Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-13
Euening Story
AN AWAKENED CONSCIENCE.
BY Arthur Wallace Peach.
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.) -.

The convention during the afternoon
had been a busy one, and the men
were glad to gather for comfortable
smoke and chat in one of the smoking
rooms Of the hotel. They were mining
engineers and had come from different
parts of the west. Naturally, while
the cigars were going, stories began to
appear of experiences that ranged
from the tragic to the ludicrous. Fin
ally, they swung, under the guidance
| of the spokesman of the group, Gran
ger by name, to a consideration Of
what might be called the meanest act
they had ever witnessed. After vari-
Gus experiences had been related, a
man who was known to be friend of
Granger spoke:
I'm not going to tell you that I
have witnessed a mighty mean act
personally, but Z can tell you that I
know all about that act and what the
man must be who committed 1t. +
Suppose 20 picture yourself driv-
ing up winding road in New Eng
land, up among the hills, and coming
| to a lane that leads to house set
] some distance back. 1t is almost twt-
light, and as you approach you see a
figure at the entrance. Driving nearer
you find the figure is that Of a girl
! And, then, suppose you recognize her
as the girl who had been waiting
there at dusk for ten years for
! chap who had never returned.
"That is what I experienced one
early evening last year. I was going
there to see a man Of the name Of
Epson, who owned small right in a
stream that we were planning to dam.
There l heard the whole story.
II found Epson to be grim sort Of
fellow, in a way and yet friendly
enough after he thawed out, and that
night, after the rest had retired, he
and I smoked pipe together. In the
midst of our conversation, l happened
| to think Of the young woman at the
| entrance, and l asked him about her.
| She had been present at the supper
| table. She was slight of stature, sweet
| of face and gentle of manner, but
there was something about her that
appealed to me as no woman or man
ever had-an air Of resignation just
| touched with hope. I was puzzled by
her and l wanted to penetrate the
mystery.
"Upson smoked in silence for some
time. Then he saw slowly: Well, to
tell the truth, I don't like to talk
about it, But it will do no harm.
"Ten years ago, had quite little
money, and was looking around to in
vest it, and wrote in to Boston firm.
I wanted to put the money to as good
use as possible. Well, it was not long
after had written that young fellow
came from the city and explained a
proposition to me. He seemed to be a
fine sort Of chap in every way. We en-
joyed him and liked him, and made
him at home The boys took him of
for a fishing trip, hunted with him
little and all the time he was talking
to me about the proposition. = Z
"'Well, I fell for 1t. But I wasn't
the only one who fell. That girl seem
ed to find in him just the man to love.
I didn't blame her-he was attractive.
She was well educated and had stayed
by us old folks because she loved us
that is her reason for most everything
she does. She was-and is-sunny Of
temper and gentle of disposition. l.,
of course. saw how things were going,
but I let them 60 on. They were to-
gether good deal, and many times
alone, and the upshot OF it was-she
came to me one night in this very
room, with him following close behind
her, and told me they were engaged.
"'She was SO happy that her happi-
ness went all through the house. Even
a sour, old hired man Of mine began to
smile-a remarkable change in him. In
fact, fused to think it was as if a sun
beam with voice had landed in the
place. Naturally, of course we were
all cheered up, and we saw everything
bright ahead.
"'They made preparations for the
wedding and the welding day. He talk
ed about it as much as If not more.
than she did.
Zone day he departed, taking my
money and her love. shall never for
get their parting-but / am trying to
forget, and had better not bring it up
again. Anyway, she drove him to the
station, and came back little sadden-
ed, but happy inside and filled with
music still.
Everything moved on smoothly
until could see her beginning to be
troubled. Finally, got the truth. He