McCook weekly tribune., February 07, 1884, Image 6

About McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886

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AFTERWARD.
Ob , strange , oh , Bad perplexity ,
Blind groping through the night ,
Faith faintly qucHtlonH can there beAn
An afterward of light ?
Oh , heavy sorrow , grief and tears ,
That all our hopes destroy ;
: Say , there shall dawn in coming years
An afterward of Joy ?
Oh , hopes that turn to gall and rue ,
Sweet fruits that bitter prove ;
IK there an afterward of true
And everlasting love ?
Oh , weariness within , without ,
Vain longings for release ;
Is there no inward fear and doubt
An afterward of peace ?
Oh , restless wanderings to and fro-
In vain and fruitless quest ;
Where shall wo find , above , below ,
An afterward of rest ?
0h , death , with whom we plead in vain ,
To stay thy fatal knife ;
Is there beyond the reach of pain
An afterward of life ?
Ah , yes ; we know this seeming ill ,
When rightly understood ,
5n Oods own time and way fulfill
Bis afterward of good.
I [ Chambers' Journal.
TJtUbJ LAWYER'S SECRET.
It was in a luxuriously furnished
room where a glowing grate threw
genial light and warmth upon the occu
pants that General 'Langton , lawyer
And millionaire , listening with baited
'breath and pallid checks to a low and
melodious voice that told a story of
life.
life.The
The speaker , a beautiful woman of
about thirty , yet ten years younger than
Mr. Langton , reclined in a low , cush
ioned chair , her attitude both speaking
of the case that , wealth gives , but her
iace was full of the deepest anguish as
ier lips recounted the story.
"You love " she said
me , gently yet
-.sadly , "and I love you as I never loved
any one before , although I am a widow.
That you know , but did not know my
husband's name. By my uncle's last
request I dropped it and took his with
the property he had left me. Do not
look at me tenderly , Gerald , "do not
shake my voice or my heart , for when
you know who I am you will not re
peat the offer you made me , and which
lieaven is my witness I tried to di
vert.1'
"Let your couscience be at rest
there , " said her listener , in a grave , yet
tender voice ; "you have never given me
one hope , Maude. By what instinct I
knew that you loved me I can never
tell. Something in your eyes some tone
of your voice betrayed you. If , as you
; say , something in your past life does
.separate us , you have been no coquette
to torment me with false hopes. But ,
Maude , tell me again , whatever stands
'between us , you love me. "
"Hove you , " she said gravely , "and
it is because I love that I will not let
you link your honorable name with that
of the wretch who was my husband. I
'was very young not sixteen w.hen he
came to make a visit to some friends
living at Grassbank. Uncle Itichard
has a country seat near the village. I
first met Alexander at a picnic , where
he was the very life of the party ; every
body's cavalier ; courteous to all ; full
of wit and animation and service to all.
I believe every girl on the grounds
thought she had captivated him , his at
tentions were so well divided and yet so
impressive to each one. He claimed
to be no more than a salesman in a
large wholesale house , with a good sal
ary , but he had the manners of a gen
tleman of education , and the most per-
iect beauty of face and form that I ever
saw in a man. It was not long before ,
it was evident that ho wished to win my
love , and he had an easy task. Such
love as a child of sixteen can give I
gave him. He was the impersonation
of every hero of poetry and fiction with
whoni my limited reading had made me
-familiar. School-girl like , I had made
an ideal hero , and fitted this , my first
admirer , with all his imaginary perfec
tions.
"Prom the first. Uncle Richard dis
liked him , pronouncing him false and
shallow , and assuring me that my per
sonal attractions had not won his heart ;
but the fact of my being an heiress to.
a large property gained me the protes-
jtations in which if so firmly believed. '
"It is a painful story to me now , Ger
ald. Let it suiRce that I have lived in
a world ot pleasant dreams while Alex
ander remained at Grassbank. When
ic left me he carried my promise to be
his wife at Christmas.
