Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-19
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

Continued from Yesterdays Starr
Go on. therefore, If you would ruir
me. my father-your own future. But
ruin for your own country by so do
ing? This l leave for you to say.
Surely by now the main object of
your expedition will have been &C
with ali practical results of your la
bors in your hands. Were that not
d wiser thing? Does not your duty
lie toward the east. and not further
toward the west? There is limit
beyond which not even a forlorn hope
Is asked to go when IL assails cita.
del. Not every general is dishonored,
though he does not GO. lS.e:e the cam
paign laid out for him. Expeditions
have failed. and will fail. with honor.
Leaders of men have failed, will fail.
with honor. / do not call 1t failure
for you to return to us and let the
expedition go on. There is limit
70 what may be asked of a man.
There are two OF You for Mr.. Jeffer-
son, but for us there is only one-it
IS Captain Lewis. And-how shall !
say 1t and not De misunderstood
there is but one for her whose face
you see, hope. on this page.
What limit is there to tho gen.
crosby Of man like you2 What
limit to his desire to pay each duty.
to keep each promise that he has
rnade in all his life? VIII such a
man forget his promise always to
kiss away the tears Of that COM
panlon to whom he has come in res
cue? / am in trouble. Tears are in
my eyes as I write. Do you forget
that promise? Do you wish to make
yet happier the woman whom you
have so many times made htppy---
who has cherished so much ambition
for you?
Meriwether Lewis, my frien6-you
who would have been my lover-for
whom there is no hope. since fate has
oeen so unkfnd-come back to us In
your generosity: Come back to me.
even In your hopelessneSs! Will you
always see me with tears in my eyes
DO you see me now? I swear tears
fall ever! as 1 write, And you prom
iSed always to SIS my tears away.
May good fortuny attend YOU ALWAYS.
wherever you gG--in whatever direc-
urn you may rravel-from US or to-
ward us-trcU me or with me-"
MeriWether Lewis sat. his face be-
tween his hands staring down at
what he saw. Should he 20 on or
ehoulo he hand over all to William
Clark aNd return-return to keep his
promise-return to comfort, as best
ne rIfght. with the gift Of all his
nfe, that face which indeed he had
left In tears by an objectionable act
of his own?
He owed her everything she could
ASK of him. What must she think of
him now-that he was not only a dis
honorable man, but also a coward
running away from the responsibility
OF what he had done? No blow from
the hands of fate could have given
MIN more exquisite agony than this.
For long time-he never knew
row Iong-he sat thus. staring. pom
Gering. but at length with sudden
energy, he rose and flung open the
door of the dancing room.
Wtlf" he called to his companion.
When William Clarx joined his
open letter in Lewis hand-saw also
the distress upon his countenance.
Merne. it's another letter from
that woman, l wish I had her here,
that I might wiring her neck" said
william Clark viciously. who
II dgn't know"
Mefiwether Lewis was folding up
the letter. He placed it in the pocket
or his coat with its fellow, received
mo1lths ago.
you recall what I was telling you
this very morning? / felt something
coming felt that fate had some
thing more for me. You know I
spoke In doubt"
Listen, Mernew replied William
Clark. There is no woman in the
world worth the misery this one has
put on you. 1t is a thing execrable,
unspeakable!"
His friend looked him steadily in
the eyes.
"Rebuke not her. but me" he said.
This letter asks me to come back to
kiss away woman's tears. WILL I
was the cause of those tears. / can
tell you no more. What / did was a
thing execrable, unspeakable - I,
your friend, did that"
William Clark, more genuinely
troubled than ever in his life before,
was dumb.
MY future is forfeited, WILL" went
on the same even, dull voice which
Clark could scarcely recognize, but
have decided to go on through with
YOU"