him
der his happiness or to mar his
chances
The results were UNEQUAL. | began
20 see them DO. and feel the gnawing
OF that deathless worm whose raw
ages lay waste the breast, while hand
and brain fulfill their routine of work.
as though all We're well and the foun-
dations of life mistaken.
! suffered ~ only towards suffer. I
held on to honor; held on to home;
! held on to Oliver, but with misery
Tor my companion and self-contempt
which nothing could abate. Each time
mounted the bench felt a tug at
my arm as OF visible. restraining
presence. Each time returned to nv
nome and met the clear eve of Oliver
Deaming upon me with it's ever. grow
ing promise OF future comradeship, |
experienced rebellion against my
own happiness which opened my eyes
10 my own nature and its inevitable
demand. must give up Oliver. or
yield my honors, make full confess
sion and accept whatever conse-
quences 1t might bring. | am a proud
man, and the latter alternative was be-
yond me. | could forego pleasure.
travel, social intercourse, and even
the companionship OF the one being in
whom all my hopes conferred. but I
could not OF my own voIition. pass
from the judges bench to the felon's
cell There | struck the immoyable-
the impossible.
decided In one awful night of re-
nunciation that ! would send Oliver
out OF my life.
The next day told him abruptly
hurting him to STARE myself
hat had decided after long and ma.
,ure thought to yield to his desire for
journalism. and that would start him
n his career and maintain him in II
or three years II he would subscribe
Q the following conditions.
They We're the hardest a loving IA.
her ever imposed upon dutiful and ,
owing son.
FIRST, he was to leave home immedi. l
tely within a few honrs N :
act. !
Second, he was to regard all rela,
ons between us as Finished we were
be strangers henceforth in every
articular save that of the money OBJ.
cation already mentioned.
Third. he was never to acknowledge v
lis compact, or to cast any slur upon v
le rather whose reasons for this an. n
arentiy unnatural conduct were quite I,
sconnected with any fault OF his or "
~ desire to punish or reprove
Fourth. he was to pray for his IA. Il
Ter every night OF his life before he n
ept. :,
Was this last confession? Had I v,
cant II TO be such? II SO, II missed II
point. II awed but did not brighten q,
m. !,
had to contend with his compunc- in
ms, as well as with grief and dis. hi
ny. 1t was an hour of struggle on &C
part and OF implacable resolution al
mine. Nothing but such hardness H
my part would have served me. III
Had fa'tered once he would have he
IN me over. and the tale OF my sleep su
IS nights been repeated. did not of
ter, and when the midnight stroke an
ng through the house that night
separated by its peal sin. beclouded 10,
human past from future arid ha
tn solitude and bereft of the one eli
session to retain which my sin had wa
en- hidden. ro
became a father without a son-as pl,
ely and as desolate as though the re,
,aration between us were that OF no
grave had merited and so weakly KIN
inned. he
But was not yet satisfied. How ira
I'D ! insure for myself the extreme his
iishmant which my peace demand
without bringing down upon me vel
full consequences | refused to ne
ept. tho
'ou have seen how ultimate yol
this question. A convict's OBJ,
/! conyict's isolation! see
tut after some weeks OF this. fresh hid
rs arose. An accident was possible ma
all Bela's precautions. someone me
Ut gain access to this room. This sor