"I think if my money had depended
on Uncle Richard , my marriage might
.have been prevented by his threatening
o disinherit me , bat both from my
rfather and mother I had inherited
; snoney that made me independent in a
pecuniary sense of his control or con-
.sent.
Most grudgingly , however , uncle
consent , after searching inquiry ,
about Alexander , resulting iu no worse
report than that his employers thought
him fast , idle , and just the man to be
za. fortune hunter. Even then my dear
-uncle would have protected my fortune
3jy settling it upon myself ; but , j > vith
'the reckless generosity of extreme youth
1 refused to have this done. Never , I
was firmly convinced , would my adored
.Alexander wrong mo in any way.
"For a year after the splendid wed
ding that made me Alexander's wife I
was very happy. I was too ignorant of
-value to understand that we were living
_
ing far beyond our income enjoyed to
the utmost the luxuries around me the
const-ant gayety that was in such strong
contrast to the school routine from
which I had been released.
"Then began a life of neglect , .often
of quarreling , when I objected to my
husband's course of conduct his drink
ing , his extravagance and his late hours.
Still I found my own pleasures in so
ciety.
"It was four years after my marriage
when I was thunderstruck by Alexander
askins me to request a loan of money
from Uncle Richard , with the informa
tion added that every penny of my prop
erty was gone.
"Since then I have known that a large
portion of it was lost at th'e gaming
table.
' 'Long before this I had lost all love
for my husband. Respect had died out
when I knew the dissipated life he was
leading , and foolish as I was , I could
not continue to love a man whom I
despisedl I refused the errand and
brought down a torrent of such great
abuse that I really expected that Alex-
'ander would end by striking me.
"Day after day the request was re
newed , but I would not yield. Upon
my marriage , Uncle Richard had sold
the city residence and taken a perma
nent abode at Grassbank , where , know
ing my husband to be an unwelcome
guest , I never visited him. I wrote
occasionally , but the love of years , like
that of a father and child , had been so
sadly strained by my persistence in
marrying Alexander that even our cor
respondence was languid and common
place.
"I would not , therefore , write to him
to ask a favor that I knew would not
have been necessary without criminal
recklessness of expenditure , and such
refusal made my husband more furi
ous. Then came an overwhelming
blow. Alexander forged a check ana
drew 2,000 of Uncle Richard's money
from the bank. I don't think my uncle
would have prosecuted him had he
guessed who was the forger ; but he
anded the whole matter over to the
law as soon as it was discovered that
the check was forged. It was then
traced to Alexander , and at the same
time it was found that he had robbed
in the same manner his former employ
ers. He had given up all work on his
marriage ; but when he found himself
without money his knowledge of the
business enabled him to forge the name
of Derkiss & Co. Even if Uncle Rich
ard had spared him foi my sake the
other forgery would have entitled him
to penal servitude. He was sentenced
to seven years , and uncle took me home
full of heavenly pity and forgiveness
for the child who had treated him so
ungratefully. "
"Then your husband is in prison ? "
said Gerald , in a hard , strained voice.
"No , no , he is dead ! He died within
the first year. Uncle Richard saw the
death in a paper , and sent the money
for the burial. No , I am free ; but
none the less , I am the widow of % con
victed felon. "
"But the less " Gerald
, none , quoted ,
"the woman I love and honor above all
others , and hope still to make m
wife. "
It took , however , more than one in
terview , full of love's pleading , to win
Maude from her resolution. She so
.honored . her lover , and was so proud of
his good name and the position he had
attained by his talent , that her sensitive
nature shrunk from even the shadow of
her misery upon his life.
But the victory was won at last , and
the lawyer walked home one evening
full of a proud , glad joy , for Maude had
then promised to be his wife.
