HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1932-07-14, Page 6PAGE Si:
THE SEAFORTH NEWS,
(rHUR$D'AY, JULY 14th, 1932,
(!Continue'd from :East week.) was no reply, and again. I turned
ward 'Stringtown.
'"Do youlave me, Susie?"
"Yes; S will never love anyone else." CHAPTER LXIV
She had withdrawn her hands from
my ,grasp, andstood with downcast
eye twirling a leaf between her fing-
ers, then it dropped on the ground.
"IBit you once loved Red -Head?"
"As a friend; mis'fortun'e drew us
together. We were both homeless. He
was nobody but Red -Head. I was
,Susie N'obody. Our sufferings and our
persecutions were in common; What
could I do but cling to him after that
incident in the ,Stringtown school?
He loved me, too, and he also knew
that 1 loved you. Had he not been true
to the promise I forced from him by.
reason of the love he 'bore me, long
since muscle, and not brain, would
have won. Had I not pleaded with
him, he would, years ago, have done
you harm, for murder was in his
heart. I loved you, and I saved you,
but I sacrificed myself in doing so.
This I also wished to say before you
left 'Stringtown, for I long to have
you think kindly of me; that is why. I
came to -day to your home, for this
purpose I am with you now."
"Susie," I said sadly, "I ask your
pardon for the words I spoke, for the
unjust things I felt. Let the past go.
Be my wife; leave Stringtown, with
its 'hateful memories; go with me to
the North."
"'I is now too late, I say, unless"-
then she stopped.
"Unless what?"
"Unless I, too, 'learnt to be a chem-
ist and become as assured as are you
that strychnine killed Mr. Nordtnan."
"With your education for a founda-
tion, two sessions of special applica-
tion will be sufficient to accomplish
you so that you can apply all the tests'
I used.'
"And will you be my teacher?"
"Gladly."
"Will you promise to act toward me
as though I were any other student,
to neglect me personally, to reprimand
me for my awkwardn'es's, and be pa-
tient with me in my dulness, to speak
no word of love?"
"Yes, if you will it so:"
"I shall apply for •permission to ma-
triculate in your 'University," she re-
plied. "I shall ask to take a special
course in Chemistry, .for that alone is
what I need to free myself from this
suspicion,"
"And when you are convinced of
the accuracy of the tests I used, will
you be mine—my wife, Susie?
"Yes;_I hope it may end that way."
°'It cannot be otherwise. But wo-
men are creatures of deep prejudices
and are often controlled by' their emo-f
tions and not by reason. What if you
should not he convinced?"
"You will need my prayers,, and
shall have them." She slipped her arm
into mine, and we walked to her borne
M silence. She understood me, and at
last I understood her:
After the parting I retraced my
steps 'toward Stringtown, and when I
reached the spot where she stood be-
tween the hills I stopped and picked
up the leaf dropped at the moment
she said, "Never will I love 'another,"
I ,placed it carefully in .niy notebook,
and as iI did so a'face ,come from out
the 'thick hushes that close .bound the
path; so close was it that I. ,could
have touched with my finger the in-
truder.
"Ma'se Sammy, de spot fo' de s'at'in
ob yeah lab speech wan slu'brotts, but;
de bush what meets de lebes 'bove
yoah head wan a bad omen, De leaf i
y'o' hab picked up am a !hoodoo leaf,1
et am de leaf ob de witch -hazel de
oungah woman use et too," I
I saw that Cupe had been conic
a conceal -1
ed in the tangle, g , nd. had 'heard our
w.ordts. >"Cupe," I said, "" I tell you
again ithat I care no'thin'g forr
ha
omens' and charms. ;L'
Let the. witch%
leaf worlc its .d tel'gs
devilment, and I
understand each other. You take'
go-od care of your mistress, and ' I
will answer for the safety of the keep
sake in niy vest pocket." The 'heard of
the. 'old ,negro was withdrawn, ' here
•
to -
"I Came to 'Say Farewell"
lin, my laboratory in the University
on the Hill once more if became ab-
sorbed in dvork. The past seemed like
a dream; it might have been accepted'
as a dream but for the ,presence of
Susie, who faced me in the classroom
when if lectured, who, patiently, bent
over her desk in the hours of study,
and who perseveringly Stood before
her table in the experimental labona-.
