Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-07-18

ginia. The news he bore had preceded
him. He met stern faced, dark brow
ed woman, who regarded him coldly
when he announced his name and re
garded him in silence. The servant
found himself able to make but small
speech.
"Your son was brave man. HI
lived long" said Peria haltingly at the
close of his story.
EYES," said the mother of Meriweth
er Lewis. "He was brave man. He
was strong"
"He was unhappy, but why he should
have killed himself
"Stop!" The. dark eyes blazed upon
him. "What are you saying? My son
kill himself? 1t is an outrage to his
memory to suggest it. He was the vic.
tim of some enemy. AS for you, be.
gone!"
So Peria passed from sight and view
and almost from memory, not accused
rot acquitted. Long afterward a
brother of Meriwether Lewis met him
and found that he was carrying the
old rife and the little watch which
every member of the family knew so
well. These things had been missing
from the effects of Meriwether Lewis
in the inventory. Indeed, little re.
manned in the travelling cases save a
few scattered papers and the old spy.
glass. There was no gold.
Soon there came down from Mont.
cello to Locust Hall the coach of Thorn.
as Jefferson.
Madam" said he when finally he
stood at the side of the mistress Of Lo-
Gust Hall, ut is heavy news l thought
to bring. 1 see that you have heard it.
What shall say? What can we say
to each other? 1 mourn him as if he
were my own son.
at has come at last" said the moth
er of Meriwether Lewis. ''The wilder.
ness has him, as knew it would!
told him here at this place when ne
was boy that at last the load would
weigh him down"
''The rumor is that he died by his
own hand. I find it difficult to believe.
1t is far more likely that some enemy
or robber was guilty of the deed"
"Whom had he ever harmed?" she
demanded Of Jefferson.
"None in the world with intent. But
he had enemies. Whether by his own
hand or that of another, he died a gal
liant gentleman. He would not think
of himself alone. But listen. Bear
with me If I tell you that could your
son send out the news himself perhaps
he might say twas by his own hand
he persisted and not by that of an
other" ..... s...-.,....
"Never, Mr.. Jefferson. never will I
believe that. It was not in his nature"
81 agree with you. But when we
take the last wishes Of the dead we
take what is the law for US. And the
law Of your son was the law Of honor.
Suppose, my dear madam, there were
woman concerned in this matter?"
"He never wronged woman in his
life
"Precisely, nor in his death would he
wrong one Do you begin to see"
did he ever speak to you Of her"
1T was impossible that he should.
But l knew them both. knew their
secret. Were it in his power to do so
l am sure that he carried his secret
with him, so that it might never be
shared by any"
But shall let that stain rest on his
name?" The dark eye Of the old wo-
man cleaned upon her sons friend.
do not l love him also? am speak
ing now only Of his own wish-not
ours. know that he would shield
her at any cost-nay, l know he did
shield her at any cost. May not we
shield him and her, no matter what
the cost to us? If lie laid that wish
on us, ought we not to respect It?
Madam, shall frame letter which
will serve to appease the criticism of
the public in regard to your son. II
it be not the exact truth-and who
shall tell the exact truth?-it will at
least be accepted as truth, and it will
forever silence any talk. What should
the public know Of life such as his?
There are some lives which are trag-
ically large, and such was his. He
lived with honor, and he could not die
it. What was in his heart we
shall not ask to know. If ever he
sinned he is purged of any sim
Jefferson was silent for moment.
holding the bereaved mothers hand in
his own.
"iIe shall have a monument, mad. |
lm." he went on. at shall mark his |
grave in yonder wilderness. They |
shall name a county for him and hold |
It his sacred grave place-there in
Tennessee by the old Indian road. Let
lin lie there under the trees-that is !
IS he would wish. He shall have |
some monument. Yes, but how futile |
s all that! His greatest monument
will be in the vast new country which !
le has brought to us. He was man |
# natural greatness. not surpassed by
my OF his time"
What Of TheoIoSia Aston. loyal and |
Ofty soul, blamelcss wife. devoted and !
pathetic adherent to the fallen fortunes |
# her i'll starred father?
Three years after Meriwether Lewis /
aid him down to sleep in the forest
! ship put out from Charleston wharf |