"If you are willing to take Alexander
Hull's widow to be your wife , " she said ,
"I will not oppose you any longer , for
I love you with all my heart. "
He had no thought but of that glad
triumph when he turned up the gas in
his office. He was in the habit of
making a late visit there before going
up to his bed-roonj , in case notes or
messages were left for him. One lay
there on this evening , a shabby looking
envelope , but directed in a bold , hand
some hand , which he recognized at
once.
once.He tore it open. After a few words
of introduction , the note ran :
"You did the best you could on my trial ,
but the facts were too strong for you. I
have now a last favor to ask of you. I die ,
as you know , at noon to-morrow. You. as
my lawyer , can see me at anytime. "Will
you come as soon as you receive this , and
with the gratitude of the man you know as
JAMES Fox. "
"The man I know as James Fox , "
muttered "the lawyer ; "the smooth ,
plausible scoundrel who actually made
me believe him innocent of the hideous
murder for which ho was convicted. I
can find extenuation for some murders ,
but this , cold-blooded assassination of
an old man for money only was revolt
ing. How he deceived me , though , for
a time. And how he exulted in doing
so when he saw the facts were too
strong. Shall I go to him ? I suppose
I must. It is still very early.
It was not yet midnight when Gerald
Langton was ushered into -the cell of
the man who in a few shore hours waste
to meet the- extreme penalty of the law
for the worst of crimes. Yet there was
nothing revolting .in the appearance of
the criminal. "His'-dress was neat , his
hair carefully arranged , his moustache
faultless , his hands 'white and refined
looking. He rose from his seat upon
the bed as his lawyer entered the cell.
'
"I knew you wo'uld come , " he said ,
courteously , "though you were offended -
ed at my "want "of frankness , Well ,
that is all over. You will not refuse
the last request of a " dying man , Mr.
Langton ? " '
"Not if I it " the
can grant , was re-
"This , " said the murderer , t'isnot
my first offense against the law. Some
years ago I was sentenced to a term of
years for forgery. By a strange acci
dent I escaped the penalty. On the
same day James Fox was sentenced to
two years for petty larceny , and we
were sent together to prison. James
Fox my companion , understand , not
myself was deranged , but his lawyers
had not been able to save him , as his
aberration was not always apparent.
When we were entered upon the books
of the prison , imagine my surprise when
my fellow prisoner gave my name for
his own. Like a flash I saw the advan
tage to be gained by the deception , and
allowed ' the error to pass. My compan-
ion'committed suicide , and I escaped
with two years' imprisonment instead
of seven. But I feared recognition and
went to Canada. There I lived by my
wits until a year ago , when I returned
to try and raise money from my wife ,
and thought I saw "an easier plan by
committing the crime for which I die
to-morrow. But I want to see my wife.
I wronged" her I robbed her but
heaven is my witness , I love her.
When I was in prison she dropped ray
name and took her own again. So it
is.not for Mrs. Alexander Hull you
must ask , but for Mrs.- Maude Tem
ple. "
Was the room reeling the ceiling
falling the wall closing around him ?
Gerald Langton felt that they were , as
the name fell upon his ears. Maude
his Maude the wife of the cool villain
who talked of his hideous crimes as if
they were ordinary events ? Well , he
knew that to carry the man's message
was to separate himself from Maude
forever. Never t would she let him
marry the widow of si murderer ! Very
rapidly all the terrible facts passed one
after the other , and he- said : "If you
love her , why add a misery to her life ?
She may have lived down the old pain
you have caused her ; why , for a selfish
gratification , will you make her whole
life a misery ? " '
"She is my wife ! I would bid her
farewell. "
"She is not your wife. Your own
crimes have released her from all alle
giance to you. "
"You know her ? "
"Yes. I knowwhat she has suffered ,
and beg of you to lee her still believe
you died years ago. "
"She is happy ? "
"Scarcely that. Such wounds as
hers never heal entirely , but it is cru
elty to tear them open when they are
quiet. "
"Has she married ? "
' "No ! She is your widow. "
"It is hard to deny myself one more
sight of her face and the hope I had
that she would say she forgave me. "
"Think of her , not yourself. "
There was a long silence in the cell.
Every throb of Gerald Layton's
heart was pain to him , but Alexander
Hull sat in moody silence ; evidently
reluctant to give up his wish.
At last he spoke.
"You have been very good 'to me.