tory. She came to her work regularly,
and attended to her studies as per-
sistently as though her ambition
centred only on the 'science of chem-
istry. No word of praise, however,
did she get from me, for she gave me
no excuse to speak it; no chance oc-i
curred 'by which I could break my
promise of personal neglect, she would
not have it, and she knew how to.
hold me off. Strangers were we seem-'
ingly to each other, although any'
coldness was not self -sought. I was
the weaker of the two, much the
weaker; I craved to hold her handl
again as I did that evening in the
path which led through the witch-
hazel bushes, but she gave me no
chance. I would surely have broken
my vow, I .could not have helped
breaking it, had she but given me a
glance such as she could have given;
rout no glance came; she was not
'cold, nor yet reserved -no, nor in -1
different. The sante eye that in the
l
valley path led Inc on to speak of my
love now held pie aloof. S taught her
'chemistry as methodically as I did!
the others; only that far could I go.
No familiar word or pleasantry 'could
a nerve myself to anter. She knew
how to control herself and to man-;
age me; she was strong and appre-
dated her power, for more than once
when I was determined to ask her to
reconsider her coarse and grant my:
'prayer she gazed into my face, and
then my tongue failed. It was silent
love, on my part, love that made my
heart ac'he and gave me greater pain;
than ever carte from out the hate 11
once bore Red -Head,
There 'carte a day when this -girl,
who gave pie no word or glance other,
than that of deep regard told me that;
She had decided to go to Europe for;
a season. My heart sank. We stoo'd
alone in the University grounds; she;
had taken the opportunity of our
meeting on a by-path to tell me.
"Susie," I replied, "yon do not
know what I have suffered since you
came here. You have tantalised me be-
yond endurance; you know that I
'worship you, and yet you turn rte
off as if 1 were made of stone. 'And
now you intend to leave for Europe,
you who promised to he mine when
chemistry enough was' gained to en-
able you to verify the tests 'I: once
made for strychnine."
"I shall not break my .promise."
"Then yoti will marry me, Susie?"
"When tI return I shall come to
you, and shall stay with you forever,
unless—" She paused.
"Unless what, Susie?"
',finless you need my prayers."
"Tinri'ce 'have you said that you
might have to pray for me, Susie.
What do you mean?"
"That I may not find the test for
strychnine as I hope to find it. I. am
deeply trou'b'led, Professor Drew; not
cold, not heartless,"
"And if you are not satisfied with
my tests?"
"More Mayans' will be needed than
you will say, and I shall devote my
life to offering them," She left; me
standing on the walk meditating over
her wands, and soon thereafter slhe
'de'parte'd from the University. Cupe,
who had beet her servant in the
boarding house, left, too, when she
did, but he gave ime no 'parting word,
He had been "very glum since our
meeting in, the Ibh9 keit; possibly lie;
was offended, over the incident 'coo-.
tuning than leaf of witch -'hazel which.
I refused to throw away,
(Another year passed. Premature
Yu hairs .}sere re'fle'cted: front my,
nnrror, for mybeard and hair, too,
hole touched with frost.My mother
slept in the Stringtown churchyard.
1 had learned to act the careless Iran
to cover my heartache, to smile and
sayidle words Ito Women who led me
to speak them; to throwback the
1aet'h into the face of the man who
Ii!ghtly touched upon my bachelor
life. But lthese were superficialities,
beneath which throbbed an tarne'st
heart 'l'ongin'g for the breaking of the
dawn which would bring Susie 'back,
for, with the fanaticism of a fatalist,
S Telt she surely would return.
