The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-09-17

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could not have nsd from the point
where heard him hast into the ravine
below oatrander lane But, II not he.
who vas itf Or II II was be. and
some other hand threw his stick
acroxs my path. whose was this hand
and Why have we never heard any,
thing about II. II IL q question which
sometimes floats through my mind.
but did not give II q thought then.
was within sight Of home and OH.
yer's possible presence: aud all other
dread was as nothing In comparison
to what felt at the prospect Of meet
Ing my boys eye. My boys eyei my
greatest dread then, and my greatest
dread still! In my terror Of II wakes
as 10 my doom.
The house. which had left empty.
! found empty. Oliver had not yet re-
turned. The sbsolute stiffness OF the
rooms seemed appalling Instructive
ly looked At the clock u had
stopped. not at the mlnute--I do not
ssg IL Was at Jhe, mInate--hli near.
very near tho time when from In
innocent man ] became guilty one.
Appalled, at the discovery. I fed to
the front. Opening the door. looked
out. Not creature In sight and not
sound to BIO heard. Tho road was
as lonely and seemingly as forBaken
as the house. Had time stopped here,
too. Were the world ard its inter.
es,s at pause In horror OF my deed?
For a moment believed It. then more
natural sensations int 'yened and. re-
Ioieing at this lack Of disturbance
| where disturbance meant discovery
/ | stepped inside again. rewound the
clock. and sat down In my own room
My own room! Was Il mine any
longerf It's walls looked strange: the
petty objects OF my daily handling.
unfamiliar. The change In myself In
fecsed everything ! saw. might have
been In another mans house for all
/. connection those things seemed to
have with me or my life. Like one
set apart on an unapproachahle shore.
/ stretched hands In vain toward all
that had known and all that had
been Of value to me
| But M the minutes passed began
tn lose this feeling. Hope. which l
thought quite dead, slowly revived
Nothing had happened. and perhaps
1rothing would.
p Men had been killed before. and the
slayer passed anrecognixed. Why
might Il not he so In my casei II the
woman continued to remain silent; II
for any reason she had not witnessed
the blow or the striker who else was
there to connect me with an assault
committed a quarter OF mile away?
No one kAew OF the quarrel aud II
they did. who could be so daring 40
to associate one OF my name with an
action so brutal! A Judge slay his
friend II would take evidence OF
very marked character to make even
my political enemies believe that.
As the twilight deepened rose from
my seat ana III the gaA ! mus. not
he found ssuiktng TN the dark, Than
began TO count tho ticks measuring
ca the hour. II thirty minutes more
passed without rush from without |
might hope II twentyf--if ten then
II was ave. then Il was
All. The gate had changed to. They
| were coming. could hear steps
yoices--a loud ring at the bell. |
moved slowly toward the front. I
feared the betrayal which my ashy
face ard trembling hands might make.
Agitation after the news was 10 be-
expected. but not beforel So left
the hall dark when opened the door.
And thus decided my future
For In the faces OF the small crowd
which blocked tho doorway detected
nothing but commiseration; aud when
q voice spoke and heard divers &C
cents surcharged with nothing moro
krieyoas than pity. realized that my
secret was AZ yet unshared, and. see
ins that no man suspected me. | fore
bore to declare my guilt to anyone
| This sudden restoration from sound
Ieas depths into the pure air OF respect
End sympathy confused me: and BE-
yond the words KILLED! Struck down
BY the bridget" I heard little. TIL
slowly. daily. like the call o. q bell
Issuing from = smotherfns mist. I
caught the sound Of \ name. II struck
my ear and gradually II dawaed upon
mr. CONSEQUENCES that another man
had been arrested for my crime and
thai the safety. the reverence aud the
administration that we're 70 dear to
me had been bought ut price no man
| al hcnor might pay,
I Rut was no longer \ man OF honor
!, was wresched criminal sway,ng
above = gulf Of infsmy In which | had
seen others swallowed but had never
! dreamed Of being engai'cd myself I
never thought Of letting myself go
rot ut this crlsis--not while my heart
was Warm with It's resnrgence into the
old life
And 40 ! ies pass this opportunity
| for ccnfcssicn. Afterwards II Was too
sate-cr SERVED 90 late to my demon.
siiEed Judgment.
My first rial awakening to the sx.
traordinary hprrors OF my position
vas when reanxed that efrrnrs.