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Show I . THE JOURNAL, LOG AN, UTAH. DECEMBER 24 1893 TRI-WEKK- : day lost. There fa plenty dt cffiu' in me . gers and looking into ms guest's face. ground. Yon stood, there trembling ns zamy were" tar earnest, tnongnt perand I shall not need anything. "Years ago you had no difficulty, in does the smallest shrub in the breath of haps that answers would be sent them. Good night, Madison. 7 recognizing me. I was your constant the fierce north wind. Your long, bony You have passed the poor when crouch-9- 4 ' "It ia not Madison. It ia I, an old and huddled on yonr porch, with tho companion, and daily you burdened ma fingers twitched and made motions tofriend, who calls without ceremony. with your hopes and fears. Twenty-fiv- e were the ward bright but letter; hanging over them and the air powerless you John Frost berg sprang from his chair, years ago heart was the home of to stoop for tt. Your heart beat more filled with snow. They have held out yConfronting your him was a man taller than was lying their wasted hands amLlPtncLup be and. older, with long, white hair and every mynly quality and every pure violently audjhen ceased. It still in your breast, gathering blood pleading eyes. They have pointed to sentiment,LoYesQntroUedyouT.thQnght t , scuttle-- , alWrani 'P to -- 'Iull beardrwhiW aa hiahalrHifeyes sparkled like diamonds. They looked more like stars than eyes. His face was i full and round, and the expression in telligent and benignant Withont in vitation he drew off his greatcoat and laid it on the table; then motioned to "I John Frostberg to resume. his seat but the latter stood staring at his gueet in a Tain endeavor to recognize him. Ha had seen the face somewhere, but when and where he could not remember. He held out his hand to the stranger, say 7 ihg: "Your face 1b familiar, but I am on able to recall the circumstances under which I met you. The stranger took the extended hand, replying: "For the present say you have seen me in your dreams yes, in your When I have talked with you, i dreams. ' erhaps you will recognize me. ' Drawing a chair near to the scarlet plush one in which he had reseated Jonu WfFroBtberg, he asked, "What is that in . . your hand? A toy, replied John "Nothing. Frostberg, closing his fingers tightly over the miniature. "Ah, a present for some child ; make come little ones heart glad, eh?' "No, I never give presents. I do not know any children. "Do not give presents? And do not know any children? Not even at Christmas time? True enough. I should have known better than to have suggested such a thought. I have known you a long while, John Frostberg since your earliest childhood. For 25 years you have not given a present to any one. m - his-chai- gifts for her. -- - toy,-Joh- n rob--be- d as-y- on ...-- L - - vr stranger's face...... . features Your I da that Cannot say re very familiar very familiar. I must have met you. But where? , "Say in your dreams, John Frost-fcersay in your dreams. In my dreams yas, in my dreams, lie dreamily murmured. "Very often, .too; very often, replied the guest. "Time and again you lavo grown weary of mo and dismissed from your presence. In passion you Ce cursed me and bade me never reloved you I would long not turn. Had I ceased have my importunities; Saco have left you to yourself, your toserableself; would have given you p to greed, avarice, revenge and hate. hese demons have possession of you gow. They have driven from your heart ' ' avery sentiment and aspiratiun which Would ennoble you. Tonight is to dw Uide whether they are to remain in or give up the heart they have l debauched to purer things. Beaten in this' last contest with the demons,! Will quit you forever, leaving you to and guidance. Iheir sole companionship ' called them demons.-J1 hear? Did you John me know now, Frostberg? you In my dreams I have met you la ny dreams, answered John Frostberg, still shading his e with .Mi bear fin 4 g; ' r -- At the word "her John Frostberg attempted to rise, but the gueet threw his arm in front of him. "Sit still, John Frostberg. I said 'her,' a fair haired, blue eyed girl who was your fathers ward. Sit still. ont be rude. I am an old friend and 'your guest, and yon must listen to mu.' I have had many talks with yon hereto; fore7 and I beg that you give me a patient hearing. "Who are yon? asked John Frost , CJberg in a determined tone. , "Dont be inquisitive. By and by you will know me. For 25 years you have given me but