S sat alone in fily rooni one e'ven'ing
in December. A Rood 'of painful re-
flections came over ire and as was
my wont when possessed by nielan-
choly, I arose and paced the room
back and fori1. IBaut as this brought
no relief, I. next muffled myself and
started -to the laboratory to brush
away the torture of thought by means
of the ditvers•ion that work 'afforded,
for I had learned that work alone
could crush .these pangs. It was mat
uiuisual for me time to pass my even-
ings, and t'he-j'ani'tor gave him'sel'f 110
'eonc•ern when heobserved a light in
my private roons, But I could not
smother my heartache in study,
Again, as I' had done that memorable
night when Susie 'came to plead for
the Life of :my rival, I threw up t'he
window and leaned out into the.
b'lackness. The trunks of the trees
beneath lie could be seen where they
out the rays of light from, a 'feeble
lamp, bttt their arms above were lost
fo tlhe gloom, A soft windladen with
moisture' was bl'owing :frown the south
and it also bore misty drops, not yet
heavy enough to be called rain, but
still 'denser than fog. These ' beast
against any skin, and were very pleas-
ant to my heated face. A sigh came
from the direction of the two briar -
dad graves; it rose and' fell as did
the breeze; keeping time to the wind
that blew through the leafless
branches.
'Suddenly 'there was the sound of
footsteps on the gravel walk' and
someone rang .the bell.
"Open the door; it is not locked.
)Follow the halls to my room, No. 13;
you need not knack," I called, and
turned again to my thoughts,
"May I come in, Professor Drew,"
and Itur
n meet ed to eet Susie, who
stood in the doorway. Sprinlging up,
I caught her hand and drew her into
the room, while °lose following came
'Cope, who remained standing while
we seated ourselves beside my_.tabte-
desk.
"At last you are .here again, Susie,"
I broke out ardently; "I have waited
so long for your return; you conte
now to stay until death ,parts us."
She shook her head. "To -morrow,"
she said sadly, "I must return to Ken-
tucky. To -night you look upon .Susie
for the last 'time, Mr, Drew, I name
to say farewell"
"Girl," I cried, starting up excited-
ly; "you will drive the mad. I have
been led to hope and have then been
heart -wrecked, until now I am des-
perate, You thrust the knife into my
heart while yet I was a boy, and then
you held me offand turned 'it just
enough to wrack my soul. Now I
tear it out and cast you off.
.She, too, arose, and stood with
downcast face, while I turned and
paced hack and forth across the
floor.
"Gol" I said fiercely, and pointed
to the door; "both of you." Neither
girl )nor negro moved, both remained
standing, and at last, relenting -some-
what, I stepped close to 'Susie; and
ill a low tone said:
"Dao not look into my face; turn
your eyes the other way, for I fear
their touch. Tell me what it is that
brings' you here to -might."
"I have already said that I carie to
bid you farewell, 1•Ir,' Drew, and to
add that wherever you may be in fu-
ture You shall have my prayers..I go
Ito kneel' and to work, to do whatever
good one feeble woman can in the
path that leads to final peace."
"I do not understand you." I spoke
htiore gently,
"Nor can you. Wlhep I left this
school I hoped to return to give' you
my love and !become your wife. Boat
'I cannot marry a—" she s'top'ped
as'hort
'A what, Susie?"
'To not ask me, for I cannot tell
you." She covered her face with her
hands,
"Idemand it."
.down,. Professor Drew, and be
patient. I will tell my story, and then
you may supply the missing word."
OHIAIPTIE . LXV,
'You.Have Fought amrd11 Have Loved.
'N'eed I repeat the story, of our
ifiarst meeting, ' how with bleedin'g feet;
,add sheet -white face you ran .into our
cabin !Witt nnghlt many years ago?
Never since have 7 failed to sec
you
wh'no' I closed my eyes and thought;
olf that incident, , vih'uoh 'Cu'pe and Di-
nrah took cern T ;dltfouid 'Wait forget.
