Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-03-21
THE HERALD.
WAS IT MERCY OR MURDER ?

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Come, boys, let's have a drink be
fore going below. just a little, Ben,
i won't hurt you. Hurrah, boys, come
Ben
The speaker was light hearted Jack
Lansing; merry black eyed youth
OF nineteen Summers. We had been
companions through college and loved
each other with q brothers. love.
hesitated moment, then followed,
when this invitation to drink was of
fered. Freed from college, we, with
several classmates, were enjoying
ourselves in trip up one OF the west.
ern lakes. There was lemonade
stand upon the deck, for the refresh
ment of the passengers, but lemonade
was not the strongest drink to be OBJ
tanned by any means, rows of cham
payne bottles were arranged behind
the bar, and Jack was in the habit Of
visiting it frequently, each time urg.
ing one or more friends to join him
VIII Sommers, Lu Mosley, and myself
were the chosen ones. Since coming
aboard the boat had noticed an old
sllver-haired man who appeared verg-
ing close upon the three score and ten
years allotted to man He seldom
spoke to any one save myself; for
this / could not for some time ac-
count. Even when he spoke twas
but some remark concerning the
weather, the pleasant voyage, or a
friendly good morning / could see,
however, that he always regarded me
intently while speaking His large
black eyes had a half-wild expression
in them, mingled with look of deep
sadness, from which / involuntarily
shrunk. / had seen him. while Jack
was drinking standing deathly pale,
leaning against the railing and watch.
ing him with look in those eyes
verging on madness. He had never
seen me drink yet, as / always refused
when he was near. AS we stepped
up to the bar this time he was no,
where to be seen. The bottles seal
was broken and the glittering con.
tents bubled forth into four glasses.
a sharp click as they touched and
they were raised to our lips. There
was a step beside me, a low moan,
and before drop ofliquor had passed
my lips, received blow upon my
arm which sent the glass to the deck.
lloor with such violence that IL was
shivercd TO atoms.
al last, at last, Oh my God,
Harry! arrested every hand, Jack
had drained his glass and was return
ing IT to the bar when the crash greet
ed his ears. turned and faced the
old man. for he it was. His face was
deatbly pale large beads of sweat
hung from his high forehead, where
the blue veins stood out like whip
cords. His eyes burned like living
Goals; ais white hair end beard were
streaming in the wind while his whole
form shook and trembled.
'He is mad =! shrieked the bar
tender.
NO, no, no; not mad moaned the
old man, then he continued in an IN
dertone of which only my ears caught
the words: Yes, l must tell. 1t NAV
do good Then aloud, Oh, boys, oh
Harry, for the love of God, touch not
The deadly, deadly poison again
Come with me, have something to
tell YOU He turned and left the deck
and we followed. 'He called you
Harry whispered Jack, as we enteIe ed
The state room yes, some one whom
! resemble We seated ourselves
and the strange old man began his
etory; his voice trembling at first, but
soon became steady, speaking low,
yet distinct:
The sad, tragic story which / am
about to relate TO you, has never be-
lore been breathed in mortal ear. But
] am nearing the shores of eternity
and my story may prove to you a
warning against the poisonous wine
cup. | was born in an eastern city
where lived till | reached matured
ase, when a craving appetite for the
sccnrsed rum seized me. But my will
was strong and l crushed it from my
life !; it was an awful strife, but I did
It for Mary, my wife. / conquered
and we started for the then far west.
Years flew by. Children, three came
TO gladden. our hearts. First, Arthur,
noble boy, next Bessie, lovely, in.
nocent child, with soft golden hair
and violet eyes she was the light OF
our home. Then, Harry, and oh era.
cious Heaven, how we loved that
darling noble boy The old mans
voice fsltered staggering to his feet
he stretched his arm toward me and
continued excitedly: 'And you-you
are the very picture of my boy; those
eyes, that hair, that step; and some.
times when my mind wanders, l fancy
he lives again, but soon / awake to
the bitter reality to find in my lonely
deck-walls but the resemblance of my
Harry. He was eighteen before a
blast fell upon our domestic happi-
uess. But too soon, alas, There ap-
peared III our town about this time, a
distant relative of one of our neigh.
bors. He and Bessie became &C.
quainted, and I BON, long before we
dreamed OF such thing, they were
betro:hed. His name was Leonard
Townsend. He was a habitual drink.
or, and gained, almost instantly, a
deep and dangerous influence over
our boys. There was something DO.
hind his dark eyes that he seemed, to
me, to be trying to hide. We en-
treated Bessie not to be so constantly
in his society, aud already looked for.
ward with dread lest they would be-
come engaged. Little heed was given
our entreaties, and they were again
renewed.
One evening Mary, Bessie and my.
self were seated in tho parlor. Mary
was weeping she had been pleading
with Bessie but Bessie sat on the
opposite of the room with q wilfu
look upon her flushed face. At las,
said, My daughter, listen to me, il
is for your good. You must give ur
the company of Mr.. Townsend. 1t il
my command She sprang to hel
feet and faced me defantly.