North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-04-10


Norman bad little care for money. Be-
fore the advent of Amy, / had Supplied him
freely tn the means of gratifying bis tastes
But when | found that he expended his al
loWance in presents for his fair cousin, on
the plea of hard necessity restricted his
snpplies,and finally limited him to pit
tance, which was only feeble regard for
the memory our iuduIgent mother forced
me to grant.
One day-I remember it well--he came
to me with JOY depicted on bis countenancs
and displayed recent purchase, the fruits
of his rigid economy. 1t was fine rife
and ne urged me and ANY to come and
see him make trial of the weapon. re-
buked him for his extravaganza with a
sharpness that brought tears to his eyes
but | consented to witness the trial. His
first shot centered the targrt. He loaded
again, and handed the weapon to me My
bullet was no where to he found. Norman's
shot Tapped his first Mine WAS again wide
of the mark. Norman laughed thought
lessly. Amy looked grave, for with wo
mans quickness she had guessed at the
truth ot my feelings. cut the scene short
bv summoning them both to their studies.
That morning Norman, whose thoughta
were with his rife. bIundered sadly in his
mathematics. aud rebuked him with more
than my usual asperity.
BE it understood that nv character stood
high with the world. | was not distin
gnished in p.blic life, and had the rare
good fortune to c"ncil ate both parties.
WAS working man in many charitable
and phlanthr"pic societies. was mem
Der of church. one looked up to as a
mod Of piety. As a husband and broth
er, was held as an example, had a large
capital of character, could deal in crime
to an unlimited amount.
Some days af er the occurrence just re-
lated, | was alone with my brother in the
library.
"Come, Norman" said /, ''leave these
stupid books. Study is poor business
for young free he.rt like yours. Leave
books for old age anJ rhumatism."
Norman spraug up joyonsly. "With
all my heart, brother. I'm with you for
gaIlop or rambIc."
I'm not a horseman, and an Indifferent
walker" answered "W hat d. you say
to- little rifle practice. should like to
t t. me d my luck
Norman's rifle was in his hand in mo
m-nt aid whistling his favorite spaniel, he
sailed forth with me into the bright sun>hi-
nv autumual day. We tied to hollow
III the woods where he had set mp target
| He made the fire shot "A splendid one--
and then reloaded the rifle.
TAX care" said he, chow you handle
the trigger; you know the lock is an easy
one--I am going tn have it altered" And
he went forward to set the target firmer IN
the ground, as the shot had shaken it.
He WAS twenty pac s off--hIs back to
me. | lifted the rife, aud covered him
with both sights 1t was the work of
MON ut. My hand touched the trigger
\ sharp report follnwcd--the puff of blue
, su oke whrled upward--and my brother
fell headIong to the ground. The bullet
had gone crashing through his skull. He
never moved.
revuI>ion of feeling instantly followed.
All the love of former yearS--al the tender
passages of our boyhood--ru>hed thronga
my brain in an instant. / few to him an
raised him from the earth. At sight of
his long bright locks, dabbled in warm
| blood, [ shrieked in despair.-A mother
bewaiing her first born could not have felt
her loss more kernly, or mourned 1t more
wildly. Two or three woodmen rushed to
the ~pot. They saw, as they supposed the
story at glance. One of those accidents
ST. common to the careless use of fire arms
and | was proverbicalIy unacquainted
with their use-had produced the catasro-
phe. We were borne home. for had
taiIted, and was cold and lifeless as my
/ victim. What passed during day or two
scarcely remember. Something of strange
people in the house, of disconnected words
Of sympathy, of c"ffin, funeral, pilgri-
mage to the woodland cemetery, where
my wife slept, are all that memory records
of those days.
Then resumed the full possession of
my senses. Amy's pale face aud shadowy
form were all that were left of her--my
brorher'S seat a: the table and the freside
were empty! But his clothes. his pic
lures, his riding cap and spurs, thousand
trlhes scattered round, called uD his dread
image every day to the fratricide. His dog
left the house every morning and came
not back till evening. One day he was
found dead in the graveyard where his
master bad been laid.
Amy cInng to me with despairing love.
She would talk of the lost one. She would
find every day i'll me some resemblance 10
INN. Perhaps she would have welded in
me the memory of the departed. But that
thought WAS too horrible, loved her no
longer. ....
Friends came to condole with me.
Every word of sympathy was barded
arrow. | could bear it no longer. Con-
science stung me not to madness, but con-
frsslon. Ireptlled sympathy. i solicited
d-nuuciation. | told them was nv broth