River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-17

| heart He had been a fine looking, up
right. middle-aged man when his daugh-
ter's wedding day; when he arose from
his bed on which long and terrible ILL
ness laid him, he was bent like patriarch
of ninety, and his hair, from being brown
and rich, was thin and white as snow.
As for the gun the Mexican had cursed
| the soldier had never seen since that day
Strong in her tenderness for the father.
even in her grief for her child, the moth
er had overcome her horror of the dread
full thing, and had carried it to the great
garnet. There she hid it in lumber
closet, so that it might not trouble her
unhappy husband should his eyes ever
| look upon the things of this world again
He had never asked about it; he believed
it bad been destroyed. He did not know
that the powder-horn and the shot-bag
hung beside it.
Again was making my annual visit
at The old homestead. Itwas warm day
and my former cham had been afield
since dawn. At noon his job was done
and the boys who had toilcd with him fol
lowed him home, full of glee that then
work was over.
II shall take nap, lads" he said, after
dinner las for you, you can do the
same II you like, or you might go a fish
ing. There's plenty of trout in the kill,
I'm told"
And so the boys both cried aloud that
fishing was their choice, their father smil-
ed upon them.
Whatever troubles we've had, mother,
he said, we've two fine boys"
And lac went to take his nap with a
lighter heart than he had often had since
the fatal marriage day.
But when he had fallen asleep he be-
gan to dream strange, troubled dreams.
He was at the battle of San Jacinto, and
the Mcxican's lips were at his ear.
Il cursed the gun" He heard again
May it prove curse to you"
Other guns were firing all about them
lie heard the noise, he smelt the smoke.
Suddenly he awoke--the noise of the re-
port of firearms was actually in his ears
and he detected the odor of gunpowder.
He saw his wife on her knees in the
middle of the room.
"Whst has happened?" he cried.
II do not know sobbed the poor wo-
man. Il heard the noise 4 am brighten
edH
They then rushed together to the gar
ret, whence came sound of groans.
Meanwhile had heard the boys go past
my room and go up the garnet stairs,
probably in search of fishing tackle. |
called them back
g BE careful, boys" I cautioned them,
. about the lumber closet. There is an
old gun in it that may be loaded. Don't
go near it"
S'All right" said Charlie; ''come on
Will"
Feeling had done my duty, settled
back to finnish an article for the Mercury.
Fishing is very we'll said the elder,
but I'd like shooting better. What a
pity father wont let us have guns"
He crossed the garnet and opened the
door of the lumber clost.
. Yes, there the old thing is. I dont
believe its loaded. What if itis2 Reckon
know how to manage gunw
Lets take it on the sly" said his
bro the@. " Let it out of the window and
I'll carry it to the woods. There is the
powder-tiask and bullet-pouch, too. We
can get some caps at the store, Charlie"
"A good idea," said Charlie, advancing
toward the closet from which his brother
came. trailing the gun after him. Mel
Their of them guessed it was the gun that
had caused their sisters death. Lets
have it, WILL" said he, and he took it.
Suddenly there was fiash,a report, and
horrible scream from the little fellow,who
fell forward on his face at the feet of the
elder His PROSTATE form was what his
parents saw as we three rushed into the
old garrett
The other boy stood utterly unable to
move, clutching. the weapon that had
caused all this.
May God have mercy on US, it IS
the cursed rifle again!" cried the fa-
ther.
Thea the boy found words.
Il swear did not load it," he said.
and / swear that | did not touch the
triggerI"
And still his brother lay dead at his
feet.
On the night before had seen a sight
that might have prophesied this tragedy.
Would heaven had told Of it.
The kitchen clock was striking eleven
In country house like that people go to
bed early. The family had been to sleep
an hour. was reading, but paused to
listen to the striking of the loud mouthed
clock. AS it ceased | fancied | heard a
football upon the stairs. | opened the
| door Slowly the noise came nearer. 1t
had the sound that can come only from
| bare foot The next second | saw my
host, Rathbone, approaching me.
You'll catch cold, old fellow" said |.
Put on your coat"
To my surprise he answered not at all
but came slowly on.
Then l saw, for the first time, sum-
nambulist.
For a moment l hesitated whether to
awaken him. He was easily mortified
and my catching him in such plight
would prove disagreeable to US both. So
| sinply followed him.
He went on, past my door, and up the
stairs At the garnet entrance he stopped
a second, then lifted the latch and entered.
! [ was close behind.
Without the least hesitation he advanc-
cd to the lumber closet. | did not know
| the old rifle was there, and again l fol-
lowed The moonlight streaming in
through the chinks in the caves and
| broken window, made the dreary place
quite light.
He turned the wooden bottom of the
closet door, and then drew out a powder
horn. Then he brought out bag of shot
And then, the fatal gun.
AT once I remembered it. Who, in
deed, that had ever seen it could forget
! the heavily chased mountings of silver,
the grotesquely carved butt, the enormous
barrel2 With the recollection there
flashed upon me such horror as l had
never felt.
Still I was poweyless to move. / tried
to CRY out. My tongue refused.
| At last l found utterance. But in the
brief moment l had thought of the con-
sequences that must follow awaking him
Here evidently was the precious secret