Tell me , now , if you have any personal
reason for your request. Perhaps you
may love her. "
"I do ! " was the reply. "She has
promised to be my wife. "
"Then it will be James Fox who is
hanged to-morrow. I meant to give my
real name , but I will carry my secre't
to the grave. It may be in another
world that the little self-denial will be
a plea for me. Go now. You may trust
me. "
He kept his word , and Gerald Lang-
ton his secret.
When Maude , a few weeks later , be
came his wife , she little guessed tke ter
rible ordeal which he had spared her ,
or the added disgrace that belonged to
the name she had given up.
A Quaker's Friendly Scuffle.
Detroit Free Press.
When Lee's graybacks were making
their way through Pennsylvania toward
Gettysburg two infantrymen belonging
to Pickett's Virginians raided into a
Quaker's house in search of something
to eat. They were inet at the door by
the owner of the premises , who asked :
"Areyou rebels ? " "You bet we are ! "
was the blunt reply. "And what do
you wish here ? " "Fodder , old man , and
don't keep us waiting for it. " "If thee
wishest for something to eat thou canst
have it , " said the Quakerto the spokes
man , "but I trust that ye will take
nothing from the house. " It was a
poor trust. After the boys had finished
their meal one of them pocketed a watch
which was hanging ona nail , and the
other seized upon a silver cream pitcher
as a token of remembrance. "Are y
thieves as well as rebellious cit
izens ? " indignantly demanded
the old man as he confronted
them. "Stand aside &nd let us out or
we'll damage you ! " "Verily , 1 will
not ! Thou must not rob my house. "
"Never mind him , Bill ; Quakers don't
fight , " called the one in the rear. "Hit
him a clip on the chin -and run for it. "
"Truly , 1 shall not fight , " calmly ob
served the disciple of Penn , as he
pushed up his sleeves and spit on his
hands ; "but" if in a friendly scuffle to
recover possession of mine own the rob
bers should get injured I shall not have
to answer to iny conscience. " There
was a friendly scuffle in the next York
minute , and one of the trio , who is now
a resident of Richmond , vividly reme'm-
bers having the jawache for a week af
ter while his companion complained of
sore throat , dizziness , lame back and
depressed spirits. All the remarks
made after the scuffle c'o.rmenced were
simply a few words dropped by the
Quaker to the effect-that : "lam sorry
to put thee out , and sorry to damage
thee , but it is better that thou shouldst
go thy ways up the pike toward de
struction. "
. m <
Josh Billings says : "Yu will observe
this , the devil never offers to go into
partnership with a bizzy man , but yu
will often see him offer to jine the
lazy and furnish all the capital be
sides. " i
BY THE STREAM.
I'm standing where I stood of old ,
'ilid the hills and rocks that are gray and
cold.
The shadows still fall from the trees storm-
bent ,
And the wail of the wind seems Heaven
sent.
And the stream still murmurs Ha low , sad
song ,
S oft telling of deeds for which brave men
long ;
And ever and always it seems to pray ,
For the lives and loves that were flung awav ,
In selfishness , pride and greed for gold ;
As men are to-day , so they were of old.
Yet the stream moves on through the end
less years ,
Still singing its song of sorrow and tears.
"While men idly stand by its crystal waves ,
Each painting the picture his fancy craves ,
Hearing the voices of life in ltd tone ,
Swoll'd of ten by memory'spaeHlonate moan.
And cold death kisses the warm lips of love ;
And bright forms leave us for the regions
above ;
And coldly the stream moves on to the sea ;
And deep is the darkness 1 cannot see.
[ Claude Q. Whethtono.
CATTLE DISEASES.
A Communication from the A'eUirinary
Surgeon of the Department of
Agriculture.
