The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-06-17

n
Beautiful shoulders are those that bear
Ceaseless burdens of homely care,
With patient grace and daily prayer.
Beautiful lives are those that bless
Silent rivers of happiness,
Whose hidden fountains few may guess.
A SISTERS VENGEANCE.
My Experience as an AccomplIce In London
with q Murdered Woman.
It was between the lights on q gloomy
December afternoon. was the one oc'
cupant of the smoking room of a "Lit.
erary and Artistic Club" which faces the
Thames. Ilung fresh coal on the gloomy
embers, and stirred them till they sent
up a blaze of light that drove the ghosts
out of tie shadowy corners, and then
picked up a paper hapbazard from the
table, to dawdle over it till the waiter
lighted the gas, or some human being
wandered in to keep me company. 1t
was an American paper. Some visitor to
the club had left it behind him accident
ally. turned the pages listlessly, until
suddenly my attention was arrested by
paragraph headed Extraordinary
Crime" It was the story of the robbery
off. body of lady from its grave. The
whole affair vas shrouded in mystery.
On the 18th of the month there died in
an American city the beautiful wife OF
an Englishman travelling for pleasure.
In the same paper which contained this
paragraph Ifound the heading of Cradle,
Altar, Tomb, i" the following:
"On the 18th Instant, in this city. Dru-
silla, the beloved wife of Blissett Elmer
ton, of London, England, aged twenty
four" In due course the poor. lady was
buried, and during the night the church
yardswas entered and the coffin carried
{ away. No motive is suggested in this
American paper for the crime. The hus-
band is interviewed at his hotel. He is
inconsolable for the loss of his beautiful
young wife-mad with mingled rage and
! horror at the desecration of her remains.
1 He tells his story 10 the reporter. He
had: only been married few months.
They were travelling for pleasure in
America. His poor wife caught cold a
fortnight since, returning from the thea
ter. He had medical advice, but the
cold increased and Inflammation of the
lungs set in and soon all was over. He
buries his head in his hand and weeps,
and the reporter leaves him alone with
his sacred sorrow. The account in the
paper I was reading by the ftelight con-
clnded thus: Sup to the present no clue
to this mysterious affair has been obtain
ed" I glanced at the date Of the paper,
and flung it down in disgust. 1t was two
years old. I had grown interested in the
affair, and here it was two years old al
ready, and probably forgotten. Where
should I find out how it ended?
The shadows had grown darker and
darker; the fitful glare of the fire had
died down into dull red glow, and the
riverside lamps were being lighted. i
Aung myself back into the easy chair,
thrust my hands into my pockets, and
half closed my eyes. Suddenly I was
awafe that was, not alone in the room.
From the darkest corner there was long
figure. It glded slowly toward me. l
had placed the paper where found it,
On the table by my side. The figure
seemed to be looking for something. It
passed its hands over the tables and peer
ed down among the papers. Presently it
came to the table at my elbow. In the
gloom, as Isat in the deep armchair, be-.
lieye I was almost invisible. The figure
came right up to me, and, reaching out
his hand, passed it over my table. Pres
emily it seized something, and glided
away with it to the window, on which
the lamps without flung a flicker of light.
Then saw that it was man, and that
in his hand he held the American paper
in which ] had just read the account Of 3
mysterious crime. He glanced at it, and
muttered something that sounded like
'tHow careless of mep then folded the
paper, thrust it into his breast pocket,
and walked out of the ROOM. Hardly had
the door been closed behind him when
the attendant came in with lights.
"Who is that gentleman who has just
gone out7" I said.
Don't know his name, Sir. Amt seen
him here often"
/ remembered that at this club every
member had to sign his name in daily
book kept in the hall for that purpose.
I ran down stairs and looked at the open
leaf to see if that would afford me any
clue. The first name that caught my eye
was that of Blissett Emerton.
No wonder the figure had seen in the
darkness had been 80 anxious to find that
paper. :I'saw at once what had happen
ed. He had been in the room reading
fancying himself alone. He had laid the
paper down thoughtlessly and dropped
off to sleep. I had not noticed him in
the gloom, and he was quite unaware of
my presence. = -.
One thing more I did before I left.
] turned over the members address
book, and looked under the E's. There
found the name of "'Blissett Emerton,"
and against it "No. Blank Court, Tenn
ple."
Soon afterwards found time to dine
at the club, and there I met an old friend
of mine, a barrister, whom / had not seen
for year, who after dinner, invited me
to come to his chambers, for an hour.
'still in your old diggings, then," I
said.
Oh, nc" ne answered. i've moved
sinceI saw you last into another set. I've
got capital chambers at No. Z Blank
Court"
Iasked him at once if he knew Mr..
Emerton.
"Only by sight," he answered. "He
has chambers on the same floor, and we
pass on the landing. We never speak" :"
I stayed longer than meant to, and
it was striking ten, as we came out on
the landing. The outer door of Mr..
Emerton's chamber was ajar. As We
passed, the inner door opened, and man
rushed out with scared, white face. 1t
was Blissett Emerton!
"Helpw he cried, tearing at his collar
as though it tchoked him. "Help help"
Then there was strange gurgling noise
in his throat, and he fell forward in a fit.
7 dragged him into his chambers. which