little consideration. ;You have been petulant and rode at 'times:This fa jura risen from the --fact that yon have been too busy with yourself doing for yourself, living for thinking of yourself, wrapping .yourself up in yourself. Selfishness, John Frostberg,' is the meanest and smallest of vices. It dedicates you tj greed and avarice. It hardens your :heart, . dulls your sensibilities. stifles your motions, dries up your affections, crushes your better impulses and corrodes your entire being. It steals from you, lies to you, leaves you in poverty and waste and unfits you for cither hope or love. It has not entirely bereft you of the latter. That Frostberg, is the evidence that it has not yet yon of the power to love. John Frostberg clasped his hand tighter and covered it with the other. "I was with yon when you received It from her hand, witnessed you kiss did a it, bat not so passionately ' few minntes ago. - It has grown dearer yon as the years pass. Tonights has had many rehearsals. I fcave seen them all. Do you know me .. oy, John Frostberg?, John Frostberg raised bis band and haded his eyes as he gazed into the pos-fessi- , -- that you were impulsively and your-self,-- rs t - at times foolishly kind. At Chrietmas time yon were always generous beyond your means. You taxed friends and exhausted resources to enable you to procure offi-ee- . -- Before from every artery to 6eu J It' in fierce famisbingbabea, suciiug at the fouiF tumult to your brain How long you lain of infant life, which had dried up stood there you know not know not for want of nourishment. They have when you fell.jior how long you lay at pleaded in God's name and heaven's the fcido of tho letter. As you arose you soke, and yon have had bat one answer: barren, empty and dry. It had to have picked it up and entered your cabin. 'Begone I Where are'lhe faithless of the law, that they do upt drag Yon 6at down cn tho rude bench and occupants. jHate entered first, and yon to prison, yoa miserable beggars!. greed and avarice quickly were as a chill in weakness. followed. The demons took possession John Frostberg twisted in his scarlet "For three' year8, John Frctberg,' I of you and there they have remained, had been whispering of 'home,' of chair. 'His face was the picture of agoto your utter misery. Time and again I 'mother,' of her, but you would not ny and despair. Great drops of sweat1! haya done battle against them, with the listen. You had no ear for the old idols. welled from the pores and dropped from hope that I might restore the old ten- The demons were iu possession. Greed, his face. He groaned as be did in the ants. Onoe I was sore I had them iu to avarice, revenge and hate filled yonr cabin when he Teamed of hia mothers stay, but I was mistaken. You remem- heart They were powerless to help death. Then tears gave him relief, bat ber that evening in May, three years ypu in your extremity. The sun slipped after you reached "the diggings? The behind the hills and bade tho world now his eyes were dry. Not a tear had from them in twoscore years until spring was fairly on, and nature was good night " Still you sat on that rudo passed this night, and the fountain from which clothed with richness and rareness sel- - bench, and the letter, unopened, lay in dom equaled. Some of the miners had your baud. It felt cold and icy. There they flowed bad well nigh ceased. the coast to get news from, was death in it. I sent a messenger inJ Greed and avarice, revenge and hate gone-f- o home. Yon, as was your wont, were to yonr heart and gave you strength to had no nse for tears. He writhed in as if devoured by flames. In his alone, seated at your cabin door,' weary Open It It was very formal: 'Dear Sir be exclaimed: agony with the day"s toil, whioh bad made I write to inform you of the death of ' me! Oh, spare me! "Spare Yonr head fell forward generous returns to you. As you leanod your mother. be should spared? reyou "Why back toward the rough boards of your nd yon .uttered a grean that sounded "Whom the ,havo yon guest. plied cabin, I was impressed with the thought like a prelude to death. Then followed You witnessed have the iron Sored? that your mind had wandered back to a stillness unbroken by even a breath. soul of the the unhappy, and earlier days. You were thinking of The bright colors of tho dying day entering were without Nay, you sympathy. faded out of the sky, twilight yielded home, and of mother and of her-'-- cf have You more. with struck pitiless wild flowers affd