The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-01-14
Good Out
OF Evil
By DWIGHT NORWOOD


fond of flowers. and. entering the shop,
/ bought rose, an American Beauty.
and put it in a buttonhOle OF my
coat. On reaching my destination,
something more beautiful than the
rose. At least it was more engaging.
A young girl who seemed to be taking
iii with rapid glances those who were
alighting fixed her eyes upon me, gave
Il sign Of recognition. started forward
halted, then as | was pa ssing her
caught my hand and said:
Walter.
am free to admit that had the
young lady been an old lady or even
homely young lady should have at
once informed her that she was mis-
taken in the person. and | ann free to
admit that this is what was in honor
bound to do. But | didn't looked
at her and said:
Are YOU
q Yes. I'm Lillian. If you hadn't worn
the rose l don't believe should have
recognized you
That is not surprising consider
ing l gave her time to finish what
dared not risk finishing myself
''We'll talk later. Just now we must
be going. You must have your trunk
sent to the house."
l demurred, on the ground that ]
would incommode the family, where
upon she said that there was no one
in the house but her mother and her
self, and her mother, being an invalid,
was for the present keeping her room.
This was, to say the least, unfortunate
for my self respect, for it threw in my
way an added temptation. l suffered
myself to be guided to cab and. tell
ing the young lady that had no trunk
with me. was driven to her home, an
eminently respectable residence. and
was at once sent up to my room.
On the bureau stood photograph of
u youth probably five or six years
younger than myself. 1t arrested my
attention because it resembled me- A
maid brought me some towels. and l
haZarded asking her few questions
who is that?" pointing to the pic
ture.
81 think that it's Miss Lillian's
ramsay"
Before the maid left the room had
enough information to last me till /
could get more. learned that Walter
was an Objectionable person to Miss
Lillian'S mother because he was con-
sidered wild and could not support a
wife. He was expected any day to
arrive in order to arrange for the we'd
ding He and Lillian had been be-
trothed when they were very young
and had not met since
1 went downstairs. Dinner was on
the table. and Lillian and dined alone
together. The first thing said to her
after being seated was:
HAS your mother withdrawn her OBJ
jections to me?
81 can't say that she has. You must
try to break down her prejudice by
being nice to her."
How l fenced to prevent Lillian
from learning that / was an impostor
would take too long to tell. Nearly
everything L said was intended to
draw forth information to help me in
my deception. l was in constant ter
ror for fear Walter would appear and
expose me- Had l known what he
was doing at that moment I should
have felt easier
After dinner | proposed that should
visit mamma and try to placate her.
1 found the old lady very much preju
diced against me. | asked her what
was the basis of her opposition to me
and learned that it was general worth
leSsness and especially that had con-
tracted the liquor habit Notwith-
standing this lamentable condition l
felt comfOrted. 1 could cure myself,
and the other fellow could not. At
least l believed that if l chose | could
cut him out before he could reform
In order to gain time and not ex-
pose my deception l made a plea of
being tired with travelling. though
had come but twenty miles, and went
to bed early. What bothered me was
that. it was naturally expected that
WOulU CdICS0 LII ndIICcS- Anu
the circumstances l was not quite so
base as to do so. Once in my room /
was free from that temptation.
l dared not attempt to so through the
next day without giving myself away
and resolved ON Il confession. And
this part of the episode flatter myself
l handled very we'll. l confessed to
my prospective mother-in-law At the
same time 1 proposed. with her con-
currence, to find out what was keeping
my double and if he was really worthy
of her daughter. A desire to avail her
self of my services saved me from
what | deserved, and having been
fully posted by her 1 disappeared from
the house without Lillian's knowledge.
took a train for the place where Wal
ter lived and found that he was recov-
ering from q debauch and getting
ready to visit his fiancee. | sent him