The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-01-01
His
Better Self
gN<R
Copyright, 1919 by the Western News
paper Union.)
BY RHODA BARRYMORE


EXPIRE sslon on the face of Myron Wor-
dell as he boarded a train and placed
boX-.ike package in the rack over
his seat. His own innate sense of
self-respeCt was lashing him. In the
first place he was acting in defiance
of the law, in the next he was ac-
knowledging himself a weaklSg and
coward and lastly, deliberately awas
making his way back to seryitude,
that had wrecked his own life and
that of a loving, devoted wife,
Drink had been the bane Of five
years of married experience. Inner
tied or acquired, once he had given
way to the craving for stimuIants he
had begun Il career that called for the
sacrifice of position, home, reSpeCta-
bility and friends. The downward
path had been sheer, the pit it led
to deep and engulting. His wife had
chung to the last shred of hope and
duty, but he had driven her away from
him. AT length, picked up on the
street in rags a wretChed, muudlin
wreck, WordelI had been removed to
hospital where he lay lowering be-
tween life and death for month, and
was finally discharged to face the
world weak homeless, friendless.
TIE enormity of his downfall now
presented itself in harsh, rcproachful
censure. The one maddening thought
was of the wife he had lost For Il
week he managed to pick up enough
desultory work to keep body and soul
together. Winnie had entirely diSap-
peared, and former neighbors gave no
clew to her Whereabouts.
"Why, everybody supposed YOU were
dead, he was advised at one source
where he and Winnie had once lived,
land Mrs Wordell supposed sO too,
for she read your name in The paper
in a big lodging house fire"
Wordell had been one OF the in
mates Of the place, his name had been
mistakenly included in the fatalities
and he had been too far down and out
to care to correct the error
"She probably is glad that | burden
her life no longer he reflected bitter
ly. well, better SO. What have l to
offer her but regret and u barren,
broken life?"
But somehow new manhood had stir
red within him with permanent SO
briefly. He secured work and did it
well. At the end of two years he held
lucrative position and restrained
from INDUCING the dormant appetite
within him. He had made several eff
forts to find his lost wife, but they had
no result
And now he was on the way to Join
some familiar companion on a fishing
junket. He was expected to contrib
ute something to the camp equip
ment-a box of cigars, some potted
meats, or fruit, or what he might
choose. At the final moment, wearied
from strenuous week of hard work,
enticed by solitude and COngeniul com
greviOus false step. In the box in
the coach rack was a store of stimu-
lants, purchased surrepttiousIy and
whetting his long slumbering appetite,
although more than once some better
impulse sWayed him to toss the temp
tation through the window.
He was in smoking compartment
when his station was called out, and
Fastening to the rack seized what he
supposed to be his box. I've taken
somebody else's belongings by mis-
take he muttered when he opened
it at the camp, for its interior show
ed a bound volume some magazines,
a box of candy and some collars and
handkerchiefs. He contained himself
as he threw these upon a camp cot.
Had to hurry" he explained false
ly to his companions Just managed
to pick up little miscellaneous read
ing matter" and the incident passed
casually, but the next day one of his
comrades called on him.
Il say Wordell, look over this story.
If it isn't you to the life. Whoever
wrote it knew you, or dreamed of you,
or your precise counterpart"
Wordell took the volume and sought
secluded spot. Through the ensuing
hours he seemed to live his life over
again. 1t was the story of man, like
himself and a woman like Winnie 1t
told the whole pitiful story Of his ca
rppr II ended I'm his death lint tho Of