The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-01-29
GneGttdtf4ente9,,:
PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE.
ny CHARLES IGEADE.
AutAOr q i" Foul IsGv." " GrtNM Gaunt," &c,



CHAPTER xxx.
In that Ut Of London called "the City
are shadf lie streets, that look like pleas
ant r: real ifdg the busy, noisy world
yet arc strOngholds Of business
One Of these contained, and perhaps still
contains, a public office full Ofsecrets. sOnl'
droll, soFne sad, some terrible. The build
ing hu,l a narrow, insignificant front, bu
was of great depth, and itssouth side light
cd by large bay windows all stone ant
plate glass; and these were open to thu
sun and air, thanks TO u singular neighbor
here, in the heart Of tho City, was wcdget
little rustic church, with It's churchyard
whose bright green grass first startled
then soothed and refreshed tho eye, II
that wilderness Of stone; an emerald set II
granite: tho grass flowed up TO tho sOutl
wall Of the "OfllCc;" those massive stOn'
windows hung over tho graves; the plum
cd clerks could not look out Ofwindow ant
doubt that all men are mortal: and tn
article tue Office sold was Immortality.
II was the GOsshawk Life Insurance.
On certain afternoon anterior 10 tht
HillSbOrough scenes last presented, thu
plumcd clerks were all At the south win
lOws, looking at funeral in the ltttl'
ChurChyard, and passing some curious r.
marks; for know that the deceased was In
sured In the Gosshawk for nine hundret
pounds, and had paid but one premium.
The filcts, rs FIR us known, were these
Alr. Richard Martin, d LIOndOnGr by birth
but residing in Wales. went up to London
to visit his brother. Toward the end o.
the visit the two Martins went up tlt
river in boat, with three more friends
and dined at Richmond. They rOwet
back in the cool of tho evening: at start
ing they were merely jOvial; but they
stopped at nearly oil the public house:
by tho watcr.side, and, by visible
grnlations, become jOlly-uproarlOus-
sung song caught crabs. At Vaux.
hall they got u friendly warning, and
laughed at It under Southwark bridge
they run against IN abutmcnt, and vert
upset In a moment II was not dusk, and
according to their ownacCOunt, they Ill
lost sight Of each other in the water. Ono
swan ashore NJ NliddleseX, another III
Surrey, third to. got the chains Of n barge
and was taken up much exhausted, and
Robert Martin hid hold Of the buttrcss
itselG,and cried loudly for assistance. They
asked anxiously after each other, but thcir
anxiety appeared " subside In IN hour or
two, when they found there was nobody
missing but Richard Martin. Robert told
the police 1t was oil right, Dick could
swim like cork. However, next morn
Ing he came with II sorrOwful face to say
that his brother had not appeared, and
begged them to drug the river This
was done, and body found, which
tho survivors and Mrs. Richard Martin
disOwncd.
The insurance office was informed, and
looked into the matter and Mrs. Martin
told their agent, with flood Of tears, SHE
believed her husband had taken that OPP.
porlunity TO desert her, anl was moi
drowned Mt all. OfcOurse this went to
the office directly.
But q fortnight afterwards Il body was
found in tho water, down at Wool
witch, cntanglcd in some PUSHES by the
water.si1G.
Notice was given to all the survivors.
The friends Of Robert Martin came
and said the clothes rcsenhled those worn
by Richard Martin; but beyond that
they could not be positive.
But, when tie wife came, she recognize
cd the body ut once.
The brother agreed with her; but, OF
account Of the bloatel and dlScOlOrcd con
ditiOn of the face, asked TO have the teeth
examined: his poor brother, he said, hNd d
front tooth broken short in two. Thil
broken tooth was soon found; also u pencil
case, and u key, in the pocket Of the dc
ceased; these completed the Identification
IN to this moment the conduct Of Rich
ard Martins relatives and friends had beer
sigularly apatlictic; but all was chang
cd; they broke into loud lamentations, and
he became the best Of husbands, hest Of
men: his lightest words were sacred. Rob
ert Martin now remembered that "pOOI
Dick" had stood and looked into That little
churchyard and said, IF you Outliye me
Bob, burylne inthis spot; filthcr lies here. y
So Robert Martin went Ia the church.
warden for leave to do this Inst sui office
The church. warden refused, very proper
liz, hut tile brothers enreatics, tho wild
ows tcars; tho tragedy itself, anil other In
tluenccs, extOrtcd Ut lust II reluctant con
sent, coupled with certain saIlatory Condi'
tons.
The funeral was conducted unOblrllsive'
w, and the grave dug out Of sight Of the
GoShawk. But Of course It could moi
long, observation; that Is 70 say, II
was seen by the clerks; hut the tlircct0rs
and manager were all seated round Il great
table upstairs absorbed in vital question
viz, whether or not the GOSSlawk should
initiate some other companies, and insure
against, fire as well rs death. 1t was tllC
Third and lust discussion; the minority
against this new operation was small, but
obstinate and warm, and the majority so
absorbed In bringing them to reason, that
nobody went 10 the window until the vote
Ind passed and the GOsshawk was Life
ind Fire Insurance. Then some Of the
gentlemen rose and stretched their logs
and detected the luglIbriOlS cnOrmity
"IIallO" cried Mr.. Garden, and rang Il
hell. Edwards, al old clerk, appeared
md, In reply to Mr.. Garden, told him II
was one Of their losses being buried
Richard Martin.
Mr.. Garden said this WINS an insult to the
office, and sent Edwards out To rcln0n'
StrNtc. l..,,
Edward sOOns rcappared with Robert
Martin, who represented, with the utmost
humility, that It was the wish Of the de-
ceased, and they Ind buried him, as order.
ed, in three feet Of charcoal.
"What, Is the ceremony perionncdy
"Ycs, sir, all hut filling in the grave.
Come and see the charcoal"
"IIang the charcoal" r- N.F
SWELL" said u humane but somewhat
ponpouS director, "if the. ceremony has
gone 80 iilr-but Mr.. Martin, this must
never rcCur, charcoal, or no charcoal"
Mr.. Martin promised II never should :
and was soon ailer observed in the church.
yard urging expedition. -
y mn o