Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-07-20
WAS 1T MERCY OR MURDER
(By Maillian Winbar.)

| The speaker was light hearted
Jack Lansing; merry black eyed
youth of nineteen summers. We
had been companions through college
and loved each other with brothers
love. / hesitated moment, then
followed, when this invitation to drink
was offered. Freed from college, we,
with several classmates, were en-
Toying ourselves in trip up one of
the small western lakes There was
lemonade stand upon the deck, for
the refreshment of the passengers,
but lemonade was not the strongest
drink to be obtained there by any
means rows of champagne bottles
were arranged behind the bar, and
Jack was in the habit of visiting it
frequently, each time, urging one or
more friends to join him. This time
Will Sommers, Lu Mosley and my
self were the chosen ones. Since
coming aboard the boat / had no.
ticed an old silver-haired man who
appeared verging close upon the three
score and ten years allotted to man.
He seldom spoke to any one save
myself; for this | could not for some
time account. Even when he spoke
twas but some remark concerning
the weather, the pleasant voyage or a
friendly good morning. could see,
however, that he regarded me in>
tently while speaking. His large
black eyes had half-wild expression
in them, mingled with look of deep
sadness, from which / involuntarily
shrank. / had seen him, while Jack
was drinking, standing deathly pale,
leaning against the railing and
watching him with look in those
eyes verging on madness. He had
never seen me drink yet, as l always
refused when he was near. As we
stepped up to the bar this time, he
was no where to be seen. The bot
ties seal was broken and the glitter
ing contents dubbed forth into four
glasses. A sharp 'clink' as they
touched and they were risen to our
lips. There was step beside me, a
low moan, and before drop of the
liquor had passed my lips, received
blow upon the arm which sent the
glass to the deck-foor with such
violence that it was shivered to
atoms.
'At last, at last Oh my God,
Harry = arrested every hand. Jack
had drained his glass and was ret urn
ing it to the bar when the crash
greeted his ears. l turned and faced
the old man, for he it was. His face
was deadly pale +; large beads of
sweat hung from his high forehead
where the blue veins stood out like
whip-cords. His eyes burned like
living Goals his white hair and beard
were streaming in the wind while his
whole form shook and trembled.
lie is mad ? shrieked the bar
tender.
NO, no, no; not mad moaned
the old man, then he continued in an
undertone, of which only my ears
caught the words: Yes, must tell.
1t may do good Then aloud, ooh,
boys, oh Harry, for the love of God,
touch not that deadly, deadly poison
again Come with me, | have some
thing to tell you He turned and
left the deck and we followed. He
called you Harry whispered Jack as
we entered the state-room. 'Yes,
some one whom l resemble. We
seated ourselves and the strange old
man began his story his voice trem-
bling at first, but soon became steady
speaking low yet distinct
'The sad, tragic story which | am
about to relate to you, has never be-
fore been breathed in mortal ear.
But am nearing the shores of etern-
ity and my story may prove to you
| warming against the poisonous wine
cup. | was born in an eastern city
where 7 lived till | reached matur-
ed age, when craving appetite for
the accursed rum seized me. But my
will was strong and crushed it from
Inv life j; it was an awful strife, but |
did it for Mary, my wife. con-
quered and we started for the then
far west. Years few by. Children,
three-came to gladden. our hearts.
First, Arthur, a noble boy, next
Bessie, lovely, innocent child with
soft golden hair and violet eyes she
was the light of our home. Then,
there came Harry, and oh gracious
Heaven, how we loved that darling
noble boy The old mans voice
faltered staggering to his feet he
stretched his arms toward me and
continued excitedly: and you
you are the very picture of my boy
those eyes, that hair, that step and
something when my mind wanders,
fancy he lives again, but soon |
awake to the bitter reality TO find in
nv lonely deck-walls but the resem
blance of my Harry. He was eigh-
teen before blot fell upon our do
nestle happiness. But too soon,
alas There appeared in our town
about this time, a distant relative OF
one of our neighbors. He and
Bessie became acquainted and soon,
long before we dreamed OF such a
thing, they were betrothed. His
name was Leonard Townsend. He
was habitual drinker, and gained,
almost instantly, deep and danger
Gus influence over our boy. There
was something behind his dark eyes
that he seemed, to me, to be trying
to hide. We entreated Bessie not
to be so constantly in his society,
and already looked forward with
dread lest they should become en-
gagged. Little heed was given our
entreaties, and they were again
renewed.
One evening Mary, Bessie and
myself were seated in the parlor.
Mary was weeping she had been
pleading with Bessie; but Bessie sat
| on the opposite of the room with
willful look upon her flushed face.
At last l said, 'My daughter, listen
| GOOD N