'Tyhey kept your name• in my mind,
yours and that of Red-IHead,.'I was
taught thtet a spell limited us together,
faithful were 'the'ndgroes in tiheir sup-
erstitions in which I too believed, for
II *'as' haat, less ignorant than thent-
;elveii; then carie the journey .to Ca-
nada, which ll recall vividly, although
w'cis a little child, The movements
of the olci slaves that night, the chain-
tg of Red -Head to the waall, the'de-
parture from the old cabin and the.
pathclic fars'well to' the graves - be-
hind it, seem strangely real to me yet,
but letrhat pass for the present, and
young yet was I when one day 10
left that lanld,as Cupe said, to find
for pie' my pante. 'f ,could tell a dram-
atic story of a toxic potion. that : a
1'lentuol:y man, may father,- was forc-
ed to drink soon alter weentered the
State. Ile pleaded and struggled aol
fought to escape the ,ordeal test, and,
re'fusinlgstill to grant my birthright,
passed into the clea't,h struggles; but
fib good can cooie of reviving that
incident.
"'At last we were settled again in
our calblin'bottle, and then you •oa'tt e
and stepped across the c'onljured
threshold, 'Ciilpe• and' Dinah whispered.
about yon after you left, 'and lDina'h
made another conjure for you as slue
had done 'before, Then came the in-
oldent in the Stringtown !school and
the cruel -words of Jennie Manley.
You remember the part Red -!Head
took that day; need I repeat it; need
I repeat it; need I ,remind yaou that,
leaning on his arm, I !lett that sc'hoo'l
'tot ever? Red -ll ,cad and I were
thro!wnmulch' into company of each
other thereafter; no other friend had
'I, no girl companions, no sister's
love, no woman's couneel, no mother
to offer words to guide rte. A iregro
bred child was. I; superstition came
with every breeze from without and
every whisper from within :the cabin;
and the hatred • Red -a -lead bone you
carte also into my life to disturb me.
Out I yet read and !studied of other
things; my mind unfolded as my
'farin developed, and you know that,
thanks to Mr. 'Wagner and yourself,
S received a good education abroad,
'Finally you 'came again,. as you may
well remember, for it was the. night
you fought Red-IHead in my presence
-as I never can forget."
"4Tel1 me, Susie," I interrupted,
"why did you give me one of the
rases and say that the other was for
!Red -II -lead?"
"Because I was a 'girl; there is oo
other reason, there need- be no other.
For t'he once I teased you, lit I was
a girl."
"YouAreserved laced that ose t r on
my picture, however."
'I thought of you only. I say, for-
give me."
"Go oti."
"Then came the question you ask-
ed when we stood in the path in the
valley, and then I 'did not do may duty.
I led myself to hope against hope. I
Should have said 110 positively, but in
a moment of weakness I deferred the
painful parting, in the hope that it
might not be necessary. Do you knolw
that when I sought you In this room
to beg you to 'keep away from the
Court of Stringtown County, I came
prepared to tell you of my good
name and to say yes, had you asked
me to be yams?"
"You do slot mean it, Susie?"
"Surely. ,l was then aware of my
birthright, and had you not turned
from ole, had you not orus'hed my
'heart by your coldness, .had you sac-
rificed but -a trifle' of your ambition
for the love of your, fellow -man, I
would have told you all. But you
chilled 1115 by refusing my simple re-
quest, and I left you, for I had pro-
mised Red -a -lead to, •carry 'a message,
into the mountains; you 'know the
rest, you know the result, 1 kneeled
beside the, dead boy, dead because of
you and me, and then . arose and
li•nkcd my arm in yours to help
Judge Elford protect you from the
mien about you, When I bade you
farewell that !light, lPeofessor Drew,
we had approached the parting of
the way,
"Now the tiine has arrived for me
to bid you farewell again, atoll for ev-
er; never again will we walk arm -in -
atm or meet ou the same pa't'h." She
wrung her hands, but did' not weep.
Tears might 'have eased her heartache
but no tears came., Soddenly she
stopped before me:
"You do not know what it is to
live a tainted life.°course. You cannot
comprehend the sufferings of 'those
who long for a touch' .of kindness
from humanity, but who meet instead
the scorn of men ,and women: O'h!
the 'misery of a 'hungry heart. I had
done no crime, no stain was on my
life record, yet no 'friendly word carte
to me from girls of illy age, only
glances that made Ole shrink and
creep back into the wilds. A:womanr
longs for love; if a 'woanan is happy,'
she must ,be loved."
s"Luft I loved you; Susie, aiatd you
repulsed pre,"
''ilor your own sake did i do so.