clover bloom of the to darkness add night settled down on ' chestnnts and the elma You appeared yonr cabin. Yonr agony continued. It force the bruise and wounded hearts sorrowed. John which Only today. annoyed at the approach of that grizzly was only when I whispered, Weep, ofan old man saw in I your Frostberg, old miner, no doubt preferring your John Frostberg, weep, that yon found and fice. was stricken bowed down Ho relief. Tears flooded your eyes and rollthoughts to his company. wept as a child and " Jack Frost,' said the miner, with- ed from yonr cheeks. ln yonr grief the with grief. - Hefeverish earnestness not out any ceremony, is your 'name John new tenants of your i ear t rejoiced. pleadedwith driven from the roof under which to be Frostberg? 'Whats that to you? you Yonr mother in her grave was in it, be had been cradled. He spoke of births replied. They called you 'Jack Frost, and she rejoiced. She was in it, and and deaths, years of joy and years of an abbreviation admirably adapted to 'she' rejoiced. The chestnuts and the elms were there, and they waved all woe, of present misery and expected your disposition. grief, told you of the wretched living " A little civil, Mr. Jack Frost. Its their branches and quivered all their and the coming dead. His lips tremnothing to me, and I hope its no oom- - leaves for joy. The clover blooms and bled, hlsvoioeirembled, bis body tremwild flowers were there and filled it couldi which old bis and bled, heart, you with fragrance. It was your old heart see, trembled as he waited for you? with its old tenants. The demons van- not Heartless it came: 'I want my answer. ished and shrank aghast at the scene. and will have it, or you and money, Tears gave you relief, and a sweet peace When he fell, limp and will go. yours came to calm .the storm of anguish. in a chair, yon had him unconscious, You remember your dream that night. tho into street, to die there, as dragged Yon were back at the homestead. InDid believed. you spare him? you deed you had never left it. Sleep hid beseech I me, you! I will unyour life of misery and isolation . and do "Spare me Give all the but opportupast. Eurronnded you with those who loved beseech I me, Spare nity. y5u!" and were loved. In tho morning yon "Not not. yet. John, Frostberg, yet were a new man. The forbidding scowl You must cast tbe demons out of your had worn had three for given yeara ypu heart. Greed, avarice, revenge and hate place to an expression of kindness and must be cast out forever. This is the gentleness. Tho tenants of yonx heart final or must I They struggle., triumph of had taken possession yonr face, as John Frostberg. I have Listen, tonight. Even faces. do all the, grizzly qld they ' ' miner who brought you the letter and seen bet. "Her!- exclaimed John Frostberg. whom you hunted up that you might thank him noticed tho change and told He would have sprung from his seat, hia fellows. He swore that you were but his guest restrained him. "Sit still. Yob, her. Not onco really human and coaid feel.' He knew merely,- but score of times since, your, it by ytrar facer' return. of absorbed home .you, "Thoughts Then she lives? and the glittering ore lost its charm. she lives. You, too, might "Yes, You would return to the homestead and have seen her, but you r were blind. forYou would there. spend your days in the street you have brushed give 'her at least, und wondered if she Passing worn garments. Not that fou her well were living or dead. When you reached tonch her. You thought her to desired the coast, you were impatient of delay. endeavored to avoid her, - John FroeUterg tp rang from his chair and a beggar As you jostled with the tide df life ebbcrowd would not perthe but deserve as I how think jostling fort to you, you ing and flowing through the streets of none. Nobody has any right to be good the city, with its unrest, you compared mit you. She did not hold out her wastto one who is no good to anybody, nei- it with the quiet of the homestead, and ed hand, and you were glad. She waa ther the well, .nor the sick, nor the you longed to be back again. It was a seeking labor, not alms. John Frostberg attempted to rise, bnt dead. fatal night when yon went to brooding bis gueet held him to his seat. " I dont attend lectures, so have over that Christmas eve of three years will I find her? he asked. "Where done with it, you pettishly answered. before. You magnified your fancied "Lead I pray you, lead me to her. 1 me, detain business will is ended, 'If your wrong until it absorlied your being and not yet. John "Not Frostis John yet, no nanid longer. My you changed all your purposes: It first drove The demons are stillFrostberg, Bein heart. your chestthe then berg. 