The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-03-14
The Mystery.

DR.. Winter, sitting at the breakfast
table was drying the morning paper,
still damp, and exhaling the odor of
the press before the fire, while his eye
rested now and then on number of
letters brought in by the postman'
The Doctor was a middle-aged bache-
lor, well-to-do in the world, and having
comfortable practice. Life had gone
on smoothly enough for him, with
scarcely break worth recording. lie
had no mournful memories of the past; ;
his youth he had spent in getting rich,
and now he was satisfied with his
worldly accumulations, but in no haste
TO secure aid to dissipate them.
But the dead level of life get strangely
stirred up now and then; and as DR..
Winter unfolded the paper his eye fell
on paragraph headed,
"SUppEN DEATH.-Our readers Will
regret to learn of tile sudden demise OF
the talented young artist, Edgar Percy.
He was found dead in his apartment
last evening. His disease was probably
some organic affection of the heart. we
are as yet unable to give further partic-
ulars."
Edgar Percy dead! Why, it was
only yesterday afternoon that | met
him in perfect health !"
He took up his hat and gloves with
the intention of visiting Percy's lodg-
ing, and was carelessly putting the let
ters away, when he suddenly exclaimed,
"Percy's handl Sealed with black,
too! wonder | did.nOt notice it be-
fore. Can 1t be possible that he writes
to tell me of his own death?"
Dr.. Winter sat down again, and
opened the sombre missive. 1t was
dated the evening before, and sure
enough Edgar Percy's name was signed
to it. DIR. Winter read:
"MY DEAR FRIEND 1t is now time
for us to depart-for me to die, for you
TO live, and which OF us meets the best
fate God only knows. Do you remem-
Der those words of Socrates, Doctor! :!
While you are reading this shall be
cold enough, and quiet enough, 700;
Tho veil will have been rent apart, ana
the darkened glass Withdrawn. You
will hear of my death. You will stand
over me and wonder that one 50 young
should recoil down so suddenly. The
world will raise uplifted hands of as
tonishment, and then rush on and for
get us ere single morn has waXed and
Waned. And vet it is the fear of this
same cold, Indifferent world that COM
pels one to rush unbidden from its
haunts. To'you the secret is revealed.
Remember, it is the secret of the dead;
betray it not. | have taken subtle
and deadly poison; so subtle that 1t
leaves no trace to betray It's presence
so deadly that in one half-hour shall
be corpse-one half-hour! Then the
unwilling of eternity TO you, | repeat,
| beoueath this secret. 10 you | be-
uueath the task of finding out why
took my life in my own hands, and
went out of the world dreading its
power. | might tell you. They say
the deeds of all men shall one day be
known. Ah,. my God! | had rather
thrown myself at thy mercy, who
kno,v'st my sins already, than live to
be II the mercy of man My lips shall
never live to frame the cOniession-my
pen never write it. My death alone,
ends all. With me the secret dies. IL
lived 1t must become known. You
dare not betray the trust of dead man.
Come and look at me after you have
read this. Farewell ! =,
EDGAR "PERCY." "
DIR. Winters astonishment was too
vast to find immediate utterance. lie
nut the letter carefully in his pocket
and went forth to obey the dead mans
summons. to "COme and look at me
after YOU have read this" Aye, that
he would.
Standing over the dead in the dark
aned narlor, the doctor learned all that
the world was to know of Edgar Percy s
st1ItnI,Ak A. ks'Esphe servant had taken him in
some warm wider the evening before,
and he had given her letter to post
Going 10 his room two hours later To
close the shutters. she found him lying
ON the sofa, quietenough, as he himself
had said. The room was in its usual
order. lie had evidently dropped OIL
without struggle. She did not know
TO whom the letter was addressed, as
she could not read writing, but noticed
that the seal was black. Mr.. Edgar
used that kind of envelope always
That was all she had to say, ana the
doctor told her that she might 60 ana
leave him with the dead.
Very pathetic was that dead face a
mJurnful beauty veiled the chlseled
features; a sad smile wreathed the ex-
ouisite mouth The profile, turned
slightly aside, gave the head listening
look. Marvellous enough, doubtless,
were the sounds now ringing in those
earsl What was the mystery upon
which those lips had closed forever
What the coming disaster upon which