Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-07-06

! DuolutsS'llh6 way, Ill dubWef 10 tne IN
quiring Glance OF the agent.
The agent referred to one of the BIZ
registers on the desk, and answered il
the negative.
"Queer," said the man with the reC
eye. 1t ought to have come yesterday
Have you read the Evening Chronicle p
And after this abrupt interrogation tn,
stranger stood quite motionless, eyini
the agent intently, for AZ much as min
ute.
We both answered, "No."
The man took a paper out of hi
pocket, and, spreading it open before us
put one of his slender torefngers upor
the following paragraph:
FATAL ACCIDRNT.-Thi afternoon a.
two men, named respectively Henry Var
Scooter ana G. II. Griggs, were at worl
chopping timber in the pineries neaI
Scranton, tree fell upon them, kilIinl
Van Scooter instantly, and inhicting in
juries upon the person Of Griggs from
which he died within An hour. They
are residents of C., and it is under
stood that their remains will be taken tC
that place for burial
Henry Van Scooter was NY only
brother-my twin brother-who resem
bles me very much, and Charley Griggl
was my sisters husband. It's a Fad
blow! sad blow! | don't know how
my poor sister will bear it. It's about
this sad affair that | came here chiefly
| want to send the two bodies through te
G. by express Thursday, by the II .4C
train. What will be the charges ?'
"Tbe charge will be $2j," answered
the agent,
The stranger only bowed solemnly in
recognition Of the reply. Then he was
silent Tor minute or two, during which
time he appeared to be struggling with
his grief,
"The bodies will be here Thursday
morning" he said. ~ hope you will
make all arrangements TO prevent any
delay guess my package won't come
this week"
The agent assured him that there
would be no delay, and he might depend
on having the bodies 90 through to G.
with the greatest possible expedition.
The man bowed again politely, then he
said:
" is the telegraph Office near? must
break the sorrowlul news TO my poor
sister | suppose, though it's anything
but pleasant duty"
told him how to reach the place he
sought, and, with a polite "thank you, y
the sad man with the red eye walked out
of the Office, and in a couple of minutes
the sounds Of his footsteps died away
in the distance.
A qReer sort OF q chap, said /.
"A little odd" answered the agent.
/ wonder if he heard US talking
about the specie % | quered
He seems bonest enough"
Yes" said ! ); "but I'm sure he was
listening to eur talk when | first saw
kim"
Are you certain OF it? the agent
asked, eagerly.
"Well-no," | replied; "not alto
gether certain beyond all mistake, but
it looked nightly like it, ! can tell
you"
Suppose you go to the telegraph
office and see what kind of message he
sends, suggested the agent.
No sooner said than done, Ihastened
around to the telegraph Office, and as |
went in the man came out. He didn't
seem to recognize meat least he didn't
look at me-and | thought it prudent
not to appear to notice him.
"Did that preacher.looking fellow
send message to c." | asked of
the operator, when had gone in and
closed the door after me-"
" Yes, Why do you ask~
Oh, only out of curiosity" ! re-
piled. Was it anything of importance
The man said that his brother and
brother.in-law were both killed this ag-
ternOon."
The operator took the copy of the
message from a file on the table and laid
it before me. 1t was addressed 10 Mrs.
G. Fl. Griggs, c., and ,igned Isaac
G. Van Scooter. tread
Henry and Charles are both dead They will be
rent home Thursday.
Everything seemed consistent, and
any doubts which | had entertained OF
the good intentions of the stranger were
speedily dispelled. | didn't 90 back 10
the Office, but turned my steps toward
my boarding place, thinking, as walked
along, that Thursday would be an un.
common day with me, with two corpses
and $50, 900 in specie in my car.
The money was safely deposited in the
car an hour before the time for the train
to leave, Thursday morning. 1t was Sc
curely locked in two strong, iron bound
chests, and when they were slowed
away in the large safe and the heavy
doors made fast thought everything
was pretty well fixed. A few minutes
before we pulled out two wagons passed
by the car, one of them containing two
coftins and the other six men, who were
evidently acting as pall.bearers.
looked around for the bereaved brother
with the peculiar eye, but he was no.
where to be seen, thought it little
strange that be should be absent at such
a time, but l forgot all about it in q
moment.
The cotins were placed in one end o
the car, and after it had been arranged
that one of the men should come into
the car and take a look at the bodies
when we arrived at Redwood, he SHOOK
hands with the others and entered one
of the coaches As the doors closed or
him, tho bells rang and we went steaminp
away.
was pretty busy for an hour or more
and we had passed three or four station.
before | had time to cast more than s
casual glance toward the quiet psssen,
gers at the end ofthe car, But after s
little, when l had more leisure, an un
controllSble wish took possession of me
to look at the faces of the two dead men
1t wasn't mere morbid curiosity, and
can't describe it in any way better than
to say it was sort of vague desire
which could not quiet without satisfy,
ing it.
! noticed that the lids were not
fastened down. My next discovery was
that the screws were gone. This struck
me as strange, fer | was sure / had
noticed them when the coffius we're litted
into the car, remembered that / had
given the attendants permission tC
arrange the caskets to their own salts