The heuso ccmmitee on agriculture
will report a bill prepared by the com
mittee of cattle men. A number of
memorials from live stock associations
will accompany the bill. Also a com
munication from Dr. D. E. Salmon ,
Vermont , veterinary surgeon of the de
partment of agriculture. The commu
nication points out the dangers to the
west the existence of
by pTeuro-pneu-
monia among cattle in the east , and
reviews the extent of tho/lisease in .the
latter section of the country. These
infested districts , he says , though small ,
are a real danger to the whole country ,
because all the way from Conneticut to
Virginia there are large and increasing
herds of thorough bred cattle , which
are frequently shipped west , and some
of which from time to time have been
infected with this disease. With , the
increase in the price of cattle a large
number are being shipped from the
east to the west and the danger of carry
ing consequently the disease is in
creasing. While it 'is true that
pleuro-pneumonia has exist 3d in the
east for forty years without being car
ried west , it must be adinited , from
what has occured so many times in
Pennsylvania and Conneticut , that there
has been danger ana this danger is in
creasing with the larger number of
cattle now being shipped in that di
rection. Though a number of attempts
ha\ebeen made inlt he states now af
fected to rid themselves of pleuro-pneu
monia , these have generally or always |
failed , because for various reasons , the
work was not thoroughly done. At
i.estlhe attempts in thu states are spas |
modic' , and while one is earnestly striv
ing to accomplish something the neigh
boring one will allow the shipment of
diseased cattle , thus connteracting the
influence of the former. Lack of unity
of action between the states prevented
any lasting benefit even when much
could have been accomplished. With
respect to the proposition establish
a permanent bureau for investigating
communicable diseases among animals ,
the communication says there is not a
department for original research of ag
ricultural investigation in regard 10
which there is a more pressing need of
development than this , nnd none which
promises a greater saving. Our losses
are now heavy , but must increase as
the animal population increases and as
new diseases are introduced aud fresh
areas infected , but it is not alone a
question of dollars. The investigation of
animal contagion must throw light on
human plagues which in our country
alone sweeps a quarter of a million of
human lives out of existence each year.
Some of these animal diseases are com
municable to man and have a greater
influence over our health and lives
than is generallysupposed , and any
means for controlling" them cannot fail
to have an important ; influence on hu
man health as well.
* o
Whittier At Home.
Harper's Magazine.
Mr.Vhittier has never married , and
with the single exception of the exqui
site lines entitled "Benedicite , " he has
given the public no clue to the romance
of his youth. His sister , Elizabeth , sym
pathizing with him completely , of a
rare poetic nature , nnd fastidious taste ,
and of delicate , dars-eycd beauty , was
long a companion that must have made
the want of any other less keenly felt
than by lonely men in general. The
bond between the sister and brother was
more perfect than any of which we
have known except that" between Char
les andMaryLamb , and in this instance
the conditions were of perfect moral
and mental health. To the preciousness
of the relationship the pages of the poet
bear constant witness , and Amesbury
village is full of traditions of their ai-
Ifection , and of the gentle loveliness and
brilliant wit of Elizabeth , whom the
people admired and reverenced almost
as much as they do the poethimsjlf.
For his old neighbors have the closest
affection for Mr. Whittier ; except very
occasionally , what was his thought Las
been theirs ; and now that he is not
with them daily , they miss him sadly ,
and among , those who miss him
most and make the most complaint
about it are the children of
the street. This is not remarkable
when one remembers thrft Mr. Whittier
does not stand on his dignity , but joins
in the game played in his presence ,
writes Ins nonsense verses on demand ,
has the keenest sense of the ludicrous ,
and loves all sorts of innocent fun. We
have heard him say that he was known
among the children as the man with
the partot the parrot being a remark
able bird that used to stop th'e gig with
his "Whoa ! " and when the school bell
rang would call from his lofty perch ,
"run in , boys ! run in ! " the fact being
that the children felt the parrot to be a
bond between them , and he wan less of
a demi-god and more of a man to their
imagination on account of "Charlie. "
Mr. Whittier is of course very fond of
children , and has been known to risk
the loss of an important train with
equanimity when the easy-going , ood-
natured hack'nan had been overtaken
by an uproarious school of children ,
and had gone with them for a little
drive , appearing at the door at length ,
the carriage overflowing with the faces
of the laughing little people , who cared
nothing about time , tide and the train.
