The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1877-01-26
Selected Story.
A NARROW ESCAPE. +.

Il 1E44&L4tU w IAOI11 Ii
On handsome lawn fronting an old
iyy-grown mansion in the State of Fir
einia, one pleasant afternoon not many
years since, a group of young people O.
both sexes were gathered. Standing in
their midst was an old woman bent down
with age, looking as if she stood on the
brink of the grave, but her dark. restless
eve showed that there was vigorous life in
her nind, ifnot in her body.
She had been telling fortunes for the
young people gathered around her, and to
all but one she had forctold bright and
happy future. The exception of this rule
Of bIessedness through life was hand
some bog Of nineteen, with dark, passion
ate face, and an expression that would in
dicate perfect carelcssneSs.
Five years before the opening Of this
story all old gentleman and his nephew
moved to Virginia from some Northern
State AMI b,ying farm had made ii their
home. Mr. Mercer and his nephew Frank
were treated with kindness by the gentle
men of the neighborhood, and they receiv-
ed invitations to visit the plantations near
them. Frank soon became acquainted
with all in the country, but his uncle new
cr left his farm, and seemed to shun socie
~. For this, many reasons were given,
but the true one was that he had lost all
his family, and Franks parents having
left him to Mr.. Mcrccr's charge, he deter
mined to devote himself to the boy, and
found sufficientcnjoy in his company
and cuItivating his farm. Though report
ed very wealthy, and that he kept large
sum of gold in the house, Mr.. Mercer and
Frank lived in a quiet way and made no
display.
Thus passed Franks youth, from his
fourteenth to his nineteenth year, when
our story opens. A man Of superior edu-
cation, Mr.. Mercer had been his nephew's /
Teachers and had impaired unto him much |.
knowledge of the world Of letters and peo-
pie, so that Frank at nineteen was as well
as if he had possessed cultivat-
ed education. There were those in the
nei&hhorhood who reported that the boy
was rather wild and dissipated, and this
found ready believers in others, so that
J1ranA had some enemies and a great
many friends. /
Thus we find him; and the evening Of
the commencement of our story he had
been invited to an entertainment given BY
" wealthy planter to his children.
Mr. Devices, the planter, had three child
rem, the Youngest and Ioveliest Of whom
was Mary, girl of twelve; Mary and
Frank were the best of friends and loved
each other dearly. So when the fortune
teller predicted u dark aud stormy future
for Frank, the tears arose to the child 5
eyes, and She said, Don't listen to her,
Frank"
But the boy laughed, and turning on his
'eel walked away,
Two days afterward he left home for
weeks hunting in the mountains, but the
second night afterhis departure, the neigh
'orhood was aroused BY the startling news
hat old Mr.. Mercer had been murdered
" his nephew. One Of the servants pas
ing the house at night, beard q cry, and !:
'eemg Franks window open he sprang in
md walked across the hall to Mr.. MERGERS
'hamber, whence the cry came, Lying up /
IN the floor, was the old man, dead, while .
'ear him stood his nephew with i bloody
inlte in bis hand. ln fright the negro
Qshed from the house and gave the alarm. !
,ersons from the neighborhood were sent
or and Frank was seized, against every
'fotestation that he did not kill his uncle,
md thrown into jail.
The feeling against the youth vas IN !.
cnSe, for the negro had told the story Of
low he had found Frank. and i ayfaring
'eddler who had just aseended the steps
stay all night, eorroborated his state
neut.
The trial came of, and tho charges
we're made known. Frank was accused of
Iarnng u. upon hunting expedition as !
l.u"' and then returning from the noun
an " at night, had entered the room, and !
to remove large bag Of gold ],
.sPe W his uncle, had aroused him, and
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