You did not know what you asked,
but iI 'saw the danger :you were in.
\Baett'er be dead than disgraced; this
my own ,experience taught, 'lvfy love
for you was too deep, to permit tie to
'baring you teo ruin."
Susie, had you marriedd tie, the
ta'i'nt had tbocre .been any, would have
been'brushed away. You are super-
censiti'vc;, you magnify those things
that have been close to you, You have
•
wronge'rl Us both, !Susie; you should
have nlarrieil lite and let' me care for'
your future''
":Fled I done so Red -II -lead would
have shot you deal. You night 'have
abaen, mine no loniger than a day. I,
.saved your lite as well as your goad
name byaslcing you to waist; I knew
hlven,` anicl of these things I know
afore than you do now. I did not say
no; I .only askedyou to trait, Mar.
Drew,"
"Bait now you can say yes. Re'd-
Iiead is dead, and no, satwin, of birth
rests on you, Susie."
I read in her ,fare the story of des-
pair; there was no cry of anguish
mons was needed for voice could
not have carried the Heart touch im-
parted'by that look;
""You oiiice made a pledge, Siisie, as
11. did; and these two pledges; were
recorded u"hen' we both were young
and foresaw not the future. The ,.pen-
niless Stringtown _ boy could not '.c!is-
cern the in'depe'iaiden't 100511 1who was
:yet to be, nor could the outcast girl,
divine that in' a day to come, her
manna would be the same as that of
the p'rotudest man , in IStriiigtown
County. And yet these very, things
have come' to pass. 'You were looking'
'forward,'hoping against the impos-
,siible, to �a tinneowhen the unjust taint
that sadidened your heart would' he
removed; 1 was wishing for honours
and position ,which seemed improb-
able. Those youthful pledges were
ibiun'ders; let us bury them.".
'Susie shook her head.
"Susie, an oath is no more sacred,.
if it be the output of a .foolish 'heart
or of inexlperience in the affairs of
men or of error of judgment, than a
child's empty promise,-• You were a
foolish girl, I a silly boy; the oath,
+af each was an error. Naw when
these absurd errorsof both 'heart
and intellect can be seen, is it right
that our lives should be further sac
rllficed? Rather, is it not a duty that
we should make amends for the crime
we have done in fostering this stupid
fanaticism, wlhioh has kept us apart
in -the past and bids fair .now to wreck
our future?"
Out she made no answer.
"What is the object of, life, Susie?
TO rise in the morning and go to
rest at, night, to plan and scheme and
world To laugh a little, s'tnille a lit-
tle. Ta speak a kind' word or say a
harsh one, to lighten the heartache
of a fellow -man, or make his life
more bitter 1 To make amends for
errors, to fight, to love!"
'She raised her eyes, "Youhave
fou'gh't, and 'I have loved," and again
her eyes drooped.
Then abruptly 'She asked: °`Will.
you, give me back the little box I
handed you that night in the cabin
in order that you might keep in :mind
the fact that - I ' too hal made a
pledge ?"
a' drew ,from an inner pocket the
tin box; it had never left me.
"And must I give this up?"
"Yes; no man has the right to such
a keepsake as that from 'a womanin
the 'place where I alp soon to be."
II opened the box and, drew from
it a lock of black hair.
"Can'I not keep this lock of hair?"
ISlhe reached out her hand, but I
hesitated and unade no motion to re-
turn the box; "The • keepsake : was
only loaned you, Mr. 'Drew.
II pressed the tress to my lips and
then gently laid it eoross her palm.
As I did,sothe empty, 'coffin -shaped
box fdl upon the floor, Oid 'Cope
shuffled' forward and picked it up.
"De shape ant gruesome, Ma'se
]Drew. Yo' p'r'ape mcmberlec' dat
'Cope p•inted t' de shape ob dais box
de night he hail' et t'; yo'.;'But Ile
sign ant foal sign, yo' know."
