The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-07-07
The End and the
Beginning
By cOSMO HAMILTON
G. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

~
- waiting In that room.
A decent room, II treated decently.
II to its shabby but comfortable fur
niture had been known the kindness
gallantry and courage that go with
love.
In the adjoining room, bedroom,
sick and tired Of the strong turnings
and unexpected pains of life, q young
and lovely girl who had summoned re-
luctant death.
Sounds carried during the first of
the few short hours Of New York's un-
easy sleep. The invisible but not grim
figure turned towards the door as the
echoing footsteps stopped. A latch
key turned In the lock and into the
dark sitting room stumbled young
man who switched on the light. He
flung his overcoat over chair, looked
about with shudder and went quietly
to the mantelpiece and stared at the
photograph.
In low voice, unconscious Of speak
Ing loud, he gave his thoughts full
play. "Yes, there you are. with her.
John Beacon and Natalie Bond Parker,
bridegroom and BRIDE"
Oh, my God!"
The young man went on in disjoint-
ed sentences. "What mess" he said.
"What a mess we've made. Whose
fault, yours or mine, or combination
Of both? Too much money! The NIL
crobe of the slackness of these times?
Jazz. bad liquor. the weakening Of
moral fiber, the lack of discipline?
AS we were two years ago, as we are
today! An orgy. a nightmare, the
back rooms. Support cut off by par
ents who've been staggered, knocked
speechless and who must save them
selves. We, parasites, left stranded,
unemployable among the unemployed,
clinging in this CHASTITY torrent to a
handful Of straws not on speaking
terms. And that's the worst OF 1t.
You said last night that we
were weaklings, the no longer decora-
tive weaklings In mere fantastic
world. Well then, ri get out Of your
way. The last thing l can do for you
shall be the best I've done for a year.
You can marry man who'll lift you
out Of all this"
Holding his breath, Death watched
young Beacon put his hand to his hip.
He twisted his trembling mouth into
smile Of gallantry. Good blood tells.
"Not In this room," he said. "When
you come back in the morning you
shall be saved from that shock"
He went across to the bedroom,
opened the door and gasped.
"You said you were going to your
mothers place tonight"
81 know. / changed my mind"
"Why didn't you let me know? You
could have found me at the club"
why should L? You don't care
And ! shouldn't be here now IL you
hadn't said this morning that you
didn't intend to come back. / never
expected to see you anywhere again.
She was lying on the bed In pajamas
In that strangely tidy room. He had
strong sense Of surprise. He now
noticed that, with apparent careless
ness, she closed her fingers over a bot
tie on the table at the side Of the bed
Pushed by some irresistible force
he gripped her wrist and wrenched the
thing away.
Death held his breath, and prayer
was again ON his lips.
Natalie" cried young Beacon, this
is why you never expected to see me
anywhere agaln!"
"Give 1t back! / want It. Give Il
back, do you hear? All right
then. Throw it out Of the window.
can get some more. I'm sick and tired
OF living. All / want Is death. Why
notf You don't love me-"
In the curious brief Quietude of the
city's uneasy sleep, the bottle hat
crashed In the street.
Young Beacon shut the window ant
turned his face to the light. 1t wa!
white and stamped with pain. In i'm
agination he saw that lovely body colo
and spiritless, the empty caskst which
had once contained the heart that ht
had won. In imagination he stood, a!
In the photograph, awed by the word!
OF the marriage service moved to {
| deep emotion, stirred to great re
solve to make himself an ever worthy
| beacon to the life whose hand he held
| In imagination he followed the roaC
| they had taken after an ecstatic honey
moon In the beautiful places of France
| He saw the rift, the break, tn,
| gaping ravine into which resolve haC
| slipped and felt the barb Of angr,
| words, the astounding and unexpected
| chaos following the financial crash ant
| the complete revolution of his safe anC
| Of actuality he saw that handsom,
| bridegroom, young John Beacon, nov
horror-stricken and tragic figure ou
| Of the stucco Of false pride into which
| he had built himself, white and hum
BILE person, with the trembling moutl
Of a boy.
You're going to live," he said, "ant
| you're going to live for me. l love yol
and need you. I've loved you through
1t all, though I've failed to let you see
This Is all my fault I'm sorry Let
| pick ourselves out of this mess, dar
ling, this weakness, this frog-hole, thi
panic and begin again like Pilgrims
as the old people did. Natalie, Natalie
| love you. For Gods sake. stay her,
with me-"