Middletown transcript., 1920-04-10
THE
DOUBLE LIFE
By ALVAH ]. GARTH
1879. Western Newspaper Unionl

ly realized that Z parting and start,
ing was at his choice. He stood just
outside an isolated dilapidated hut
and faced the dawning day. Its r01
seate glow, the waking birds and
gently signing breeze wrought influ-
ences of thought and decision clear,
comprehensive and abiding.
His past had been blighting and
the present uncertain. Only to the
fathomless future could he look as
to a new birth. He was nobody
worse than that, discharged convict.
His real name was a menace. He
must lose it and begin anew. 60 back
recklessly among the old avenues Of
crime, or divest himself Of every vesi
tige of his natural personality and
assume a new identity.
The speciOus forces of evil beckon,
ed him to the companionship that had
sent him to five years in the peniten-
tiary, and he had paid his debt.
Looking back two weeks. he saw,
himself freed from prison with time
allowed for good behavior. Looking
back a week, he saw himself entering
this same deserted hut, seeking a
nights shelter, to find within, lying
on bed Of straw, a we'll favored
young man about his own age. This
latter tossed restlessly in fever and
delirium, and from his rawlings John
Blake gathered that he was person
addicted to drink and drugs, had fall
en- by the wayside and his weakened
vitality was fast oozing away. A hu-
name and new impulse had been
born into John Blake the last two
years Of his imprisonment through the
friendly ministrations of the peniten-
tiary chaplain. For three days and
nights he acted as nurse and prOvider
out of the little store he had earned
in prison through overtime, securing
food and medicine from the village
nearby. The morning Of the fourth
day the invalid had died. His pillow
had been an old valise, but it contain
ed only few articles Of clothing and
letters, and from these Blake cleaned
that his name was Arthur Gride, and
that his former home was in Canada.
One of the letters was evidently
from the uncle Of Gride and it told
the whole history of that blighted life.
It ran: "You have forfeited the es-
teen Of every friend and relative
through your evil, dissipated ways.
They and l have disowned you. I Of
fer you one last chance. l inclOse
you letter to an old friend. I have
written him telling him Of your frail-
ties and past. He will give you work.
If you make man Of yourself. he will
be a stanch helper. If not, he will
speedily send you about your busi-
ness"
The other letter was directed to
adam Marshall' at little city in
western state, and it simply intro
duced "Arthur Gride, whom I have
already written you about"
When the poor wanderer was dead
Blake went to the village and told
Of his finding the man and of his car
ing for him. They buried him decent
ly in the little country cemetery, and
now, after passing a last lonely night
at the hut, John Blake stood at the
parting of the ways.
Two months later, assuming the
name Of the dead man, Blake was in
stalled at Leesville as an employee Of
Adam Marshall in the grain and feed
business. The latter was old and in
firm, but he gave the pretended nephew
of his friend every chance to make
good. Within year the new Blake
had completely won the confidence of
his patron. When the latter died his
family later engaged him as manager
Of the business. Trusted and beloved
by everybody, man among men, the
new Arthur Gride became q citizen Of
Importance.
1t was about this time that a young
woman came to Leesville and after
making many inquiries about Arthur
Gride settled down into seclusion.
One day when Blake left the city on a
train she covertly followed him. It
war the anniversary Of the death Of
the real Arthur Gride, and the man
who had assumed his identity went
to the little settlement where he was
buried. He placed a wreath upon his
grave and sat lost in reverent thought.
He looked up, puzzled and startled, as
q shadow crossed the spot. The mys-
terious woman stood beside him. He
recalled having seen her once or twice
in Leesville. Her accusing face and
manner made really comely face ap-
pear dark and forbidding.
IT have followed you day after day."
she spoke, ito find the man you pre-
tend to be. I am the sister OF Arthur
Gride. You are not he. Where is
he?"
"There," spoke John Blake, pointing
to the grave. His sister? Then you
shall know all. I come here because
of him, I have redeemed myself and
have honored his name"
Luella Gride sank to the ground, the
tears falling fast, all save tenderness
leaving her face as she listened to
the story Of the redeemed man. Then
she told Of how, after the death of
her father and mother, the hard-heart-
ed uncle had consented to tell her
that her lost brother had become q
J man Of Importance at Leesville.
In mutual sorrow for the poor un-
fortunate, those two mingled their
tears. Strangely brought together by
a secret no one else should ever share.
hand in hand they left the sacred spot,
with a presage that thus they should
journey through life together.