Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-03-24

Far from it," said Mr.. P%resbrey.
Sit here on the sofa. both OF you
That's right. Now, please do not in.
terrupt-er-ahem! Remember it is TO.
your OWN good
The children sat rightly upright or
the edge of h old damask sofa, fac.
ing the our persons who looked across
the long table 1T them. The lights il
me Chandelier We're burning. Mary
! glanced up ut them with a vague sens
of onder. She had never seen then
lighted before. 1t was always the kero-
sene students lamp on the end of the
table, beside Mr.. Blagden's chair. There
was a marked absence of the dim re-
hSious light in the room tonight.
Don't cross your legs. Mary said
her aunt severely. How many times
have I told YOU ="
Yes. ma'am," gasped Mary. uncross-
ing her plump little legs in a hurry
and sending her quaint. apologize
smile up against the frozen faces oppo-
blithe little heart.
M Presbrey wants to talk to both of
YOU" announced Mr.. Blagden. Il am
sure you will receive what he is about
to say in good grace and humility. You
know that he, as we'll as our LUZ and
l. has the welfare of your souls at
heart. He is about to tell you Of your
AN IN uLSoALul SlOIS VI yOal
unhappy mother. Now. please pay
strict attention to his words. You will
find comfort and solace in the prom
ises he will hold u to you afterwards.
There is a great light beyond the
Observation-Disclosures which you
must be cast before the darkness of the
night is lifted for you. He will, with
Gods blessing, direct you into paths
which lead away from the pits into
which your unfortunate parents drifted
in their wilfulness. Will you be good
enough, Mr.. Presbrey. to-er-ahem!
He broke off the in~junction--it was
hardly a request--in the middle. and
settled back with ~complacent conf
dence in his pastors intuition.
The worthy pastor cleared his throat,
and began. With his uncle's first words
Eric felt a sickening. horrid lump aris-
ing In his throat. Something seemed to
tighten about his whole body, holding
him in a grip $ o relentless that he
could scarcely breathe. He sat there,
staring wide eyed inc helpless, at the
lean face of the man who was to say
things he knew would hurt as nothing
had ever hurt him before. Twice he
swallowed hard, but the lump was
there to stay. He heard the quick, be-
wildered catch in Mary's breathing.
Without looking, he knew that her lip
trembled. He knew they were about to
attack his father. He knew instinctively
what charge would be brought against
him-and he had loved him so dearly,
so fiercely. Words struggled to his
lips.
ut was a duel" he managed to say,
in a pitiful effort to anticipate pain.
Mr.. Presbrey hesitated. He Won
dered who had given this version to
the boy.
"Alas, my boy. you have been misin-
fOrTDaI--nN-I 0ho,pl1 co1 L1x,1
m~isconstrued the word of your infor-
mant." he said uneasily. 1t suddenly
occurred to him that either Mr.. or Mrs.
Blagden, In a moment of weakness,
might have told the boy that there was
q duel; in that event. 1t was necessary
for his to proceed with tact-with eau
ton.
Who told you that. Eric? 2" demanded
his uncle and aunt simultaneously.
1t doesn't matter" supplied Mr..
Presbrey indulgently. quite at ease once
more. 1T may have been that as q
very small child he heard something to
that effect, III his memory has re-
tanned it after a fashion. Quite likely,
er-qutt natural. Very frequently q
word spoken in the presence Of the
merest babe finds Judgment In its Inn
mature brain n makes itself manifest
strangely IN after years. l knew of an
Instance"
Don't keep h child waiting. Arthur
dear" put In his wife. He seems SO
meant to be kind. I've no doubt.
Therefore. Mr.. Presbrey. with the
permission Of the erring woman's
brother. plunged into the history of
Philip Midthorne and Mary Blagden,
ordering his language in its simplest
form 80 that his small listeners might
read as they ran. SO to speak. The
whole ugly business. from start to an
ish. was laid bare for their benefit
helpless little Midthornes heard him
through to the end. sitting immovable
on the edge Of the sofa, never once
lifting their dry, half closed eyes from
the carpet at their feet. They heard
the beings they loved best Of all In the
world, albeit they had known them 30
briefly, characterized as creatures OF
to them as warning examples. very
much as the hangman Of old left his
victim swinging by the roadside 20 that
all who contemplated evil doing might
see and be guided into paths Of recti-
tude.
I will not attempt to follow the good
Mr.. Presbrey's preamble. nor to repeat
his sanity Interruptions Of himself that
ne might point out lights among the
shadows when occasions suggested
themselves. He dwelt with particular
intensity on h devils that entered into
M warped the nature OF Philip Mid
thorne. transforming him into q com
mon murderer when he might have
been an honor n q credit to his peo-
p-le-.especially to those innocent. God
Tearing connections In Corinth. At some
length. he dwelt with the impulses that
conquered thesman, and pointed out tc
Eric the signs Of them already appear