'her' from yonr heart, fore them cast her mpst you a meeting 'Then there is letter for you. I nuts, the elms, the clover blooms and waa in Frisco and saw it printed in the the wild flowers. A mot hsrs grave still out She would not, could notriive in paper, and as how I thought it might remained. You would not permit that such company. Her life has been true be for Jack Frost I just brought it to be tossed ont. It should remain, and and constant, filled with holy thought h have chastened along, and no thanks for my trouble, as at some convenient time, you would and suffering,-whicis very plain, and no comfort to you, visit the sacred spot. Some time, bnt and purified ItL Her heart is as pure as all the tenants which as I hopes.' not then not then. I remained in yonr you left It," and" 25 it of years nod occupied letter ago save one are iu with a "Yon took the heart with that grave and pleaded with A has taken place. It unchange single in your hpnd your head, holding back, the. tenants which, you til .the miner waa far out of. eight. It were fit companionship for-i- t, bat yon Your mother is absent," and in her stead there Is a grave. There is but one was the first mail matter you had re- wodld not You iuvited back the In John, Frostberg ia ceived - since - your .arrival in the digGrml, avarice , reveugeand hate there." thing examined the Yon superscription returned. The grave aunoyed them, and gings. "God of mercy I.' sighed John Frostand the. postmark. The latter yon rec- you were restless until yon cast it ont. berg. ; ognized, but not the former. It waa Your soon never came. You have not "Yes, you, John Frostberg, just as from your old boyhood home. Your visited yonr mothers gravo and today mind was flooded in an instant. The you could scarcely find It is unmark- certainly and surely as you were the future to you was lost. You thought of ed, and bramble andWeds hide the night she went to sleep on your breast under tho chestnnts and the elms,- - just nothing but the past your mother, and mound. Do you know me now, John as surely as you were that Christmas 'she danced into your heart; the chest- Froetberg? eve 25 years ago, when yon misinternuts and the elma, the meadows and preted her joy. She has been watching CHAPTER m. stnbble fields, the clover blooms and the and waiting. She has known of yon ; old the red barn and "Goon." wild flowers, the has known that yon were consecrated ' mixed when was and near too, house in, forsaking you "I yoa frame jumped to the demons; has passed you among themselves, up with the living things. restored the demons. Had I not loved the great have should I throng, and has looked into the Your heart felt the occupancy .of you dearly in yonr youth face. It was so changed that she your from forever. am fled had still from I at demons old tenants. The you gone last time. I carpely believed ber senses. Your the temple they were desecrating.- The yonr side, possibly for the ' become fierce and Inquisiattack was so sudden they could offer have used all means to enlist yonr atYour tive. back to pale, ' smooth brow was its better and call Yonr heart quickened tention your you so opposition. wrinkled and dark with sordid passion. pulsations, and yon unconsciously threw SOIL I have thrown the poor in yonr Your cheeks were are pinched and your those who still its hungerto over tbrobbings. it constantly hand way yonr so set naked would lips but thrilled tightly together that your ed and athirst and you Yon could not It throbbed and looked scar. Greed, like a mouth had their have not as them. see it breast I pushed pale, and beat against yonr and hate bad written sorrevenge the faces and that It before. eyes great done hungry haggard rejoiced never didness in feature and line of every demons had been driven out and the old into yoar door and have heard you say: reud face. She lifos your ont. u your them returned.-Yolooked story in at them. with 'Ont They Keep occupants had God an mutshe him! instant blood. written pity me. freeze Keep my np They dry the address, 'John Frostberg,' she os her quickened step and in a round, bold hand, which yon bad them ont, I tell yon, or I will find some tered, to her room hurried home. .There, single can. havi turned away They never seen before. There was wild one who iu alone and the she uml a called few cheeks Wept twilight, while God bint! and with your pity anxiety In your eyes, as only a woman with a mtrowid head hand head. Your on .Did curses color. of your your were destitute in her heart can weep and sor- trembled and the letter dropped to the lysvcr.lgel hot after one of tiio.