The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-07-06
A FATAL MISTAKE.

- -
There dwelt in California, some years ago
; three friends, wild fellows enough, who had
seemingly linked their fortunes for better OF
for worse, and who, whatever their luck, were
constantly in each others company.
These young men We're Charles Chester
Harry Bray and Edward Warren. They were
more brotherly than many brothers, more akin
than many kinsmen. True to each other even
when women and money were between them
Damon and Pythias, with twin Pythias add
ed Fora long time they had been very poor;
at last fortune favored them. Each had'a Ger.
tain sum, by no means contemplate, slowed
sway in the leathern belt he wore about his
waist Each carried a gold watch, and each
s$wore suit of clothes supposed by himself to
: be the latest style and choicest fashion. More
over, their revolyers were perfect, silyer-mount-
led, and rejoicing in multiplicity of barrels
for, without these it would be quite impossible
Z to maintain position in this quarter of the
world in any society. -
How they came by these possessions we will
not inquire too particularly. They were nei.
ther burglars nor highwaymen, but dice and
Z netting may have helped them to tho winning
: Of their little fortunes. They were not over
sscrupulous but they would have knocked
5 down any man who had neglected to address
them as gentlemen, and used those wonderful
revolver, promptly on any stranger" who OBJ
jected to drinking with them, and, consequent
! ly, stood rather high in the community. Ger
tainly,s In their conduct to each other they
were fauitlessly honorable and miraculously
generous.
One day, soon after aluck" had come to its
hand, to tClarles Chester, twas handed to that
member of the trio, in the presence of the
other tive. ghe young fellow seized it eagerly,
( tore it open, read it through, and, tearing of
bis belt, spread its contents before him upon
: the table, and counted it over. Having dene
SO, he burst into tears, and very unwisely and
!, profanely cursed himself for extravaganza, all
sorts of uncomfortable things here and hereaf-
ter, proceeding which seems to relieve some
men considerably, though why, it would puzzle
, the unenlightened to declare. The cause of all
this, as his comrades soon discovered, was that
his mother had written to him from her little
farm in q Southern State to tell him doleful
: tale of sickness, death among the stock, ETC.,
and final crash. A mortgage was almost due,
and, rs the old people would find it impossible
to meet it, they would be sold out and left
homeless In their old age. s1t will kill your
-father," wrote the mother, "and will die with
him.
HI did it all," said the young fellow, sobbing
openly. any debts and my wild ways incum.
bered them at first, and now look"
he pointed to the gold upon the table, and
began his profape litany again. The mortgage
was So, 900, and he had but $4,000.
lis that al p cried Ned Warren, hauling al
his belt
5 saGood heavensl What does he take us for p
cried Harry Bray, furiously. give hundred
apiece, and the expense of the journey are
about the figure. There, go to the old folks
Well see about your horse while you. pack YOU
hags."
This set the other at his oaths again; but il
), O. Joyful style this time. They we're trampl
and bricks, and by every thing he could think
Of he'd do it for them if there were any neec
of it.
- aHe'd pay them back, if he lived, and ther
he'd Bless then" and SO he choked off intt
sobs again, at which they left him to recover
returned with horse and well-flled. pocket
flask, and saw him set forth upon his mission al
though the cold folks" had been their old folk!
= TOO. -
They waited for news from him, but none
came. They waited quietly at first, then impa
tiently At last they heard this: He had never
been seen at home, or by any one who knew
him since the day on which they had shaker
hands with him. Some terrible fate had be-
fallen him in the lonely places over which hi
had joulneyed alone. To doubt him never on
tered their minds. That he was as true Il
them as they to him they well knew, and ont
thought filed each mind. They must discove
his fate, and, if it were what they supposed
ayenge him.
So, one bright morning. we'll mounted, vel
armed, and followed by a afavorite dog, a hound
which by NO means would be left behind tn,
"a rtl in of hoir lnot
They took the road he must have taken, ant
asked at every tavern and cabin for news o
him. One old man remembered him well
E, another. man pointed out the dangerous place
in the road leading past precipice to a man o
his lost friends description but ut that pcin
the clue was lost. After much travel ant
many inquiries, our comrades began to fea
that they should have paused to examine th
rocks and ravines at the foot of the precipic'
alluded to, ere they proceeded further, and de
termined to turn back and do so. They came
to this resolution about nightfall, and just n
they reached the borders Of little farm, which
bore evidence of careful tillage. Upon thi
land also stood n farm house, from the crevicc
in the shutters of which streamed long bars o
rnddy lamp-light, and whence the sound 0
music was plainly heard. 1t was the onl.
dwelling in sight.
eve will stay here" said one friend to an
other, "until dawn, and then return"
That the house was not an inn did not mat
ter to either of them. Hospitality was neye
refused in the land to any one at that day.
They rode boldly up to the gate and gave
loud halloo In an instant the door opened
and they could. see within sudden panic in
lively dance, as all heads turned to see wha
had caused this interruption.
"Can you let us sleep here to-night?" in
quired one of the friends, as one asks who fear
no refusal.
Certainly, gentlemen, ssid a pleasant voice