The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-09-21
OUGHT NOT TO HAVE DONE IT.

I know that there are many cold
blooded and obtrusively-moral people
who would have called it n cruel and
criminal net, yet I cannot help regret
ting that did not do it. I doubt if any
court of Justice. in view of my extreme
provocation, would have found me
guilty of any thing worse than justifable.
temporary insanity; and am confident
that all right. minded men, after hearing
the story of my wrongs, will fully agree
with me TINT ought to have done it.
The circum stances of the affair cannot
be presented in all their enormity unless
the peculiar relation in which T stood
toward Dick Farrell is first fully under
stood. It will, therefore. be necessary
to go back to the period of my first
acquaintance with that individual. I
met him in this wise: Undoubtedly you
remember the rocky ravine in which is
situated the little town of st. Jean de
Maurienne. formerly the terminus on
this side of Mont Gents Of the railway
from Paris to Turin. had reached this
place one morning, on my way to Italy,
and found that, owing to some acci-
dental delay, no diligence would start to
cross the mountain until evening. Con-
sequently, having several hours at my
disposal, devoted them to an explora-
tion of the valley, and finally attempted
to climb the steep face of the Northern
side of the ravine. Now, had never
been good climber, even in my boy
hood, and, as I was at this time more
than-well, as I was in the primo of
manhood, ) at all events-I ought to have
known better than to have made the
attempt. However, did not know bet
ter, and 80 laboriously climbed up the
precipice until found myself on the
narrow ledge. where further progress
upward became impossible. To nv
great annoyance. found, too, that
could not retrace my steps, since any
attempt to look down into the valley,
which lay some 200 feet below, made me
excessively giddy. At this distance of
tlme, lSm willing to confess that was
decidedly heightened as thought of the
propaolit1 of remaining hopeless
prisoner, starVlag to death in full sight
OF the hotei'-which had nm excellent
1Gote 0hote-and of She railway station.
nope, winch we are led to believe
springs eternal in the auman breast,
fortunately inspired mo with, the happy
thought of firing my revolver ,,a 8 signal
OF distress: No sooner had acte1 upon
this idea, than the entire population of
ously aware of my position, and flocked
to the foot OF the precipice, to watch my
anxiously expected fall; Owing either
to their natural stupidity, or their re-
luctance to spoil prospe tive tragedy.
these people did not mako the slightest
effort to rescue me. Finally, after they
had waited two hours in the vain hope
that would lose my foot-hold, they set
up an idiotic shout ut tho appearance of
ayoung man, carrying coil of rope on
his shoulder. Presently he disappeared,
followed by tho greater part of the
crowd, and was about to resign myself
to despair, and an utterly hopeless at
tempt to Chamber down the rock, when
was delighted by the re-appearance of
the young man, who landed suddenly
beside me, having been let down by q
rope from the top of the precipice.
"Now, old boy" he remarked with in
decent familiarity, as he unfastened the
rope from about his waist, 'let me just
fasten this round you, and You'll be all
right in couple of minutes. Tell them