The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-06-07
THE COMET.
Saturday, June 2, 1870.
story of u Martyr,


Denver News.
II is only when we are in the patheti
influence of some great sorrow that W
appreciate its depths and intensity. IL
natural for men and women to look wit
indifference upon what concerns them not
We rejoice with our friends and sorrow q
their misfortunes, but the stranger has IN
lot in our sympathy. Such at least is tn
experience of those who have watched
mans natural impulses with curious eyes
and marked the ebb and flow of feeling
as disclosed in the ordinary events of life
But even the most callous can. not reat
with indifference the story of Martyr
The heroism bore of adversely appeals t.
the nobility inborn in humanity, anC
reverence for virtue is marked character
istic of our race. An incident revealing
these qualities ought to be preserved as al
example, and it is with that purpose we
propose to relate the history Of an episode
in life, remarkable alike for the stern hero
ism of character it describes and the pa
thetc tenderness it dscloses. The facts
are these Not great while since prom.
inent physician of this city was called to
attend patient in the last stages of what
appeared to be consumption; but which
upon examination proved to be simply a
wearing away of life-a decay of the ener-
gies of mind and body. Although well
supplied with money the stranger was
seemingly without friends or relatives
He wrote no letters and received none
An alien to the tenderness and charities
which sanctify the affections, he seemed to
be drifting out of a world, in which, for
him, all the flowers of the heart had per-
ished-a bleak and desolate old man,
fastening out of the sun shine into the
winter of the grave, After making a
thorough examination of the case, the docs
tor told him that although he could find no
organized disease, yet he was dying.
Il know it," replied the patient.
'But have you no idea of what brought
you to this plight ?" inquired the interested
man of science.
sit is a curious phenomenon. You have
heard a great deal about cases like mine
moro as visionary exaSgeration of the
fancy than as an actual occurence-but,
strange as it may appear, 1 am dying, as
you say-of broken heart"
You surprise me!'
eyes, I surprise myself I did not
come to your health giving climate as
others do, in search of logger lease of life.
But to die in peace, and alone"
''But have you no friends ~
''None that l can claim. Ny past is
sealed with the shadow of crime, and over |
my nameless grave, not even a memory |
must hover. l am already dead to all who
ever knew my name"
You say you are a criminal ~
mo, l am none, But assumed the
stigma to shield another
And that other-?'
"Was my son !"
"What was the nature of the crime Pr
The physicians curiosity had got the
better of his prudence. The shadows of
twilight were falling around them.
Through the open window streamed the
soft brilliance of the dying day. Clouds of
amethyst and purple foated lazily on the
far-of hills. But in the chamber where :
the fevered breath was drawn quick and
short, there was a hushed stiffness which
seemed IN Keeping with ghostly shadows.
sit was murder.' s
"And was fixed on you?" ii
'On me- assumed it and then escaped a
but not to evade the vengeance of the C
aw, but to spare to him loved the stigma W
If felon's death
How long ago was this p
Twelve years
And you have been a wandorer ever
'ince ~ s,
Ever since.r h
The feeble pulse was Tutoring The f,
'lazing eyes were sheathed under waxen m
IDS, and the shattered form was growing IN
igid momentarily. !"
You will tell me no moro p whispered er
ne physician. ~
ut is all have to tell !" 81
The next instant the man was dead He @.
ad kept his secret, and sacrificed his life Ie
4 keeping it. ot