Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-08-15

ley, with the newspaper in his hand
and morsel of dry toast in his
mouth. "A mutable world, this!
A dreadful railroad accident-and
my old friend, Murray Jones, kill
ed! Well, well, there's a rich
young widow for somebody! Pm
not marrying man, but if were
No, no, its hardly worth running
the risk. I wonder how Erie is to-
day?"
And Mr.. Sapley who really be-
lieved himself one of Murray Jones'
best friends, finished his breakfast
without the least loss of appetite.
Meanwhile, Murray Jones him
self read his name in the list of EN-
stantly Killed." with a curious
creeping sensation tickling down
the small of his back.
"Humph!' he muttcred to him
self; "this is a treat that don't often
happen to man-to read of his
own death! a lucky thing that !
remembered my red-leather pocket
book, and got off the train at the
draw-bridge! Otherwise l should
have been cold and quiet enough by
this time. l must go to New York at
once. Essie believes herself a Wild
ow. Poor child! perhaps she is or
dering her mourning even now!"
And an odd, ghastly sort of
change came over the face of the
pretended dead man.
"Free!" he groaned. "She fan
cies herself free! And perhaps she
is glad of it! Sapley was right. l
never should have married her.
But l loved her-oh, God, l loved
her!-and I love her still"
He burird his face in his hands
for one minute-a shiver thrilled
through his frame.
"Essien' he cried aloud-''Essie,
l cannot rest! l must 60 to meet my
fatew
twas twilight when Murray Jones
ascended his own door-step-twi-
light of July evening, with a pur-
pie glow along the western horizon
and the gas-lamps flickering down
the street, with yellow sickly lustre.
Black Grape streamed from the bell
handle.
A red-eycd servant girl opened
the door as his footsteps sounded on
the threshold.
"Have they brought the remains?'
she sobbed Historically.
At the same instant, a pnffy-faced
individual in cloth shoes and soft
hat with a bundle of samples Of bonn
bazines, Grape and grenadines un-
der his arm, shufiled forward.
"Go away, my good friend," said
he. "The widow can't be seen.
She's quite overcome! I am in
charge here!-Mr. Mousey of the
firm Of Muff g. Mousey, Funeral Ha-
biliments, Mourning Goods, ETC.,
etc. IT you've any particular bust
ness, please walk into the parlor
and be seatcdp'
And Murray Jones allowed him
self to be pushed into his own dark
encd drawing-room, where two or
three gentlemen were drinking his
pale sherry and twenty-year-old
port as if they enjoyed 1t.
every sad" said his partner,
Philo Popkins, In lugubrious tone.
''But what a comfort to think he's
in a better land!"
"Mrs. Jones will be very rich,
said Sapley, holding out his glass to
be retilled.
"Oh, she'll marry again. said
Popkins. 81 wish my Julius was
ten years older. Ha! Ha! Hal!
"Jones was an old fool" said Mr.
Moses Jefferson. "What could ht
expect? She never cared for him
Well, l don't care if do take hall
glass more"
Crash went the winc-glass in g
score of glittering splinters, as a
tall, slight figure, all in black, stood
before them, her golden hair CLEAN
ing faintlyin the dusk, her eyes
shining like hazel stars.
"How dare you speak thus?" she
exclaimed, in voice choked by
sobs. 81 command you to be silent
My husband was the noblest, trues
of men, and loved him! l shall
love him always! Henceforward
my heart is buried in his grave. !
was poor and unfriended; but he
took me to his heart and enriched
me with his love. Twas not worthy
Of it; but-but now that he is gone,
l feel how much he was to me. Oh
if he could but come back"
Her voice broke down in sobs.
Messrs. Sapley, Popkins and Jeffer
son edged backward toward the
door, all three looking excessively
awkward and uncomfortable, and
and the shadowy figure in the back.
ground rose and opened its arms.
"Essie! my Essie! l am net dead!
l have come back to you! Ga, my
wife, God help me to be more worty
Of you"
x X -
"I'll never believe in the newspa.
pers againv' croakcd Mr.. Simon
Sapley; "nor in human nature! Jones
ought to have been killed. And that
pretty wife of his ought to have
been glad of it! Things are all up.
side down in the world, I do be.
level"
THE LIGHT BRIGADE.
Truth About the Famous Charge In.
to tho Mouth Of He'll"
At last we have a historical blum.