River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-12-19
ALMOST IGONE :
are Won q medical man Y

hair, handsome features, and somewhat
careworn expression of face, quick, keen
eyes, and commanding presence.
~ sm,n replied. Scan be Of any
service to your
He sighed, and paused moment be-
fore replying. Then, fixing pair OF
searching eyes on me, he answered:
"You can beat least, / fancy it i;
within your power to be Of ervice TO me
if you will"
And ne paused again.
looked at him narrowly. A fine, tail
wclI-built man. we'll 10 do also, Judging
from appearances. and in good health,
fancled. in spite of that anxious express
of countenance so often noticeable among
mercantile men,
II shall be happy to oblIge you, if it is
within my power l replied, noticing
how eager he waited for my answer.
"Good.'' said he, shortly. 81 can trust
you. / can read faces, and l feel that
you can be trusted; that what you sas,
you will do. When do you return 10
London, for | onclude you are London
practitioner"
YES" answered, "but not in fash
ionable quarter" And l smiled. The
greater part of nv practice lies around
Holburn-Lamb's Conduit Street, Gray 5
Inn Road, and that direction"
aust ST. he NODDED, $50 much the
better"
And then he was silent for a moment,
and melancholy look passed over his
cOUnteDance.
s'You will soon be in London again p
Inc inquired.
Yes; TO morrow night" replied.
And you go no further than Chesterf'
he continued.
only to Chester, to visit an old friend
and patient professionally" replied.
Good, again. Now," and ne leaned
forward toward me, 'this IS wha' | want
you to DO for me; I am leaving England
forever-foreVcrl"
And he spoke saiemnly.
Take this letter. And he drew Il
small packet from his breast pocket.
Don't look at the address I'LL you are in
London, and then deliver it to the person
10 whom il is directed, with your own
hand VIII you promise me this nay
swear ii? And, moreover, promise me 10
mention the existence Of this packet t.
no one till it is in its owners possession.
Nay, do not imagine ne continued, no
ticing doubtful expression on my face,
suppose, ''that am asking you wrong
act No; on the contrary, by doing what
ask you will harm no one, but render a
service to humanity, perform an act it
was my duty TO have performed months
ago, and which now, alas! / have not
time left TO execute"
And he sighed again deeply.
"Do you promise.n he inquired, az
length, holding out the letter to me
II give you my word of honor to do
what you require | replied.
'And under no circumstances to repeat
the existence of this packet to any one
till it is delivered2' he continued, earn
cstly.
II swear it :" said solemnly.
THANK Heaven" he muttered. and
gave me the letter, which | Immediately
buttoned up in my inner pocket.
What hour is iti" he asked
told him.
"Ahi then in few minutes we shall be
at our journeys end =
Yes, if the train is up to time" / re,
piled; but do you so no further than
Chester
al think not, he answered, oddly, ~
have no time 10 lose. Thank you, Dr.
do not know your name
"Hcrbert," interposed.
Or. Herbert" he repeated, bowling,
"thank you for your great kindness. You
will never repent il, come what may
Now adieu !"
And he shook hands with me heartily,
then moved to the other end Of the car
! 2, I 4 I
almost as the train entered the station,
drew pistol from his pocket, placed il
against his forehead, and fired, falling
back into my arms corpse.
The report Of the pistol, the smoke Is
suing from the carriage window, speedily
drew a crowd of officials and excited pas
sengprs around us, and | was discovered
supporting the dead body in my arms.
A desperate case of suicide beyond
question. The body was speedily ident
fed indeed, there were two gentlemen
travelling by the same train who proved
themselves 10 be personally acquainted
with the deceased. lie was Mr.. Hol-
Iingsworth, g great merchant, rich anil
respected.
An evident case OF insanity it seemed
at first sight, for no house in the city w9S
iirmer OF better thought of than his
Yet in one of the dead mans pockets wa;
found a paper in his own hand writing
in which appeared the following words
This "a to certify that. being ruined, III.
tend to shoot myself-if possible before
reach Chester.
"(Signed) john HoLLrNGs WORTH.
'fDated) Fusion Square Station,
NOV. 5, Isl
"Stranae-very strange I" said hii
friends. Evidently insanity; nothing
else could account for it, When we lei
London yesterday evening Hollineswortt
& Co. were as solvent as we are
And they looked around as if, aftel
such an assertion. the solvencY OF Hit
lingsworth Il Co. could no longer /,
questioned.
But next DAY news of different char
acter reached Chester. That morning
great, sue den, and unexpected failure
ompanied by very suspicious circum
stances, had been announced in the city
Hoilingsworth & TO. had smashed-faileC
for an extraordinary large amount, and
in its ruin, had dragged down man.
smaller firms with it.
There was long consultation at TIA
corOner's inquest, and the Jury at lengu
EtlULDG0 NCIQlGI u }tko &c Sc fOl
when matters were more closely investi
gated, reasons, stronger. and stronge
appeared to show that the misel
able mans rash set had not bee
unprecedented, nor caused by a
unsound state of mind. Had he lives
Eugland would have no longer been a sal
home for him; the bankruptcy was
fraudulent one; pena, seryitude woul
have stared him IN the face.
Many were the articles that appears
IN the daily journals on Hollingsworth
bankruptcy and suicide, and far an
wide was the suffering ii caused spreat
and Is | travelled back from Chester I
London, wondered if had done right
making bhndfold the promise | ha
made to the unfortunate man. But it ha
been made, and felt must abide by
and do the work had promised to do.
II was four days after my return
town that read, for the first time, Il
address on the packet that had been cel
fided to me:
Mrs. Gerald Conniugton, No. va
ture Court, Golden Lane, 6rag's Il
Road.n
"a Stun that, fancy thought
'Wha Gao MS. C5aaiagton bel / de-