Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-10-13

HVeQ IN nOurly QreaQ OF THIS meeun
since Iheard of your release from pri
son. Were l to do as you say, a mont
would scarcely be over before you woull
be here to annoy and terrify me by you
threats. You
Now, Jack, by all that's holy, but
would notp
4 shall not trust you. / have long
since made up my mind to act as 1 dc
now, whenever you should come.
shall welcome death, for for years
have suffered torments of the damned
Ny papers are all arranged, and during
the few minutes l left you, 1 wrote an
explanation of this affair. Therefore,
without wasting any more time, choose,
and then take your place beside that
armchair. When that time-piece
strikes, which it viii do in one minute,
1 fire.
'And so viii /, by G-l You old fool,
you would not listen to reason, so your
blood be upon your own headl' and
snatching one of the pistols, VAIN
wright took his position about FIVE PAGES
from his opponent.
1t was fearful sight to see those two
men thus stand confronting each other,
their hands armed with murderous wea-
pons, their eyes shooting glances of the
bitterest rage and hatred, their hearts
full of malice and revenge. Still as
statues they stood, the muzzles of their
pistols pointed at each others hearts,
and their eyes intently fixed on the
slightest movement.
Long, o, how terribly long did that
moment seem to both of them! In this
brief span did they 'remount the river
of their lives and take cognizance of
each of their past deeds. Boyhood-
youth--manhood-age-each step of
their downward progress to crime-all,
all flashed before them in one moment!
For when the soul is Just lowering on
the brink of eternity, it receives facul-
ties which enables it, by one complehen-
sive glance, either to read the secets of
the mysterious future, or call up the
buried scenes and actions of the past
The clock struck and simultaneous
with it, loud deafening report echoed
through the apartment. When the
smoke cleared away, both men might be
seen laid on their faces, within a foot or
two of each other, stark, motionless,
deadl
We shall not attempt a description of
the scene of surprise, horror and con
fusion, which ensued when the door of
the room in which the duel had taken
place was burst open, and both the un-
fortunate men were discovered lying in
their gore; nor shall we describe the
fearful agony of poor Ada, or the cha
grin and disappointment of the expec-
tant bridegroom. We shall merely say
that the well known lines of Hamlet
were here reversed; for instead of the
funeral baked meats coldly setting forth
the marriage feast, the marital repast
was in a great measure consumed at the
funeral of the late owner of the man
sion, and his companion in crime and
death, both of which took place on the
second day after their decease.
How significant lesson is this on the
uncertainty of all terrestrial happiness!
A marriage garment changed to a
shroud! A marriage peal to passing
knell
When Ada Mervyn was at length
able to leave the couch to which sick
ness had confined her for nearly three
weeks, the following packets, sealed and
directed to her, and which had been
found on the dressing table in Squire
Mervyn's chamber, were placed in her
hand. The first read thus:
Dear Ada:
When this meets your eye
1 shall be no longer of earth. You are
not my daughter, but merely an orphan
whom 1 adopted during brief visit to
Jamaica, when you were about five
years old. All that 1 could ever learn
of your family was, that both your pa
rents were English, had both died of the
plague, and had borne the name of For
tesque. You will see by the accompa-
nying packet, that l have constituted
you sole heiress of all possess. Good
bye, love, goodbye. God bless you!
WASHINGTON MERvYN.
4, Washington Mervyn, do bequeath
to my adopted daughter, Miss Ada
Mervyn, all and everything belonging
to me, to be disposed of as she thinks
proper, without let or reservation what
soever. In proof of this witness my
hand. WASHINGTON MERvTN.
Accompanying these two packets was
a third directed-Arthur Eaton, Esq,
Eaton Lodge, near Montgomery, Ala.
This was forwarded to its destination,
but its contents were never made pub
lie. There is not the slightest doubt,
however, but what the guilty and repen-
tant Mervyn had taken this method of
informing the son of his victim that his
fathers murder had at last been aveng-
ed.
Inscrutible are thy ways, o Godl
The marriage Of Captain Bridges
and Miss Ada Fortesque, for Ada had
now assumed her own name, took place
some three months after the eventful
day on which they had previously ex-
pected to be united; and the charms of
his lovely wife being more powerful to
him than those of the sea, the gallant
~ Il L