The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-09-16
NYM CRINKLE.
NEMESIS.
| was up at Craig's cooling.


in the heart of the town. You can heal
the tinkle OF the car-bells on two avenues
from his back piazza, .
All the women of the Craig establish
ment were off to the country. He hac
the house to himself. Nay, should say
rather, we had the house to ourselves.
And there we were on that back piazza
with an old ailantus breaking the moon
shine into silver flakes for us and high
back fence shutting out all of the Babe
except 80 much OF distant hand organ
as climbed over in uncertain ripples o.
"Nors Darling"
We were taking about suicides. The
warm weather, rs usual, had produced 1t:
crop. Among the victims were two per
sons with whom we had slight acquaint.
snce, and both of whom had killed them
selves without any apparent cause.
was saying to Craig that suicide more
than anything else inclined me to believe
in Possession" MS former generation
called it. 1t seemed to me that when q
man of reasonably-strong will and well
balanced mind went to bed only to get
I'D in the middle of the night and blow
his brains out, that some malign power
other than his own impulses had momen
tary control of him.
This, said, was all the more plausible
as theory, because during sleep the will
which is mortsls only defense against
the mysterious influences that surround
him, is suspended.
Craig smiled. He had a most amiable
way OF being contemptuous. Some men
shoot it sharply out Of their eyes or curl
it like poisoned wreath round their lips
He turned it into hight laughter. All his
arrows were dipped in oil-oil Of roses.
That's a rough theory for the SOM
nambu!ists," said he.
"Now, there Was w estermeyer," l con
tinued "Nobo1y will ever convince mt
that u man loved and respected as he was
a balanced, moral and thoroughly
disciplined man, who not only under
stood but fulfilled the duty of life, wouC
of his own volition suddenly turn aside
walk into his barn and blow his brains
out with pistol" 49,.
Craig smiled again. This time it was
sudden explosive smile with shah" IN
it and accompanied by slap of bis hand
on his thigh.
That instance Is a poser, isn't it?'
"On the contrary" he replied, "you
have selected the very example of all
others that scatters your theory to atoms
| happen to know that that thoroughly
we'll disciplined man did turn aside and
90 into his barn and blow his brains out
| of ms own volition
"You don't say 80. l exclaimed, sink
ing Immediately all theories in astonish.
ment.
Il do cay so. happen TO know the
whole case. Would you like to hear lt?'
"Above all things"
"Wait a momentl I'll bring that claret
and box of cigars out here
Then he shouted to me from the din
lng-room: Telling 1t to you means put
ting 1t into the Sunday World, eh?'
Eyes" said. aft you don't object.
He pushed out little table and placed
it between us. "There's no use going to
bed such night as this" he remarked,
when fellow can enjoy good claret,
smoke mild cigar and dispose OF fancl-
full theories" With that he poured out
his wine, lit match and told me the fol-
lowing strange and incredible story
| knew Westermeyer first in 1859. He
came to Tsppan to live the year that l
got married, and bought cottage just
below me on the old Rockland road. But
may as we'll tell you, in order to avoid
explanations and interruptions, that l
learned his story partly from his wife,
partly from himself and Others long al
terwsrd. He belonged to the family OF
Westermeyer, in Boston, was well CEN
nected and and had university educa-
ton abroad. In 1850 he was sent to New
Orleans to 60 into the commission busl-
ness with step.uncle. If | remember
rightly It was sugar, molasses and hemp.
He was twenty-eight At that time, re-
markably active, intelligent and hand
some Young man, with talents, however,
that did not particularly qualify him for
mercaL tile pursuits. Durisg the three
wears that he remained in that city he
| formed the acquaintance of several young
men of similar tastes, and although he
was regarded by his uncle as somewhat
wild, his character for honesty, veraclty
and general morality was extremely good.
The only unfortunate thing was his init
macy with q rich Creole who lived down
on the shell road somewhere. Who this
woman was or what her character was
do not know. But she fell desperately IN
love with him, and as is usual In such
cases. Involve him in trouble, for she had
one infatuated admirer who was friend
of Wesiermeyers, and who, l believe,
had introduced him to the woman. This
mans name was Bsugniet. So soon as he
| found that the Creole favored young
Westermeyer, q GOODNESS grew up be-
tween the young men. Things ran along
for year, during which time our friend
began to get bis eyes open to the fact that
he was tresding upon dangerous ground
with an unscruplous woman whose at
| tschment was of an aggressive aud de-
faint kind that annoyed him. As ne
never felt anything more than sdmira-
ton for her he at once set about detacn-
ing himself from her meshes. In the ct.
fort the woman proved the more skiilfuI
of the two, for she used Baugniet as her
agent and in iamed his passion and Jeai'
ously to pitch of frenzy.
In the latter part of SO, | think 1t was
he received letter from his father IN
Boston which opened new and more
desirable field for him, and he quietly be-
gan his preparations for departure, w hat
was his surprise one night when he was
packing his trunk in his room TO receive
visit from Baugniet He had not seen
him for several weeks, and he was aston.
ished at the evidences of dissipation in
his face and manner. Avery few words
were sufficient TO show Westermeyer that
his rival believed he was about to ab-