Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-01-07
SAVED FROM SUICIDE.

AS | was coming out Of the San
Francisco Post Office one morning
in 1855, a tall. dark skinned man
placed himself in front OF me, and
fixing his eyes OH me, said, in an
excited tone:
"Sir, can yon give me u half.hour
of your time this morning."
"Ies,7 | replied, .'if ! can be OF
any service to yOu 10y 81 doing"
"Not here, but in your Office pri
va;ely," he continued. II inns,
speak to somebody, and having
heard you preach in the church on
Pine street, | tell cOnld approach
you. | am in great trouble and
danger, and must speak to some
one"
His manner WIS excited, his
hand trembled, and his eye had an
insane CLEAN rs he spoke. We
walked on in silence until We reach.
ed my office in Montgomery street,
when he hurriedly locked the door
OH the inside, saying as he did SO:
This conversation is To he pri
waite, and do rot intend To be- in.
terrup,cd.H
AS lie turned toward me | saw
that be had pistol in his hand.
which he laid ou the desk, aud then
sat down. | waited for him to
speak, cycling him and the pistol
closely, and feeling little uncom.
Portable, locked in thus with an
armed madam of almost giaut-likc
size aud strength.
"Have you ever been haunted by
the idea Of snicide." he asked
abruptly, his eyes glaring upou une
as he spoke.
mo, not particularly" answer.
ed, "but why do you ask"
Because the idea ia haunting
me- he said in an agitatcd tone,
rising from his chair az he spoke.
~ have lain for two nights with Il
cooked pistol in my hand, calculat.
in the value of my life. | bought
the pistol to shoot myself with, aud
| wonder that | bave not doue il;
but something has held me back
"What has put the idea of sui
eide into your mind'" inquired.
"My Iite's failure, sir; and there
is nothing left for such fool as |
have bern,n he said. bitterly.
"When a man has no hope left
he should die
/ was making some reply when
he broke in:
"Ilear my history, then tell me if
death is not the only thing left for
me-
When he told me his name re
cOgnized it as that of q man of
genius, whose contributions to a
certain popular periodical had Civ.
en- him y wide fame in the world of
letters. lie WAS the sOn of \ ven
cradle New England Bishop and q
graduate of Harvard University.
Il will give his story in his own
words AZ nearl, as | can.
"In 1880 / started for California
with honorable purposes and high
ambition, father being clergy man
and poor, and advanced in years, !
felt it my duty 10 make provision
for him and for the family circle to
which belonged. Animated by
this parpose, WAS full of hope and
energy. On the ship that took me
TO California / made the acquaint.
aDce and fell into the snares of
a beautiful but unprincipletl Woman,
TOR whom | tOiled and sacrificed
everything for eight years of weak
ness and folly, never RENTING Il
dollar to those I intended to pro.
vide for a home. made immense
sums Of money, bat It all went for
nothing but to feed the, extraya.
eance and recklessness of my evil
geuius. Tortured by remorse, ]
made many struggles TO free myself
from the evil connection that blight
cd my life, but ~ vain. when death
lited the shadow from my path.
The unhappy woman died aud I