"All signs are , fool signs,"
"P'r'aps yo' memberlec' dat yo'
shake de hair oh Cope 'cross de dodo
sill dat ,night, too. Guess 'daft foolsign
nab 'scapead yeah`_ min.' He stepped
back into the shadows.
Then Strsie resumed: ''And this
reminds' me that I air not here: to
argue- aver things that might have
been; and reminds Inc also that Ia
have not told you why `'i came to-
night, Listen. You applied the colour
test for strychnine, and on that test
1Judige Elford gave the charge - that
led to the de'at'h of poor Red Head,"
PRtOFESSIONAL CARDS
Medical
•
DR. 11. HUGH ROISIS, Physdciaa
and Surgeon. Late of London Hos-
pital, London, England. Special
attention to' diseases of the eye, ear,
nose and throat, Office and rest
deuce behind Dominion Bank. Office
Phone No, 5; Residence Phone '.104.
(To be continued).
DR,' F. J. BURROWS, Seaforth,'
Office and residence, Goderich street,
east of the United Church, Coroner
for the County of Huron, Telephone'
No; 46:
DR. • C. MIAOKIAY.—C. Mackey,
honor graduate of Trinity University
and gold medallist of Trinity Medical
College;'member Of the' College of ;
Physicians and Surgeogs''of Ontario.
DR. F. J. R. FORSITER_ Eye, Pao'
Nose and Th'roa't, Graduate in Medi-
cine, University`. of 'Toronto 1897,
Late Assistant New York Ophthal-
mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield'a
Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi-
tals,London, England. At Comm-
ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Monday in
each month, from I1' •a.m. to 3 p.m.
DR. W. C. SIPIRIOA'T,-Gradeate ad
Faculty of Medicine, University of
Western Ontario, London. ' Member
of College of Physicians and Sur-
geons • of Ontario. Office in rear olf•
Aberhai' s drug store, Seaforth.
Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p,m,, 7.30'
-9 :p,m, Other hours by appointmen't.
Dental
iDIR. J. A. MU'NN,' Successor to
Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North ---
western University, Chicago, Ia11. Lod •
centiate Royal College of Dental Sur-
geons, Toronto. Office over Sills'
hardware, Main St.,Seaforth, Phone'
151.
ITR, F. J. B'ECHELY, graduate
Royal College of Dental r
gSu geoaa,
Toronto. Office over W. R. Smith'°
grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Phones,
office 1851W, residence 1'S5J.
• Auctioneer.
IG!EOIRGE ELLIOTT, • Licensed
Auctioneer for the County of Huron.
Arrangements can be made for Sale
Date at The Seaforth News. Chargees
moderate and satisfaction guranteed..
WATSON AND. REID'S''
REAL ESTATE
AND IN'SURAN'CE AGENCY
(Succss•ors to James 'Watson)
M•A@N ST., SIEAFORTH, ONT.
All kinds of Insurance risks effect-
ed at lowest' rates in First -Class.
Companies.
THE ilialLLOP
Mutual Eire Inarl
Ce
FIAIRIII AN'D ISOLATED TOWN
PIR{OIP'E'RIT Y, ON L Y, INSURED
Officers — John •Bennewies, Brod-
hagen, Presiden't; Jas. 'Connolly, 'God-.
°rich, Vice -Pres.; D. F. MCGregor,.
'Seaforth 'No. 4, !Sec: Treas,
Directors—IGeo, R McCartney, Sea -
forth No. 3; Alex. Beoadfoot,' `Sea -
forth N,o, 3; 'Jlames Evans, 'ISeaforth.
No. 5; tRobt.:Ferris, 'Blyth Igo. 1; Jags,
S'holdice, Walton' No. 4; John. Pepper,
Brucefield; William 'Knox, Londes-'
borough.
Agents -Jas. Watt, 'Blyth No. 1; W.
E 'Hinchiey, Seaforth; 'J, A. Murray,.
Seaforth''No.:3;. W. J..1'eo, Clinton
No.,.3; R. 'G.1Jaranuth, Bornholm:
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