The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-01-02

murray I'LL, q - GAREt1Ab1o t1111fn-
don - would sadoW, a IL dinner
parties - would give, aad Of The dia-
monde - might purchae - IL
thought Of tAese tAines aaShed upon Aer
mind, he bad . feeling Of uahaFpinss
which she had never experieaccd 6efose.
"You are still unsatis6ed," aid the
stranger, imraiiently. "Why did you
not say al 6rst what you wishede Why
dctain me all this while, when have %
many other calls 10 make this morningi
Let NE know at once the limit 1t your
wishes, that ! may crafty them and be
done with it."
swell, then" said the widow, grow.
ing holder ~ he spoke, 81 do DOT think
il would be al all beyond the hounds Of
q moderate ambition Il should cay that
l will he entirsly content with hundred
millions Properly invested, with the
advice of my brokers in Exchange plane,
I think il would yield me an inuome Of
ten millions . year; and with that sum
Bait and could manage b rub along
without help from anybody"
The demand 10 preposterous madam,
But / cannot deny you!" said the
stranger, with q grsver expression than
he had yet shown. And instantly the
whole room Was filled with grecnb&cks.
They were stacked up xgAinss the WALL
the floor in every direction. And the
widow looked around upon the treasure
with proud and lofty feeling, in which
there Was hardly = tin,e of selhshness,
for she thought only of the benefit that
her darling son would derive from il
Don't call IL sel6shness She was purely
womanly.
must now mention the condition
upon which this vast sum stall be yours,
said the stranger.
1.-The condition." exclaimed the
widow, looking NJ him repraSchfully
imagined il vas 81 mine already"
Wealth has ils responsibilities"
said the stranger, and ycu surely
could not expect to he We 8 hundred mil
lions of dollars and do nothing for IL
But the condition on which this great
treasure shall he left with you is very
light 1t is only that You shall commit
q murder.
Horror" exclaimed the widow. al
can never do il"
Every we'll, then" said the stranger;
have nothing more 70 say" And he
commenced putting the greenhscks int"
his bosom. And a. the widow watched
the lessening heaps she cried ont Stop!
S.op!"
The stranger stayed his hand, and the
bundles of greenhacks were ss numerous
a. before. They fell around her like
fakes of snow.
"How can / sully my hand and my
conscience by Committing murder"
said the widow.
"Why, my dear madam" said the
stranger, your s9ueEmishness il absurd.
Do you not know that wealth of ali
kinds represents toll, and suffering, and
agony and murder? The Jewels Ib&i
sparkle in your ears were only obtained
by the sacrifice Of many lives, and you
do not enjoy q luxury bat st the COST of
somebody's existence. IL is frivolous
mistake TO feel . repugnsnce st commit,
ting q murder yourself, when you feel
none while enjoying the results of mur-
der committed by other people"
But whom do you wish me 10 muir.
dtr?' she asked.
a do not ask you 10 murder anyone
in particular" said the stranger. "All
that I would have you do is 70 throw q
dart into = crowd. Whoever it may hit
will tc : loas W. "a, ard yc2 aay sc
quit yourself O! any evil design or III.
natured feeling 81 Sinsi any one in espe-
cial. Here is little arrow. IL has
very sharp point. Take it and throw il
with all your force. Il will take long
flight; but it will strike somebody"
A long way oil:" said size, and she
took il in her trembling hand.
"A long way Of, said the stranger,
How, then, throw" Aud she lifted
her arm and threw the arrow with all
her might. As she did 30 the stranger
glazed AZ her with fearful grin. The
wall Of the apartment suddenly fell
away like a mist, and she saw the pros
trate form Of s young man lying be-
meath 3 palm trte, with the srrcw lodged
in his breast And she heard him ex
claim in faint accents, as the life blood
flowed from his wound: "Oh! mother,
mother"
She shrieked: a have murdered my
dear Balt!"
There was loud crash. The terrible
vision disappeared. The stranger Was
gone. There WAS not s scrap Of green.
back 20 he seen, while Bridget rushed
into the parlor, enchanting: /" For dear
sakes! What in the wCT!d is the mat
ter"
did anybody 50 out, Just now"
said Mrs. Van DusenSery, rubbing her
eyes
"NotS soul has been inside the house."
said Bridget
did you see any bundles of green
hacks lying about" ssked the widow.
"Soi a rag," said Bridget.
"And don'tyo srnelisny birthstone"
asked the widow.
"Not = hs'por;h," replied Bridget,
Except the parlor matches. But who
did this!" she asked, as she pointed al
the little japSnned table, that wSs over
turned, while the glasses were broken
and the flask of Charireuse wss pouring
Itself out in golden sirtSm upon the
MOquette carpet,
at was the personal D. himsslf:'
said the widow, putting Ter hand upon
her heart, which beat violently. STE
it all! Oh. have had such an expert
ence."
THE RESULT.
Didn't you say there was q bsggar
ASy who eamc 20 the door, Just now,
Bridget asked the widow.
al d;d rn.r,, - ranli.d Rrs1raf. GIarJ