The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-04-22
Vol. x.


Before I could say a word or
lit finger to stop him, he rapid
ly slided past me to the table on
which the lamp stood. With a
nlmbleness which rooted me to
the spot in apprehension, he Whip.
ped of the shade, then the old
burner. In one minute the lamp
was ruin. ''lt is i mercy Of Pro.
Vldence, sir, that l have happened
to call"
"Stop!;' [ called. ;'Replacc ev-
erythlOg as it was instantly"
"The number OF cases of prema,
ture blindness" he calmly proceed.
ed, "that I have had the gratifica-
tion Of preventing, makes my la
Dor L most pleasant one"
"Thinking he might be deaf, |
0awled. Il don't want your burn.
err; | won't have it. Take it off. "
For he was twirling the new one
in its place.
"There, sir, You will feel thank
ful to me as long as you live The
only thing that troubles me in the
matter is | know | am running the
spectaclc-maker$.'
"Do you hcar?" l asked, Il
shall not pay you for it,"
He struck very effective atti-
tune. "Payment! Of what cou-
sequence is that? | could not
remove that inestimable burner
for any amount Of money, when
the alternative is the ruin of your
valuable cyesight. No, sir; your
eyes are worth many valuable
burners. | make you a present
Of it willingly. l am poor man,
under heavy travelling expenses,
and have family in want" lie
sighed. "But duty shall he done.
The price is twenty cents. I
know you will regret this momen-
tary harshness in the long years
TO come, when you are enjoying
the benefits Of that burner. But
that is not my affair, though ! am
sorry to think oft. Coed morning.
Sir. If at any time: no matter at
ter how long an interval, by some
inconccivable accident anything
should become out Of order in it,
you will find the name of the
manufacturer stamped on the side.
Be good enough to drop Il line to
their we'll known house ut Phila-
delphia, and a man will instantly
be sent to attend to it,"
II was beaten. This offer to
send a man from Philadelphia to
New York, after the lapse of years.
to put a gratuitously bestowed
gas-burner to rights, was too
much for me. | had. to make a
purchase.
Your experience of visitors in
an Office, however, is not always
so light i character as this. In
my younger days I had one OF
quite q different sort.
1t was past the dusk Of a gloomy
winters day. The inner door
somehow abruptly op ened:
thought by the wind. But in a
moment l was undece;ved. A
ghastly-lookiug elderly man ap-
peared in the aperture. What l
had thought was the noise Of a
gust Of wind, ~as heavy groan
that had burst from his laboring
bosom. 1t was repeated, as he
stood there.
Don't disturb yourself, sir" he
faltcred. This is a liberty,
know, but necessity has no choice.
| have found this world too hard
place I can bear it no longer.
In a perfect stranger such as [ am,
this may seem presumptuous; but
every one has a privilege in his
last moments. regret to dis
turb one who evidently has a feel
ing heart" He staggered a pace
aside laying hold Of the mantel.
piece to steady himself. "Fifty
cents would have postponed it in-
definitely, but l find that even 50
small sum is hopeless. I have
ventured to come here, sir, to die"
looking from one to another of
two chairs to see which would
best suit his purpose. He select
ed the one to the left hand, sink
ing slowly into it, becoming paler
every second.
was horri6ed. No doubt the
man had taken poison. A view OF
the coroncr'sinquest started before
nc: the body would most likely
have to remain there upon my
premises till the inquiry was held
1t was awful. Rally YOURSELF -
| said !; "a doctor shall be sent for"
His voice gre u fainter. ::At No
l3 Mechanics alley you will find
four small children; I commend
them to you. They have no mo-
Their: I wish thev were more