At seventy-six years and over one can
be said to have the beauty only of age ,
striking as that is in Mr. Whittier's
case , with the dark eye and the full
beard , where black lines will appear
among the silver , while his form is as
straight and his step is firm and elastic
as ever. But the poet's youthful beauty
is reported to have been extraordinary ;
very tail , erect , and well knit , with fine
features , dark skin , and a .flashing , deep
sat black eye , he could not have looked
on the Quaker to any extent ; and in
fact we think he is more of a Quaker in
habit and affection than anything else.
He has himself recognized that
' 'Over restless wings of son ?
His birthright garb hung loose ; "
and even though he clings to the forms
of the sect in many respects , using the
plain language generally , and tells
somewhere why he prefers the silence
of the meeting for worship rather than
any solitude of wood or wild where Na
ture speaks to him with a thousand
voices and catches him with a thousand
hands , yet he dresses HO nearly like
men of the world in cut and color that
only practiced eyes could detect
the'slight difference in the shape of his
coat , and his feeliugs about such mat
ters are entirely liberal. When his lit
tle niece wanted the scarlet cape that
other children wore , and there was ob
jection in the house on account of the
Quaker custom , Mr. Whiltier insisted
that she should be gratified , although ,
sooth to say , poet as he is , he himself
cannot tell red from green till sunlight
falls upon it. Once indeed , the library
fire , of which he is so fond , having
damaged the border of the Avail paper ,
he matched the pattern and tri
umphantly replaced it before detection
only to learn that he had substituted
for th green vine one of bright au
tumnal crimson. Yet so strong is the
poet's imagination that this defect of
vision is nowhere evident in his works ,
although one might gather there that
while , as he says , "his eye was beauty's
powerless slave , " yet light and shade
please him more than variety and depth
of huo.
Islr. Shores' Many Wives.
The story of the matrimonial expe
rience of Charles A. Shores , who eloped
with an Atlanta widow and her fivu
children , grows complicated , says : i
special from Atlanta. Last Sunday the
lady registered at the Chattanooga ho
tel , West. Point , Ga. , under the name
of Mrs. A. C. Shores. She was recog.
nized as Mrs. Davis. She said that
when she left Atlanta with Shores they
proceeded to Chattanooga , where a
Baptist preacher married them. Thence
they went to Memphis , Little Rock ,
Houston Texa ? , and New Orleans.
Here Mr. S.hores , who had the widow's
$5,000 in his possession , represented
that he had urgent business in Galveston -
ton , and instructed her to proceed to
West Point , Ga. , where he would join
her in a few days. Thus the infatuated
'
ated woman has'been abandoned with
in three weeks and left penniless , her
seducer having her entire estate.
Now comes the remarkable discovery
that the Mrs. Shores who was deserted
iu Atlanta had herself been deluded
away from St. Louis through a bogus
marriage. She was a school teacher
named Mary S. Craig , and Shores had
a wife in a Morgan street boarding
house. A marriage previous to this ,
performed three years ago , has been
discovered by the receipt of a letter
from Mrs. Maggie Shores , of Bowling
Green , Ky. , who claims Shores as her
husband. Shores claims to be a
native of New York.
Our Little Enemies.
Henry Wzrd Beecher.
When a large house dog comes out
with an announcement of himself , a
man knows what he .has got to meet ;
but when one of those little nasty
Spitz dogs , that don't bark at all , but
run behind and nip , you don't know
whether to run or to stand still , wheth
er to light or to give it up. An enemy
that is an enemy outwardly and openly ,
and strikes fair blows , can be met , but
whisperers , backbiters , meau folks that
follow you and nip you , and sneak in
and out of the fence to save themselves ,
we do not know how to deal with ; and
yet we are commanded to pray for
them. We don't need a command to
damn them ; that nature does ; bnc
grace turns that all out , and says :
"For such , the meanest kind of men ,
who , with all the manner of a coward ,
have all the venom of a serpent , pray ! w-j
Oh , may I curse them ? No , not till- '
after you have prayed for them.
The actual number of livne lost by
the wreck of the City of Columbus was
ninety-seven , all others being accoun
ted for.