Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-04-03


fetch you. A fearful accident has just
happened. Dr. Atwick-"
"What 2" I asked, while shudder
through me.
s'Is already dead, and as I have told
you, by an accident as horrible as it
was unforeseen. Jones was with him in
his office, and they had risen to omeup
here, when Atwick ex5inguished his
lamp, and turning suddenly, stepped
out of the window instead OF the door,
and fell upon the rocks below. He was
a dead man when Jones got down to
him"
my God, how horrible !" ~
&C was at the scene of the catastro
phe in a few moments. And there,
laid out already with the grim formali-
ties of death I gazed upon the dead
body Of my friend Atwick, whom / had
beheld but few hours before in the
perfection of hea1th-a nangied bloody
corpse lying still upon the pavement,
with a crowd of people gathered, like
ghostly statues, in the twilight about
it, Some of the men had already con-
structed litter. was requested as I
knew Mrs. Atwick, perhaps better th n
any one in the village, to hasten on be-
fore, and break the hideous truth to
her as gently as [ could. [ shrank
back appalled,. Demurred and fearful,
I should positively have declined this
painful duty of friendship but for the
temporary absence of our rector, and
the necessity of speedy action in some
one. The statement of great writer
that there is something not altogether
unpleasant to us in the misfortunes of
our dearest friends, is rank libel upon
even medium human nature. [ should
not have been more distressed if Mary
Atwick. the woman to whom [ was 60
ing on such an errand, had been my
own sister. And yet my acquaintance
with her was very slight. She was
anything but a popular woman she
had mingled but little with the people
of the village, and had thus
remained without friends, while
Atwick himself had been
universal favorite. [ had visited his
house on more social terms than any one
else, believe, and though had never
naughty reserve, / had every reason to
believe that Atwick was devotedly at
tached to her and his children. If,
however, [ had known it to be other
wise-if, they had been to each other
objects Of mutual Indifference, or some
times even of aversion, should [ not
still have hesitated to break the quiet
of household with tidings of such a
death to one of it's members Yet, I
was stricken with a dumb sort of amaze
ment that / had realized nothing of my
position, and Ind not thought of
what | was to say-even when | found
my hand upon the gate of the yard in
closure. All at once, however, sense
of what [ had come to do struck terror
to my soul, and the same shudder I had
experienced in my Office thrilled me
from head to foot. There was no lights
about the house as [ went up the gravel
walk. But [ thought some one had
come on the same errand, as [ saw the
| figure of a man going up before me. [
/ paused an instant on the threshold of
! the pOrtico, waiting for the figure, with
its back turned toward re, to lift the
knocker to strike for admission, when
the door flew open with sound, and
the person entering revealed to me, my
] 0Ou-UllS DlOOu-Sbdlu6u lodtuI6S Vi
/ Fenton Atwick himself
How, howl" [ cried, "have you
recovered sufficiently to get here before
me, and alone 2"
/ It moved toward the door of an inner
/ room, beckoning to me with his multi
ated, bloody hand. And voice that
should have known, without the
words, belonging to nothing mortal,
said slowly: &C [ am here in the spirit,
before you, Jerry my body follows
on apace. Over it [ have no further
control. But, that thou doeth, do quick
ly,' or poor Mary's heart will be bro
ken"
[ was still looking, when the figure
-anished, as [ knew it would, and !
was again alone in the moonlight.
Wondering, amazed, everything but
frightened, [ paused a moment in
! umbfounded bewilderment There
was no stronger emotion in heart OF
mind than bitter, bitter sorrow for the
woman upstairs, as [ stepped back and
gave long loud rap upon the door.
A servant came to light the lamp in the
hall, and admitted me. Mrs. Atwick
came in moment. Her face was
winter than the gown she wore, as she
! looked at me.
"I was at the window upstairs,
when [ saw you come in at the gate
with DR.. Atwick beside you. Tell me
where he has gone -
[ tried to speak to her but [ could
not. My lips were still sealed, when
all at once she went down on her knees,
crying that " he was dead" She ask
ed no confirmation from me of the hor-
rible truth that had come upon her. I
never saw any creature go on as she
did in my life, and [ hope in Gods
mercy that [ nevermay. When Ispoke
to her at last, she rallied out at me "to
begone, and leave her alone, for [ had
murdered him ~ I think her mind had
entirely lost it's balance. [ knocked at
the door of the next house, and bade
the woman go to her, for [ could dc
nothing. They had taken her up stairs
when the heavy tramp of the men with
litter was heard without.
ssHe h a.s shown no symptoms of re-
turning consc iousness, [ suppose? y
[ said to Fleet.
Consciousness [ should say not,
when he was dead even before Jones
had lifted him from the earth" /
was answered. When the body was
laid out-in spite of the horror that
came overme by it's presence looked
at it. knew that he was dead, as dead
as you or [ will be when we have slept
under the sod thousand years. And
yet [ could not divest myself of the
idea that there was latent expression
of consciousness about the face. [ saw
it Though the CONCEALED blood upon
his temple-even after I had touched
his brow with my fingers, and found If
colder than the marble slab upon the
table close at hand. No wonder they
should tell me that [ was white and
sick Men have been as pale with fa1
less cause.
They sent Inc home with young
fellow named Compton. He and L and
some others were to sit up the next
night. [ had not slept one wink when
the day dawned again; but l was glad
to walk abOut beneath the light OF the