Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-06-20
THE FATAL REQUEST.

In the year 40, after roaming about a
good deal III South America, I shipped as
doctor on board trader leaving Rio,
homeward bound for Bristol, with full
cargo and a couple of cabin passengers.
We sailed on blazing hot day, with
scarcely a breath of wind to fill the sails:
but the captain was anxious to get away,
as Yellow Jack was in port, and he had
no mind to keep knocking his heels in
quarantine longer than he could help.
fortunately a breeze quickly sprang up,
and We were soon bowling along as fast
as the old ship could 90, and with clean
bill of health on board
A week later, however, I was sitting
forward, smoking my pipe, when Pete,
the stewards mate, came up, and sum-
moned me to see one of our two cabin
passengers. Mr.. Grierson, who had been
very unweu during the night, and began
TO be afraid that he was in for touch of
the fever. | went aft and saw him, but
there cid not appear to be any very
alarming symptoms just at present, so I
prescribed some cooling medicine and left
him.
He was worse, however, next dav, and
the next, yet 1t was not a case of yellow
fever, and there was something in the
symptoms that [ am not ashamed to say
fairly batfied me. On the third day he
was SO much worse that [ began to be
seriously alarmed, and communicated my
fears to Captain McFarlane.
1t is not yellow fever, of that I am
sure" said I.
What is it then, doctor?"
Well, to tell the truth, [ can hardly
say. Nothing that I can administer
seems to do him any good, and he is evil
IDENTIFY sinking rapidly"
Humph!" said the captain, "mys-
FERROUS, to say the least of it. Does he
know of his condition?"
The conversation was cut short by the
arrival Of the negro Pete, who informed
Us that Mr.. Grierson had been seized
with sudden and alarming access of
pain, and was apparently dying, adding
Ei1at the patient wished to see me at
once and alone. In obedience to the sum-
mons, | Immediately went below, and
having shut the cabin door and admins
tered the necessary remedies ask the
reason for his wishing to see me alone.
L wish to see you because [ feel that
am dying, and I can put off no longer
what I wish to say, if it is to be said at
all" responded the patient, feebly.
Fetch me that box from off the top of
my sea chest and listen"
/ brought it, a small, oblong mahogany
box, and laid it by his side upon, the
coverlet, and Mr.. Grierson, laying his
hand upon it, and, at the same time, de-
taching a key from a string by which it
was suspended round his neck, with
which his fingers played nevously during
his recital, continued:
. am murderer. Aye! you may
start and think perhaps my mind is
wandering, but it is the truth. Twenty
five years ago-twenty-6ve years of
misery-I committed the deed which
am now, in presence of my Maker,
about to confess. | was a clerk in a
banking firm in London, and the op-
portunities for peculation were too much
for me to withstand, but circumstances
occurred convincing me that discovery
could hardly be much longer delayed,
and | was casting about how to make
my escape while there was yet time.
Just at this juncture one OF the senior
clerks in the firm had to be sent down
to Bristol in charge of very large sum
Of money III gold, and I was deputied
to accompany him to guard the treasure.
In those times we had to take the money
IN box, strongly secured and sealed,
with US, by mail coach, which started
from one of the old inns in the city, for
the west of England. There were 1000
gulneas in the box, and the idea sug-
gested itself to my mind that if could
become master of such a sum [ could
get clear away by some vessel leaving
Bristol for foreign ports before the bank
could become aware of the fact of nv
escape. To get rid of my companion, I
procured poison, and | poured it into
my leathern bottle, in which | carried
my refreshments on the road, and watch