--e vrihits? t Uitasore li IIow row. CuULuuuUv Khe and action. Alas, for that Christmas, when in your frenzy, folly and madness you cursed jts gentle tenants outl Love went, carrying with it the very wellk of happiness, leaving your heart blaroeir fir nermag-banimit- y and love she answers: 'For all, for all; God pity me! God forgive ny blander which has entailed misery on two! When he told me anew of his nd a8ked me to be hiswife, I was wildwlth joy and oould not answer with words. In ecstasy IIaugheL was longing for his story and for the embraoes whioh he had given me under the chestnuts and the elms, ' praying that he would repeat the story of hia iove as he told me the last evening we spent together at tbe homestead, whew When he I went to sleep in bis arms. - - - , - -- it to-bri- un-wort- hy it. e. it - ad ava-rje- e. , i lt , 3. Ood pitu him! the muttered. me with joy that I could not utter a word. My tongue refused its office, and in the boundlessness at my ecstasy I langhed, then hurried from hiit presence to my room, that 1 it might weep for joy. A sweet little came to me. In the morning whan I meet him I will lay my hand in hia and say, "This is your Christmas gift. " When morning came, ho was gone. I thought, that ho had returned to is home, and feeling that he had mismy laugh I 'wrote him, interpreted wherein-- 1 "told "him with more-tru- th T than modesty how dearly I loved him. He never received that letter, His mother did, and after keeping .itfor it to me. When I found that ho was, gonevno one. knew where, I returned to the homestead, to our mother, for such she has always been to me. She comforted me by saying: ".He will soon return-l- ie will write to me, and I will send him your letter. Then, could he command the' winds, they would be too slow for his ret urn. She stilled my throbbing heart by resting it against her own. We waited,, but he came not Her sorrow, though never uttered, ate up her heart. One evening she drew me cl ore to her breast and said, "I am going to leave you; then he will return." 'Oh, no, you must . not shall not go! I exolaimed. "If you go, he will never return. While you remain there did, it so filled 4 coo-ce- yeifi-return- - W itbout you - there is non. "He will return. He will return," she faintly murmured. I burst into passion- ed is hope ate tears. When 'I had wept myself calm, I gazed into her face. I was with tho dead. Desolation of desolation Tha sweet, kind messenger who released ber sorrowing soul denied himself to me. I waa then alone Indeed. The weary years came and went ladened with disappointments. The estate proved insolvent, and my little all was swallow- ed up with thereat I returned to the great city, where I have struggled for. bread aud raiment - and shelter. It htfa given them tome grudgingly. 1 hare not been exacting, but have accepted thankfully the little I have earned." Now he haR returned, bnt he 'is no longer John Frostberg. There . are two- .- Tbe one of old I will retain in my heart as the lost one. The one of today I will not know. nor. shall he know. "John Frostberg of today," said the guest, "bow much does that story odd to your happiness?" "Oh, wretch, monster that I ami" agonized John Erostberg. "That is tree, said his guest. " You know yourself. - Yon are a wretch.- - Yon have hugged a delusion .that another made you so. Yoa are the outgrowth of your selflBh sell Yon are miserable and wretched, and yon deserve to be so. Yoa shoald not be a monster. There re two parts of you. The wretched nd the miserable ia the better. That yon con be miserable ia evidence that yon are not entirely lost. Jt is proof that it is possible to save yon from' yourself. To do this yon' must adopt heroio action. Yon must out out the ' monster part." "I will, I will," exclaimed John . j . Frostberg.. "Stay a moment and bear me," said his guest. You must east out the demons which have possessed you. Greed, avarice, revenge and hate and your wretched self must be cast out of yoar heart, to remain out forever, la their stead you most place back tho chestnuts and the elms, the clover llootns' and wild flowers, the gentleness nu! once dwelt in it. end then 1 -- 1 |