The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-06-02

thlnK L nave right to live in it, | shall
be most happy to convince you of the
fact at daybreak tomorrow, with gun
sword, or pistol" Major Vernon wa.
precisely the man to keep his word; tn,
few persons who had entered his lodg
ings reported that his bedroom rcsem
bled an armory, SO fully was it furnish
cd with all sorts of murderous weapons
Notwithstanding this he seemed very
respectable sort of man, regular in his
habits, punctual in his payments, and
fond of smoking excellent cigars, sent
him, he used to say, by friend in Ha-
wanna. lie was tall, very thin, bald
and always dressed in black his nous
taches curled to point, and he invaria.
bly, wore his hat cooked over his right
ear. In the evenings he used to frequent
the public reading-rooms of the town
but he never played at any game, OF
conversed with the company, remaining
absorbed in his newspaper until the
clock struck ten, when he lit his cigar,
twisted his moustache, and with stiff,
silent bow, took his departure. Itsome-
times happened that one of the company
bolder than the others, said: "Good-
night, Maiorr' Then the Major would
stop, fix his gray eye on the speaker,
and reply: Goodnight, monsieurp p'
but in so rude and angry a tone that the
words sounded more like malediction
than apolite salutation. twas remarked
that whoever thus ventured to address
the Major was, during the remainder of
the evening, the victim of some strange
ill-luck. He regularly lost at play, was
sure to knock his elbow through hand
some lamp or vase, or in some way to
get entangled in misadventure. So
firmly were the good townsfolk persuad-
ed that the Major possessed an evil eve,
that their common expression, when
any one met with Il misfortune, was
4" He must have said goodnight to the
Major"
This mysterious character dined every
day at the ordinary of the Crown Hotel,
and although habitually silent, seemed
usually content with the fare. One day,
however, after having eaten some bread
soup, he cast his eye along the table,
frowned, and calling the host, said !:
" How comes it that the dinner to-day
is entirely meagre ?"
Monsieur no doubt forgets that this
is Good Friday"
"Send me up two mutton chops"
"Impossible, Major; there is not an
ounce of meat to be had at any butchers
in the town."
Let me have some fowl"
"That is not to be had either"
"What set of fools !" exclaimed the
Major, striking his clcnched hand on the
table with such force that the bottles
reeled and rocked just as if all the wine
in their bodies had got into their heads.
Then he called the waiter, and said,
g Baptiste, go to my lodging, and bring
me the inlaid carbine which hangs over
my pillow"
The poor host tremblcd, and grew
very pale when Baptiste returned with
a -barrelled gun, beautifully in
laid with silver. The Major coolly eX-
lmined the locks, put on flesh caps,
cooked both barrels, and walked out,
followed at a respectable distance by
the guests and inmates of the hotel. Not
far off stood an old ivy-mantled church,
whose angular projections were haunted
ms In a.,
out of the turret just rs the Major came
up and took aim for a double shot.
Down tumbled both the unclean birds
1t his feet.
"'Sacre bleu" said he, picking them
up. 81 am regularly sold-they're quite
ean."
He returned to the hotel, and accord
ng to his express orders, one mOiety of
1f his ill-omened booty was dressed in
, savory stew, and the other simply
roasted. OF both dishes he partooll so
heartily that not vcstige of either re-
and he declared that he had
never eaten more relishing food. From
that day the Major became an object of
to some, of terror to Others,
Of curiosity to all. Whenever he ap-
Deared ON the public promenade every
1ne avoided him; at the theatre his box
was generally occupied by himselfa alone,
md each old woman that met him in
he street invariably stopped to cross her.
self. Major Vernon was never known
% enter church or accept an invita-
ion at first he used to receive good
many of these, and the perfumed billets |
served him to light his cigars.
Such, then, was the thirteenth juror
drawn in the cause Of Pierre Granger,
md it may easily be understood why |
he audience were moved at hearing the |
name of Major Vernon. The paper of
Notwithstanding drawn up
~ the Attorney-General with force |
md particularly of description which
Mortified the ladies present, was read
'mid profound silence, broken only by |
5he snoring of theprisoner, who had cool
y settled himself to sleep. The gen
iarmes tried to rouse him from his sslum- !
'er, but they merely succeeded in making
lim now and then half open his dull,
'rutish eyes. When the clerk had ceased |
o read Pierre Granger was with diff
'ulty thoroughly awakened, and the
president proceeded to question him.
me interrogatory fully revealed, in all
Is horror, the thoroughly stupid fiend-
shnesS OF the wretch. lie had killed |
Ills wife, he said, because they couldn't