Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-08-27

and though he was no world scorner,
nothing would induce him to enter it
again. He was widower, and his only
sonny fathsr-was then boy at Har-
row. Youmay imagine this was not live
'iy place for high-spirited young fellow
to come homo TO-; they saw little of each
other. In due time my father married,
and ! was born. Years passed, and one
wintry night, when ] was about eighteen
years old, We received a telegram summon
ing Us here. We came, and were shown into
the room where you slept last night. The
old man with the stamp of death upon
bis face, was propped up on pillows Whore
lhe had lain for hours. his eyes fixed upon
the door, Watching for us. As we entsred
the room. the filmy eyes frightened his
eager, out-stretched hands trembled a. We
touched them. With the damp, death
dew on his brow. his voice quaking, and
his whole soul shuddering - he fyed
over again one terrible moment Of his liz
he told Us the story, which I had better
put together in my own words.
1t appears that during that momentou1
visit TO the Continent he went to Naples.
He was received by the best society, and
most hespitably entertained in the best
social and political circles, where he pass
ed many pleasant hours discoursing and
discussing intellectual and scientific sub
jects-chemistry, surgery, andoncs, among
these things, the use and misuse Of poisons
cropped up ii the course Of Conversation.
and some one preseut-s gentleman ofsome
note and mportance-asked what was the
quickest and easiest death to die. The
subject was freely debated.
One evening he returned from one OF
these pleasant Gathering. and in . redec-
tive mood sf mind, sat for IN hour look
ing over the moonlit city and the beauti-
fol. world famous bay. II was near mid
might when two strangers were shown in
- him, who requested his immediate IT
tsadance in 4 case OF great urgency. he
represented that he was on visit Of plsas.
ure. not for professional purposes. Thsy
were perfectly aware Of that fact they said'
still they urged him so strongly that q
last they overcame his scrHples, and he
'csnsentsd to go with them. A carriage
was at the door; he got in first, they follow
ed him, pulled down the blinds, and the
carriage ratified away. He did not like
his position and began to suspect that all
wss not right They kept utter silence.
i They seemed to drive great distance.
rins and ,urai Anass times. Once
Ne fsquifsd, ffsa t6ey isr 10 gofs and
received the brief answer, "No." At last
they drove into the court yard of q great
house. The door opened IS If by magic
There were no lights; he might as well
have been blindfolied; there would have
been total darkness bu, for the moon
beams which struggled through the stain
ed glass window. and fell in fantastic
shadows at their feet as they sscended the
wide stone staircase. On reaching the
first landing they threw open the door.
and for second he Was almost blinded
by the blaze Of light that stresmed out
upon him. The door closed upon him a.
he stepped into the room. He took in
the whole aspect OF the room 1t q glance !;
it was gorgsously furnished and brilliant
" illuminated with wax candles; at Ia
BILE near the heavily curtained window q
man Of stern, commanding appearance,
sat writing. He raised his head rs they
entered, and pointing to the far end ofths
room, exclaimed:
"Your patient lies there, sir"
Ny grandfather's eyes followed the direc-
tion Of his finger, and observed woman
stretched upon couch. Where had he
seen that face bsforei Slowly it dswned
upon his memory. A few days back he had
been at the theatre, and glancing around
Was struck by beautiful, fair face, which,
for the time, fascinated him; he thought
it the lsveliest there. He looked on it
again now; but how changed! The
hands were clssped upon the breast, as
though in prayer; dumb, white terror
was written ON the face; and in the great,
uplifted eyes there was hopeless, des-
pairing agony, sicksning to behold.
He inquired what was the matter-how
she had been attacked, and seeing that
she had been gagged he begged them to
release her mouth, that she might answer
his questions. adding:
II must know something of the symp-
toms before can attempt cure"
"Your business is here to kill, not to
cure, doctor" said one in strangely sad
tone, which accorded i'll with his stern,
fearful phrase. "Your patient has spoken
her last word in this world. She is DOOM
ed to die by q secret, though just tribunal,
but we must temper justice with mercy
and spare her the shame and public dis
grace. You can cause her to die easily
and secretly; therefore we have brought
you here"
"If this lady has committed any crime
80 great as to deserve death, he answered,
full decomposition for the unfortunate, "she
must meet her punishment from the hands
of thspublic executioner, not by mine"
"By yours, and yours only" said one of
his conductors, gravely. "There is no
time to waste in mere words. She knows
she has deserved death, and she knows that
she must die"
"God forbid" exclaimed the physician,
. frozen horror stealing over him. The
ominous stiffness, the grim aspect of the
terrible men, struck chill to his heart
He realized all the horror of his position.
"a doctor never travels without his