The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-04-29
MY RIVALS REVENGE.
BY JOHN j. GILBERT.


From among the experiences of a va,
ried, may say tumultuous life, re-
call with singular vividness the season
of my soiourn in M, = populous
and hourishing town in Central Penn
sylvania. / would gladly eflace from
my mind the recollection of either the
place or those who inhabited it, were it
in my power yet with ten-fold strength
the scenes through which | was dragged
by the impulse of Fate, seem pictured
to me now more clearly, more startling
ly, than ever.
There are moments of retrospection
in the lives of all men-moments III
which the sympathies of the mind and
heart are dovetailed; when one lives
anew the whirlwinds of the past, and
exhumes from the sepulchre the faded
images of the dead, with the memo
ries, be they glorious or blood. curdling,
that were buried with them.
[ look upon these visitations OF things
to be forgotten, with mysterious awe,
for / have heard it whispered that the
souls of the murdered rest not quietly
while the murderer tIeads the earth,
and that the black blood triCkles from
the cash till dire retribution overtakes
the guilty one. Now do not mean to
have il inferred that | ever committed
murder-far IRON it. But one there
was-one ! once knew, once dearly
loved, that did and 'tis with him my
thoughts are interviewer now. Betimes,
at night. see him in my dreams, his
pale, haggard face, furrowed by the
bangs of remorse, turned upon me
plesdingly, as though from the depths
of his wild despair lurking phantom
bade him hope that could help him ;
and when l shudder at his near approach
he turns his back upon me and walks
rapidly away. He never halts for one
moment, but in the gnawing misery OF
his desolation see him flee to the tops
of mountains, thence into the deep
recesses of the far-off forests. Always
moving, now faster than before yet
whittier he flies his implacable pursuer
follows; and when he turns about,
ghastly image urges him onward.
It was his presence that disturbed
nv sleep but moment ago; and now
that am broad awake, I'll tell you q
story that for many year has lam the
closest secret of my heart.
1t was in the summer of 1857 that L
visited, by the advice of my physician,
many of the interior counties OF Penn
sylyania. | had been suffering for some
time from the effects Of distressing
hemorrhages, and it was thought that
the pure mountain air of the Keystone
state would affect me favorabiy, and
possibly restore me, in time, to renewed
health and vigor.
/ was then in my nineteenth year,
possessed of an income sufficiently large
to enable me to support the dignity OF
travelling gentleman, and of buoyant
spirits, rendered the more so, perhaps,
by the prospect of my speedy and last
ing recovery. After considerable shift
ing from one place to another, arrived
at M. It's situation was so exceed,
ingly pleasant in sanitary point OF
view. and, besides, the town itself was
so daintily constructed, and the good
people who made up its population
proved so agreeable, intelligent and en-
terprising, ard | resolved to acquire
more than transient knowledge OF
them. Accordingly, / took up my resi-
dence at the quaint old country Inn thai
stood near the outskirts of the town, anC
prepared to make myself comfortable
for some time to come. -,
People in Pennsylvania towns did no
differ IN those days from people IN otne
interior towns and it can be easily I'm
agined how soon the queries concerning
nv former residence, my business, plac
of birth and pecuniary resources, wer
satisfactorily answered. Thus, withou
) any intervention on my part, was L III
! trcduced, individually and morally, t.
the worthy denizens and an exceeding
/ bother was | delivered from indeed.
They were thrifty, enterprlslnII
{ people, as have said-busy folk, wh'
t hustled about at day break, and per
formed a good half days work befor
A breakfast. | soon learned to like them
: and liking them, to watching them, ant
comparing their Industries, habits, ane
/ faces aplow with health and vigor, u
: the sleepy people in the great cities
who grumbled at the dread SOUND 0
8 the breakfast bell.
In Nj, the merry songster OF tn
$ air heralded the approach of morn, AM
neople awoke from beautiful slumbe
I glad that they we're awake. ,
' | occupied cozy little room in tn
. hotel which fronted upon the principi
street or thoroughfare of the town. II
, position was sufficiently lofty TO con
mand full view of the walks without
= and remember taking advantage of /
, eligibility to review tho busy people {
| they hurried to and fro Ill the ear
| morning.
/ fear there was more than simp