The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-11-05

TO that awful hole, and thrust me over the
edge. have far greater dread of falling
from height than of any other kind OF
death. even that by fire. Ii is very foolish
and illogical, for such an ending must be
painless; but It Is not matter of reason.
The causeis purely physical, and has some
thing to do with the brain or stomach.
have often experimental upon myself. and
observed--On the brink of a precipice,
lose my humanity and become the most
ignoble of reptiles. IdOn't suppose there
is any meanness, any crime, | would not
swear to commit 10 save myself from be
ing showed over. | determined to grapple
with my foe in good earnest when it came
to that. How ! regretted that my pistol
had gone Off ! was quite ready now to
shoot him with it when he stopped over
me. -1 .- a1sr
{" But he did notcome. When minute,
| suppose. had elapsed, opened my eyes
aud glanced around-he was not near.
cautiously raised my head SO as to see in
the direction where he had last stOOd-he
was not there. [ sat up. Where had he
gone to?
% The blood was flowing rather freely
from a wound in my leg, just above the
knee / tied my pocket-handkerchief as
| tightly as could round the place. and got
on to my feet. My hurt did not, TO my
surprise, prevent me from walking, so
advanced to the edge of the shaft and
saw-his pistol" $500 ! &c.. ......
"Well, WE'LL" said the lady, "pray go
on. Here, take another glass OF sherry.
That is it. Now, what next?"
-" My first idea was one of reiief, that II
he was prowling in the neighborhood, he
was at least unarmed. My second-oh,
hot M rrnaT
4 was. and. alas is. NV pistol went off; il
was pointed in his direction; he was stand
ing on the edge of the pit. Oh, the
thought has been wearing me to death
ever since, though have never before ut
tered 1.-THE thought that perhaps L am a
murderer" ..I.
And Mr.. Peters buried his face in his
hands. --H E
"Then you never saw him again?" the
lady asked, when he was calmer.
''Never., / looked up and down the
mountain, and to either side; but | was
alone. | kicked the pistol into the shaft,
and threw the one | still held in my hand
after it, and listened, but | never heard
them fall. Then went on my way, and
struck the proper path; but, before had
gotten thousand yards higher, pain, the
loss of b.ood, and horror, caused me to
faint. When | came to my senses again.
man was STOPPING over me with flask
in his hand. In reply to his questions.
told him that had met with an accident
while pistol practicing, which was literal,
ly true. With great difficulty, he helped
me 20 the top of SnOwdon, and there got
pony, which had carried up some lady,
who kindly consented to walk down, and
was taken to Llanberris, where surgeon
IL. II ar1 attended, a m
was fit to leave. Glad enough was | tC
get rid of him, for was always dreading
lest he should ask how | managed to in
fiict a wound with such direction on my
self; but, happily, the idea never occurred
to him."
ssWhy did you feel that dread?' the lady
asked soothingly. "Why did you attemp
to conceal what had happened? My un
fortunate husband brought his fate upor
himself. You could not possibly iiicul
any blame"
Gould not, though ?' replied Mr.. Pc
tiers. .Ah, madam, you know little of the
English law. which would never enter in
to the rights of the matter. Two mer
met and had duel; one was killed; there
fore. the survivor must be hung. 1t woulC
not take into account that this unfortunate
survivor was forced into his unlawful con
dition against his will He must trust tC
the Jury for that; and jury is generally
hysterical, and guided by its sympath!
rather than it's reason. Ii my counsel pu
forward your husbands antccedents, eX
patiated on the virtues of his perSecutet
wife. and the innocence of his former vic
: tins, with more persuasive eloquence thai
the prosecutor could manage to emplO!
when holding me up as willy seducer
! ! who had made the destruction of domes
tic happiness the one object of his life
they would doubtless acquit' me; if tn
Crown lawyer were the most persuasive
thev would convict me. And the chance
: would be in favor of the latter; for mos
5 iurvmen are married, and are, therefore
ready to sympathiZe with a jealous hus
: band"
NAY, nay; your tears cause you to eA
aogerate matters. You could not pOssibl
be accused in the way your imaginatio
4 has coniured mp if the information col
eerning this mysterious matter prOceede
: i'm the first instance from yourself. b
! heve me-or, rather, do not do that, bU
1 consult good lawyer, and L am certai
that he will tell you that the best thin
YOU can do, both for your own safety an
7 your peace of mind, will be to make d
i position, similar in every respect to Il
story you have told me, before magi
trate"
J, 81 shall be asked why l delayed it" "a
And you will reply, because you hs
: not met me, and were unaware of my hu
= bands nOn-appearance."
AZ believe that you are right, madam
= and will make my deposition tomorrow
~ ~ "Thank yOu-oh, thank you. Mr.. Z
4 ters. Then my trustees will sign for n
% money. / must go and prepare them
once for, do you know, have overdraN
=, nv account at the bankers. Good NOR
3 ing, Mr.. Peters" tra. .-----,.
n She was gone. The die was cast. Po
J. Peters never slept wink that night, Y
d the History of the Drama grew not. I
J. was too apprehensive of being cast for t
e principal character of tragedy himse
d But he could not back out now-he mu
needs make his deposition at once, befo
q an account of the affair was spread abrO
l. in some other way. He would go to t
,r Marlborough street police-office about t
r time the night cases would be over, ask
c sec
r Rap! rap! Up came letter in lady
IS hand Mr.. Peters tore it open.
Ne DEAR Mn PETERs-You need not trout
e about that matter. have heard from my HI
f. band. You cid not hit him, suppose; at
events, he must have got away very quick
T! But he has had a bad fever, and been deliriol
G. and that accounts for his silence so long p
ID quarter-day. If you wish to see me"
e, wish to see her! Good heavens! \
ne if l know it. Whew what a relief
~ cried this most ungallant of men.-Onc
Week.
a A Mr.. ATCHERLEY has recently teste
al largenumber of samples of malt hqu,
in England expressly for lead, and
re- found that poison in most of them. I
an liquor acts, in his opinion, upon the Il
=, or composition piping used by beer ret
ed ers for connecting the barrel with the b