The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-01-04


less on the wall for seventeen years-the gun
the Mex ican had cursed-at his daughter.
1t was just safe thing to do, in ones
opinion, as if it had been broomstick.
"Who's afraid ?'' cried the girl.
"Now then, one, two, three" said the
soldier. "Bang p
AS he uttered the childish imitation of
the sound of firearms, it was drowned in a
real explosion. The gun went off, and the
bride dropped to the floor with a scream.
A bullet had entered her temple. She was
dead when they lifted her in thei. arms. 1t
was plain that, seventeen years before, the
Mexican who had owned it had not fired
after reloading. His dying words had been
fulfilled. His gun had proved a curse to
it's captor. But how?
1 am not willing to admit supernatural
agency. l maintain the gun exploded in
accordance with the laws of loading and of
friction. IL men would only try to trace
mysterious events 10 their souIc ce, supersti-
tion would soon cease. For one, l believe
nothing ever occurred which could not be
explained. That this Is not the common
opinion, the narrator is we'll aware.
But amid all his agony and remorse, my
old chum persisted in one statement: He
had not pulled the trigger. Those who had
watched him closely, veterans expert in the
use of firearms, declared that he had not
that the rifle seemed to fire itself off. All
that the father could say was: "The gun
is cursed. The devil of a Mexican cursed
the gum"
To comfort him, we all agreed it was So
Indeed, am not sure but they all thought
it, Inwardly, resolved to ferret out the
mystery.
The horrible accident nearly broke his
heart. He had been a fine-looking, up
right, middle-aged man when his daugh-
ter's wedding day dawned when he
arose from the bed on which a long and
terrible illness 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 bad never seen it since that day.
Strong in her tenderness for the father
even in her grief for her child, the mother
had overcome her horror of the dreadful
thing, and had carried it to the great gar
ret. 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 had been de-
stroyed. 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. 1t was warm day,
and my former chum had been a-field since
dawn. At noon his job vas done, and the
boys who had toied with him followed him
home, full of giee that their work was over.
81 shall take nap, lads, he said, after
dinner. Gas for you, you can do the same if
you like, or you might go fishing. There's
plenty of trout in the kill, I'm told.''
And as the boys both cried aloud that
fishing was their choice, their father smiled
upon them.
"Whatever troubles we've had, mother"
he said, "we've two fine boys"
And he went to take his nap with a
lighter heart than he had often had since
the fatal marriage day.
But when lie had fallen leep he began
to dream strange, troubled dreams. He
was at the battle of San Jacinto, and the
Mexican's lips were at his ear.
Il cursed the gun" He heard again {:
"May it prove a curse to you."
Other guns were firing all about them !;
he heard the noise, he smelt the smoke
Suddenly he awoke-the noise of the report
of firearms was actually in his ears and he
| detected the odor of gunpowder.
He saw his wife on her knees in the mid
die of the room.
''What has happened ?'' be cried.
81 do not know" sobbed the poor wo-
| man. 81 heard a nose-I am frighteuedr'
Then they rushed together to the garret
wheuce came sonud of groans.
Meanwhile had heard the boys go past
my room and up the garret stairs, probably
in search of fishing tackle. l called them
back.
"3e careful, boys" I cautioned them,
"about the lumber closet. There is an old
| gun in it that may be loaded. Don't 60
near it,
"All right" said Charlie. "Come on,
Will"
Feeling had done my duty, 1 settled
back to finish an article for the Mercury.
They went up stairs.
'Fishing is all very well" said the elder,
''but I'd like shooting better. What pity
father won't let us have guns
He crossed the garret an6 opened the
door of the lumber closet.
''Yes, there the old thing is. ! don't be-
! lieve it's loaded. What if it is? Reckon
l know how to manage gun y
Lets take it on the sly" said his
brother. "Let it out of the window, and
I'll carry it to the woods. There is the
powder flask and bullet-pouch, zoo. We
can get some caps at the store, Charle.'
"a good idea," said Charlie, advancing
toward the closet from which his brother
came, trailing the gun after him. Neither
of them guessed i: was the weapon that
had caused their sisters death. "Let's
have it, WILL" said he, and took it. Sud-
denly there was a fash, report, and a
horrible scream from the little fellow, who
fell forward on his face at the feet of the
elder. His PROSTATE form was what his
| wretched parents saw as we three rushed
into the old garret.
The other boy stood utterly unable to
move, clutching the weapon that had caus
| ed all this.
MAY God have mercy on us. it is the
cursed rifle again ~ cried the father.
Then the boy found words.
81 swear did not load itl'' he said. al
| swear | did not touch the trigger ~
! And still his brother lay dead at his feet.
On the night before, l had seen sight
| that might have prophesied this tragedy.
| Would heaven l had told of it T!
The kitchen clock was striking eleven.
! In a country house like that people GO ear
! ly to bed. The family had been asleep an
| hour. l was reading, but paused to listen
| tn the striking of the loud-mouthed clock.
| As it ceased, fancied l heard a football
upon the stairs. l 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, Kathbone,
! approaching me.