The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-08-21

and only wanted rest.
Her reply was:
Hannah, show the gentleman to
the blue room, and make q fire.
was in the blue room, the scene Of
the three sudden death or murders,
1t was small apartment, painted
blue. It had also blue window cur
tains, and blue silk coverlet on the
bed; a neat striped carpet, a set of
old mahogany furniture, and very
handsome ever and a basin of costly
China. 1t was at the time almost a
universal custom to burn wood. In
this room, however, was a small coal
fire. l alluded to this as Hannah
came in with the scuttle.
eyes, SIR she said, "missuss does
burn coal. Her son is clerk, OF
the like, at the new mines at Mauch
Chunk, and he sends it cheap to
her; but it it's nasty, dirty smelling
thing, and I hate it. Now it's built
and lit; twill warm up in fifteen
minutes. 1t takes longer than wood.
She went out of the door and
came back in minute with little
tray on which stood pot and a cup
and saucer, also q bowl and tiny
pitcher, and something in napkin,
"NIiss sent a bit and sip," said
she ssTea rests lis old folks might.
ly. Good night
Good night" I said, 81 expect
I shall sleep soon; l must be W
very early, though, for have bills
to pay. l have some hundreds oi
dollars with me to pay out to-mor'
row, andit's in this bag"
She looked at me in queer sor
of way, and fingered beside me-
At last she spoke
"Looh ye, sir; I think that ole
folks OF your age do wrong to loci
doors on themselves. You might b'
ill at night, and who'd get in to you
Leave your door unlocked" "
Was it this woman's practice tt
beg travellers who stopped with he
mistress not to lock the door? Wa
there some baneful potion in the cul
she had given me?'
1t was an innocent-looking cul
enoueh--an old-fashioned affair
covered with little gilt sprigs. Th
tea was fragrant Hyson; but the sus
picion that had crept into my min
had tainted it. l tancied strang
color, a curious smell. put it fror
me, and would not have tasted it fo
a kingdom.
l had not intended to sleep, and
did not undress myself. / merel
removed my disguise, and sat dow
beside the table, witt my pistols bC
side me. That some attempt migl
be shortly made to murder me | te
to be possible. l thought Of all til
old tales that I had heard of tral
doors and siding panels, and secrt
, entrances to travellers rooms. L WI
not coward, but I felt strangeI
, nervous; and singularly enough fC
d man in my perfect health my han(
were growing cold, and my feet we,
Jumps of ice, while my head WI
burning hot.
, Fifteen minutes had passed, al
the fire was kindled; but the roo
t was not warm. The blue fam
. struggled among the black coal
t and flung forked tongues tipped WI
yellow tints, into the room. The
[ was nothing cheerful about the stoy
though 1t was of that open style nc
0 called Franklin. Yet drew che
r toward it from habit, and sat wi
e my feet upon the hearth. l do n
n know how long l sat there. Sudde
: " / became aware that | was II
n myself. was losing my sense
9 If unseen hands had been clasp
: about my neck, and an unseen kn
h had been pressed against my che
J. my sensations could not have be
= different.
S A thought of the evil spirit, viii
l my friend had suggested, faint
|. struggled into my mind. AS l sta
= gered to my feet a noise like t
IS roaring of the sea was in my ear.
e The flames of the candle turned tt
1t great yellow blue. l barely retain
/, strength enough to stagger to I
st window and fling it open, l
, fresh, cold winter air rushed in at
1t gave me intense pain, but it
T. lieyed me. In a moment more v
le able to Chamber out Of it upon
IS shed below.
h There [ remained until the di
ct dawn. With my returning sen
e. the truth came to me That VIII
had murdered the three men "
I slept before me in the blue chaml
t. was nothing more or less than
coal stove.
~ It was provided with what is cal
u damper, and this being canght i
a manner which closed it sent the ?
f. eon9us gas into the room. 1t l
~ been kindled as a wood fire wot
~ have been at the hour Of retiring,
Of one ignorant of the danger posi-
* from coal gas, and they had 81
l never to awaken. Had / thrown !
a self upon the bed, l also should h
.ir been found dead at daylight, in.
human probability.
le \. As for the fact that neither doc
~ ~ nor coroner discovered the trutl
u have but to say that they were
r deeply scientific men-that c
! stoves were scarcely used in
es e., place and that it had not been IN
~ toned that the blue chamber
- thus heated.
nd OF course / rejoiced the househ
m by my discovery next morning,
equally, OF course, Madame Matte
~ who was not only freed from SUI
jr cion. but became the object Of l
~ ~ yersal sympathy. She was alw
- ,,,.,4er,,l Ia me and ghe proved