Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-05-26


and the weight Of the injury he h,d IN,
ficted, he could scarcely keen on his
feet. A stimulant was given to the
wounded man, and was momentarily re
lieved from that weakness the body in
subject to after q severe wound-whcn
the doctor inquired if there was any
friend in the city he wished sent for.
Yes" he replied, +" NY wife-she in
at the City Hotel, corner of Clay and
kearney streets. Tell her to hasten, for
am badly hurt"
a man was sent to bring his wife.
" Doctor" said the gambler, Z" save
that mans life, and there is nv bank,
and $4,000 in Burgoynes-you shall
have it all 4"
The doctor felt the pulse of the man
and probed the wound anew. The e.m
bier watched him with the greatest snx
iety until his inspection was finished,
when the doctor shook his head in token
of impossibility. The gambler sat down
by the side of the wounded man and
bathed his head with water, and stopped
the flow of the blood from the wound
until the arrival of his wife; she came,
accompanied by q few friends, and as
heroic women bear their misfortunes,
she bore hers. Not a word of reproach
escaped her-words Of cheerfulness only
came from her lips as the tears coursed
down her checks. To her inquiry as to
the chances CT her husbands recovery.
the oector assured her that there was no
hope; that the wound was mortal, and
that in few hours he would die. She
sank down upon her knees and invoked
the mercy OF forgiving God for her dy-
ing husband and his murderer. The
gambler asked the forgiveness Of the
wounded man for the wrong ne had COM
mitted, and also that of the wife, which
was readily granted.
"TbiS," said he, ''is for not obeyinc
the sacred INJUNCTION Of my aged father
and mother aOt TO gamble. 1 have faced
death thousand times, and still have
escaped: the balls of an enemy have
whistled past my ears as thick as hail.
stones and the bursting bomb have ex-
ploded at my feet; still have lived-O
-tod! ard for this High above the red
tide OF the battle have carried my coun-
try's ensign-and that won for me q
name among men-when not one corn-
rade was left to tell o: the deeds in the
battle, escaped unscathed. Why was
| not killed like the rest. All that was
proud and pleasing to men | have had;
and if could recall this last act by liy-
ing upon carrion, sleeping in . pauperIs
grave, and renouncing every proud act
of my life, would do it. Twas born in
the same village with that man; we have
been classmates together at the same
school; received instructions of the same
aged man: we were beneath the sams
roof, and o God! lie must not die-he
is my brother"
And the gambler sank down in Q
swoon upon the floor. The wounded
nan raised himself upon his elbow; his
CLASSY eyes wandered about the room
as if in search of some very particular
person.
Mary" said he, els brother William
here2 L" and the word choaked in
his throat, the gurgling blood stopped
his utteIsRce, and he sank back 0 corpse
ON bis pillow. The wife knelt again,
but it was beside dead body, and in
voked the mercy OF God upon his soul,
and forgiveness for the murderer.
The gambler swoke from his swoon,
and staggered up fom the wife and
said
"Mary, would it were otherwise, for I
have nothing to live for now; the dead
and dying do not want anything in this
world, take this certificate of deposit to
our aged father, and tell our parents We
are both dead-but o do not tell bow
we died :"
Before the woman could reply or any
one interfere, the report of that pistol
sounded again, and the fratracide bad
ceased to live.
On the hill near Rincom Point were
two graves, a few years ago, enclose d
with white fence, and one tombstone
stood at their head with the simple in
I'D ~ N