The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-24

Iours aitpr Lne traveller had received
his supper, and when the whole house was
in slumber, the bell of No. 3 rang; as it
brought no response To the summons, it
was rung again more violently still it. was
unanswered. Then it was rung very loud,
disturbing half the sleepers in the house,
and in few minutes the porter was heard
shuiilng through the passage-ways to the
strangers door. He opened 1.-THE occu-
pant of the room was seated ut the table,
on which were his pistols, bags of gold, aud
writing materials.
Send the landlord here said he
IL" has gone to bed: sir, replied the
porter.
Send the landlord here repeated the
stranger. IN II i"n'l, fierce tone.
The porter completely astonislcd, hur.
ricd 10 his masters room, and related what
had transpircd. E'lmand's quickly dressed
himself, and went to his guests room,
whom he found standing with his back to
the fire, and pistol IN his hand.
John Edmandsn cried the stranger, ms
that gentleman entered his room; then he
sank powcrlcss into a chair, and his pistol
dropped from his hands to the floor.
Wynall for Gods sake. how came YOU
here 2 asked EImands, rs he bent over his
companion, and cndcavorcd to restore him.
At length WynalI opened his eyes and
looked round the room, first at the table,
then at the bed, then at the fire; then mur
INJURED:
No, It's not a dream, tits reality,'-thcn
looking at Edmands, he added: %, my
God, forgive me, forgive me!
And this old, grayl,aired villain bowed
his head to his hands, and shed big, scald-
ing tears of penitcncc.
lie remained in this position some time {;
finally rasting his eyes, he glanced at the
pistol, which was lying on tie floor where
he had dropped it; then picking the wea-
pom up, he walked to the table, and point
| ing to a CHAIR, said
sit down, Edmands; have something
to tell you
Ema"ds took the seat designated, and
he commenced
1 need not revert to my running away
from NV York; you remember as well as
ME, when | absconded and ruined others
beside YOU was born a bcggar, and bred
m'ser. and i'll my hoyhood days chose
for my god-gold! When induced YOU
to invest your money with me, did not
intend to rob you, only to get the profits of
your dollars; but the crisis came, and l
feared bankruptcy. dreaded being poor
man SO took your gold, my gold, the
gold of others, and fled, thinking that with
1t icoulI buy pleasure live happy.
but was mistaken; the past few years of
my hf' have been years of misery-deep
unutterable misery! If attempt to res,
my wear'ed self with sleep, a thousand hor
rid dreams torture rather than refresh me.
Ii remain awake, almost 20 mad with
pain. In vain would fly from the blight
ing dcmon-it follows me like scourge.-
Fifty times have l put this pistol to my
head, to blow my brains TO the air; fifty
times has fear taken it away, and preserved
me Tor lorlncnts worse than those of hell
cameto this house to commit suicide, and
III this room, tonight shall die.
Keep your scat, john he said, as Ed
ma"ds WAS about stepping 10 the door,
lis but the work OF an instant, and, be
fore you could raise an alarm, NV brains
would h" >laitcrcd over the ceiling and
walls, L" those bags are gold-enough, l
believe, to pay for what wronged you out
Of; on the table is Il letter for you, for |
did not expect to find you here, but called
The landlord to give him my Instructions
lie had spoken very firm till now, but his
voice trembled as he said: Come, Edmands,
shake hands and forgive me before I go.'
Edmands took the proffered hand, say
ing:
Edward WynalI, fully and freely for
give you; but you surely will not commit
SO great u SIN against your God, as to take
your own life
The report of the pistol was the only
answer. He had placed the muzzlc to his
mouth and fred, even while Ed,nands was
speaking. The report echoed through, the
passages and halls, and one after another
of the boarders and travellers rushed, half:
dressed, to the chamber of death. There
lay Wynall. weltering in blood, his pistol
still in his hand, while over him knelt the
landlord. -
On the morrow, az inquest was held on
the suicides body, and it was consigned to
the ground. In a few weeks, Edmands sold
his property, which had increased greatly
in value on his hands, and started for New
York. A meeting of the former creditors
l-fk kTI