The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-11-20

they liked, or should | fling it into the
river after The mani Right or wrong,
with very little hesitation I adopted the
latter course.
Not sign Of life wns visible as |
looked once more out upon tho broad
river ;and rs I gently raised the ladder,
and consigned it to its depths, l thought
it was not tue first secret by a good
many that its impetuous current had
carried away into oblivion.
An hour or two Inter ] had quietly
paid my bill at tho bureau, and was on
my way to Paris, and by the following
night Wa once moro in my chambers iu
the Temple.
Argue, reason, Justify, talk about
self defense, and, il hadn't done this,
he would have done so-and.so and 80
and.so, as much as you please, you can
never quite philosophical away Tho very
difagreeable sensation which will arise
occasionally if You have ever had the
misfortune, however unintentionally, to
kill q man. Ny hot temper has often
given me cause for regret, not to say re-
morse, but since the night when I flung
tho robber into tho Rhine l hope can
safely say have curbed it. Whenever
it comes bubbling up there also comes
with it the vivid recollection Of the brief
struggle on the balcony, and 10 it is
subdued on tho instant; but the recol.
lection, alasl is not so speedily dis.
missed il still hovers painfully in my
memory at times, though twelve years
havo passed since the decd was done
twelve years during which no mention,
that have ever seen, has been made in
the papers Of any one having been
missed from tho hotel.
OF course I hGyo been often to
Switzerland since, but somehow have
always avoided tho town where stands
the Lolstery Of Les Trois Sages, and
certainly should never think OF going up
tho Rhine again. strike tho Alps now
by other routes, and have a tendency to
get well to the Italian side Of them. In.
deed, I have but lately returned from q
saunte. amongst the hills in tho neigh.
horhood Of Como. What capricious
fate led mo to tho spot nccd not be
specrlGted npon it vas one Of those
strange condolences, I suppose, which
when met with in fiction excite little
surprise, but which when stated as facts
are generally doubted.
Well, pulled up one day at an I'M.
pretentious little albergo, on the side OF
steep declivity overlooking the "lazy''
lakO, Tho light rcireshment which !
ordered WIS brought TO mo as I sat OF n
little table in the garden, sheltered by
vines, olive and fig trees, by tho palrone
himself, n venerable gray bearded man.
Only rs lle set tho fruit and bread down
before mo did I observe that ho was
blind. Ho Ind walked 80 steadily and
,lircct from tho house to where I sat
tint nonn could have guessed at his
aflliction. Tho sudden discovery Of it,
together with n sorrowful expression
which his face wore, touched mo, and !
brgun talking to him with what Italian
conld muster. His speech showed
him 10 be above tho common herd, and
after conyersing for while about the
neighborhOod, and such ordinary topics,
ventured to touch on his blindness.
"Oh," said he, "that is very little.
9igror men can be moro severely tried
than by having to live in the dark.
There are worse affections than that"
Indeed" I answered edo you
speak from experienced"
Truly, signor, do"
"Ynl surprise me I should have
thought nothing could bc worse. Do
you mind telling me what you have
found so 7"
NO." he said, slowly sitting down
opposite to me-; ;" but it Is q sud tale. I
dcubt If it cau amuse the signor bnt II
ito is willing to listen l am willing to
tell. It sometimes cases the heart to
ponr out its troubles even into thecar Of
i stranger. But stay, let US know how
tho time goes, for I have some affairs to
attend to by.and.bye."
Whilst speaking lie thrust hand into
.ho pocket Of his vest and drawing out a
watch without chain, held It toward
no, adding: "What is the hour, signor I
we blind folk arc q little helpless in
these matters. "
Hooked into his large brown palm,
anil vas about TO answer, but the words
stuck in my throat, for surely it wAs not
the first time I had seen that dial
"Permit mo-" l said, after q pause,
rs, pretending not to be quite able to
SEQ it, I endeavored to turn tho watch
over in my hand, that might by
glance Mt tho buck OF it verify the idea
which has crossed my mind. he felt
whRt I was doing, aud said:
1.-THE siguor will find the timo by the
front. and not the back"
"Snrely," I answered; sit is three
o'clock. But that is IN English watch
you have, is it not I"
"The signor is curious; can it signify
to him OF what manufacture it is T. re-.
piled the padrone, in rather m altered
tone, but not rudely.
"Oh, no." l answered, carelessly, not
Wishing to arouse any suspicious in him;
." it only struck me rs strange to find m
English watch III these parts. Pray let
mo look at it,"
With return Of his former sorrowful
manner aud with M mir Of resignation
ho reluctantly handed me the watch,
saying:
Certainly, il I tell you one thing I
may M well tell you ALL"
a glimpse OF tho back revealed my
OWL crest md initials; hut I restrained
tho expression rising to my lips aud
went on: "Ah, good watch; may l
ask how you came by It'll"
"Yes; it will appear in what have to
soy. 1t is all sad, and is only one Of tho
many troubles which have made me an
old man before my time. Very sad in.
=. II. I. L. kt.nk Al,