The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-02-20

"You don't often joke, SoI," said ]
pretty hravely. though I was trembling
like any number of aspens, "but O
course you're joking now, and it's rathe
late for joke, isn't it? Come alonI
home with me-"
"I'm not going your way now," h
answered.
"Shall you be home tonight ,"
| asked, try ing to finish up the scene il
my natural tones.
=" Tonight 1t is midnight now"
God bless my soul, is it really?"
exclaimed, not SO much surprised a!
ridiculously hurried and nervous un
der my brothers intent gaze.
Solomon had shivered as the worcs
passed my lips, and for the first time
he looked away.
Good night" he said in his slow,
absent way; and then think he added
three other words, which he often did
add to his good byes but he spoke SC
low that scarcely heard, and 1 felt SO
angry with him, too, that I didn't even
try to hear.
walked on moodily across the heath.
All the benign effects of JOS punch had
evaporated; /; all the pleasures of the
sport hal been swept away in one chill
blast /; the only definite idea that pos
sessed me was the determination not to
to buy my brother Solomon a new um-
brella.
l always carried my own key, and for
bade the servants to sit up for me, so
you may guess was surprised to find
my groom watching for me at the gate.
Walking, sir 2" he exclaimed, meet
ing me with hurried step and worried
face. 81 hoped you'd ride home, that
you might be the quicker at the par
sonage. They've sent for you twenty
times, at least, sir. Mr.. Solomon"
"I know" interrupted "Mr.
Solomon is missing. I've just met him.
I'll go and tell them so, for I'll be bound
the parish is all up in arms"
All the parish was up in arms, and
had all gathered at the parsonage, as it
seemed to me but-strangest of all
Solomon was there too; lying on his
narrow bed opposite the open window,
with the square of moonlit sky before
his closed eyes.
They told me something about a
swoon or some such womanish trick
and it may be true and it may not. At
any rate, l remember nothing after the
first few sentences they uttered. Sol
omon had been ailing for some time
SO the words went-and had felt worse
than usual that day, and lonely and
restless. Still he had insisted on
in the evening, and afterward
toiled up to my house to see if I had
just once he had risen ex-
citedly in bed, then his strength had
failed; and those who were listening
heard him bid his brother goodnight,
with the whispered prayer "God bless
you" Then he had lain quietly back
with his fading eyes upon that glimpse
of heaven beyond the lattice window,
and died quietly at midnight.
Why? The money? Don't ask me
what became of the money. Over these
five notes worried myself at last into
the most serious brain fever that ever
Elan came back from into life again.
They were gone. No trace could I ever
find of my old pocket book, though I
made it known that the numbers of the
notes had been taken. When had Of
fered ESQ reward and that did not bring
them doubled it and offered one hun
dred. Who would care to keep five
notes which were stopped, when they
could receive five available ones of
equal value by only bringing the worth
less old pocket to me? But no one
brought it, and then advertised anew,
offering 9150 reward for those five e20
notes. OF course, tried to make ont
that it was the old pocket-book that
set the value on, bat after all 1 didn't
much care who had the laugh against
me- if Il could only set this matter
straight, and give it en- air of daylight
reality. But no-that never brought
hem.
Another cock-fght? No, 1 never
saw another cock. Don't ask me any
more. It's fve-and-thirty years ago
of IL rest