Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-15

He did not move nor stir, and his body felt
as cold as ice.
"Great God~ I exclaimed aloud. "Can
he be dead? ?"
dumped out of bed. Morning had dawn
ed, although the sun had not yet risen. l
rushed to the window and pulled back the
curtain. I then ran to the bed again and
looked at my companion. My worst fears
were realized. He was dead, black in the
face strangled in my sleep.
shall not attempt to describe my sensa.
ton at this horrid spectacle. My body was
bathed in cold perspiration, my hands trem.
bled, and for a few moments / believe
was bereft of my senses. l recovered by
degrees but it was only to realize in more
acute degree the horrors of my situation.
There lay my victim, and was murderer
My trial, conviction and the hideous gallows
all passed in rapid review before me. Who
would believe me? sat down, buried my
face in my hands, and sobbed like child
My wife, my own comfortable home-should
I ever see them again"
What was to be done? Should I arouse
the house and make clean breast Of it.?
But what could say tell them had killed
man in my sleep? Not soul would be-
leve the story. Could I effect my escape ?
Impossible The crime would be discovered
before I could leave the city, and should be
hanged by the neck until was dead.
Hanged by the neck! Yes, that would
be my fate. As this terrible thought crossed
my mind, T cast my eyes around the chamber,
and they fell upon the beam with the hooks
in it. From thence they wandered to the
handkerchief covering the dead mans clothes.
A means of safety suggested itself to my
mind. Suppose l could make it appear
that the man had committed suicide. Yes,
that was my only chance, and determined
to put it into execution.
| took the dead mans handkerchief and
advanced to the corpse with great deal Of
repugnance, but with more courage than |
could have anticipated. My own fearful sit.
uation no doubt animated me to an extent
that I should never otherwise have dreamed OF.
1 made a moose in the handkerchief and
slipped it over the dead mans neck. l then
lifted the dead body out of bed, and standing
on chair fastened the other end OF the hand
kerchief to hook in the beam. Inow let the
body 60, and it swung in space.
jumped into bed, and, shut my eyes to
close the horrid sight from my gaze. 1 de-
termined to wait there until somebody would
come into the room, and then pretend that l
knew nothing at all about it, but that the man
must have got up in the night and hanged
himself.
1 lay quaking and trembling for over an
hour. 1t grew broad daylight. l felt the sun
shining directly on the bed, but l dare not
open my eyes for fear that should encounter
the dangling corpse. Suddenly l heard the
step of two men on the stairs. They appear
ed to be carrying something heavy between
them. The long anticipated moment was ap.
preaching In few seconds more they would
discover the body. My life depended in a
great degree upon their opinion. If they
were deceived by my ruse, others Right be.
The door opened, and two men entered the
chamber, placing something heavy on the
floor.
"Well, I'm blessed if the man hasn't hanged
himself again." exclaimed voice which l
knew to be the landlords.
"By golly that's true," said the other man.
"No, see how it is. The stranger found out
the trick you played on him, and not liking
the idea of sleeping with corpse, he tucked
him up there to get him out of the way"
"You're right" replied the landlord. "Well,
he's cool 'un anyhow, and would you believe
it, last night thought he was a coward ?
That only shows haw easy it is to be mista-
ken in people. And now he sleeps as sound
ly as church; let's be careful not to wake
him."
1 breathed freely, for Immediately under
stood the whole matter. The landlord had
put me to sleep with dead man.
1 heard them take down the body and put
it into cofhn-for it was that which they had
brought with them. They carried it away,
and I was left to myself With my mind thus
l fell asleep and enjoyed two hours
of delicious slumber. I then got up, dressed
myself, and proceeded down stairs.
GOOD morning." said I to the landlord,
who was behind the bar.
"Good morning, SIR" he replied, sheepish-
ly 81 hope you slept we'll"
"Splendidly," returned. "My bedfellow
gave trouble at first, but soon got rid of
him."
Il know you did" returned mine host, with
a knowing wink. "Well, I must say, you are
the coolest chap I ever saw"
Not another word passed between US with
reference to the affair. And I afterward
learned from the conversation of the people
while I was at breakfast, that my companion
for the night was drover, who, having made
a ruinous speculation in cattle, had committed
suicide by hanging himself in the chamber
the night before.
Ileft the Golden Angel that morning, hav-
ing obtained quarters at Barnum's Hotel. |
went to the convention, voted six hundred
times for -, and returned home, having
given full satisfaction to Mr.. Andrew.
1 told my adventure to my frends-not as
I have told it to you, dear reader, but with
the same construction that the landlord Of the
Golden Angel put upon it. Everybody
thought had displayed extraordinary cool
ness and intrepidity. Therei is one thing, how
ever, to which I havefully made up my mind,
and that is, I will never attend another polit-
ical convention as long as live, nor sleep
with corpse if I can avoid it.
PREREQUISITES OF SUCCEss.-Integrity of
character and truth in the inner-man are the
prerequisites of success in any calling. These
are attrihutes which never fail to command