Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-23

looked once more out upon the broad
river and as | gently raised the
ladder, and consigned it to it's depth,
| thought it was not the first secret
by good many that the impetuous
current had carried away into OBJ
Iivon.
An hour or two later had quietly
paid ny bill at the bnreau, and was
on my way to Paris, and the follow
ing night was once more in L y cham
Der at the Temple.
Argue, reason, jnstify, talk about
self defense, and if | hadn't done
this he would have done so-and-so,
as much "a you please, you can'never
quite phitosophizo away the disa-
greeabIe sensation which will arise
occasionally, if you have ever had
the misfortune. however uninten-
tional, to kill man. Ny hot tenn
per has often given me cause for re-
greet, not to say remorse, but since
the night when | flung the robber
into the Rhine hope | can safely
say | have curbed il. Whenever it
comes bubbling up there also comes
with it the vivid recollection of that
brief struggle on the balcony, and
10! it is suDdued on the instant but
the recollection, alas it is not SO
speedily dismissed it still hovers
painfully in my memory at times,
though twelve years have passed
since the deed was done-twelve
yearsl during which no mention,
that l have ever seen, has been made
in the papers of any one having been
missed from the hotel
OF course | have been often to
Switzerland since, bat somehow |
have always avoided the town where
stands the hosiery Of les Trois
Sagca, and certainly should "ever
think of going mp the Rhine again.
| strike the Alps now by other
routes, and have tendency to get
we'll to the Italian side of them In
deed. | have bat lately returned
from saunter amongst the hills in
tho neighborhood of Como What
capricious fate led me TO the spot
where | was to find the sequel to
"My Murder" need not be spec ulated
upon; it WAS one Of those strange
condolences, | suppose, which, when
met with in fiction, excite little sur
prise, bat which, when stated rs
facts, are generally doubted. Here
it il, however, and L il had not been
a fact there wonli never have been
any record on paper Of "My Muir
der"
Well, pulled up one day at an
unpreteniOus little aIbergo, on the
side of ste p declivity overlooking
the 'lszy" lake. The light refresh
ment which | had ordered was
brought TO me as | sat at y little Ia
bis in the garden, sheltered by vines
olive and fig trees, by the padrone
himself, venerable gray bearded
man. Only as he set the bread and
fruit down before me did | notice
that he was blind. He had walked
so steadily and direct from the house
to whore | sat that no one would
hsve guessed at his aflliction. The
sudden discovery OF it, together with
q sorrowful expression which bis
face wore, touched me, and | began
talking to him with what Italian
could muster. His speech showed
him to be above the common herd,
and after discussing TOR while about
the neighberhood, end such ordinary
topics, | ventured to touch his blind
ness.
"Oh," said be, ''that is very little
signor men can be more severely
tried than having 10 live 10 the dark
There are worse Affections than
that"
"ln3eed,' | answered, edo you
speak from experience ?"
"Tfuly, signor, [ do"
you surprise me; l should have
thought nothing could have been
worse. Do you mind telling me
what you have found 30 2"
"No' he said slowly sitting down
opposite to me 'bnt it is a sad tale
[ doubt il it can amuse the signo:
but if be is willing to listen | am will
ling to tell 1t sometimes cases the
heart to pour out its troubles even
into the ear of stranger. But stay
let US know how the time goes, for
have some affairs to attend to by
and by"
Whilst speaking he thrust hand
into pocket Of his vest and draw
ing out watch without chain
held it wards me, adding: what i,
the hour, signor? we blind people
are little helpless in these mat
ters."
looked into his large brown palm
anl was about TO answer, but tbs
words stuck 10 my throat, tor surely
it wss not the first time | bad seer
that dial
"Permit mo- | said after a pause
pretending not TO DE able to see it,
ende2vered 10 trrn the watch over
10 his hand, that | GIT by glance
at the back Of it verify tho idea thai
had crossed my mind. He felt what
was doing, and said :
The signor will find the time by
the front, and not the back"
Surely" l answered, cit is three
O'Clock, Bat this is an English
watch You have, is it not p
"The signor is curioua; can il sig
nifty to him Of what manufacture il
i4?" replied the padrone, in rathea
en- altered tone, but not rudely.
ooh, no." l answered carelessly
not wishing to arouse any suspicious
in him i; cit only struck me a
strange to find an English watch il
these parts. Pray let me look at it.
With return Of his former sor
rowful manner, aud with an air o
resignation, be reluctantly handed
me the watch, saying:
"Certainly. If | tell you one thing
| may as well tell you all. P"
A glimpse on the back revealed
nv orn orase a "A iuitials lint I ~e.