Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-09-02
CHE Sturv Teller.
UNCLE BENJAMIN'S STORY.

/ will tell you what once haPpeneo "hen !
was returning from India, now many years
ago. With the earlier events of the story
was personally connected, and the rest was at
terward told me by one Of the chief actors II
it,
So spake our dear old uncle Benjamin
when on a visit to us last Christmas; and we
his nephews and nieces, who had been teasing
him to tell US some of his adventures, delight
edlv composed ourselves to listen.
81 might" he continued, "call it a tale o.
circumstantial evidence but for reasons which
YOU will, no doubt, afterwards perceive, pre-
fer to style it, Cast Down, but not destroyed.
"The homeward bound troop ship "Stirling
Castle" Captain BoNlby, was becalmed in the
tropics. For three days there had hardly
been breath of wind, and the sea lay around
her as smooth as glass. But although all was
50 calm and peaceful outside, yet on board the
ship a painful and intense excitement pre-
vailed. General Page, one of the chief cabin
passengers, had been robbed and nearly killed
the night before; and the person accused of
the crime was Walter Stevenson, young
Lieutenant, and general favorite of all on
board But to explain, l must 60 back a
little. The Stirling Castle belonged to the
old East India Company, and General Page
having retired from the service, was returning
to Old England. He was accompanied by his
daughter Rose, young lady about twenty
two years of age, who, without being exactly
beautiful, possessed vivacity and charm of
manner which captivated all who approached
her.
There were several other officers on board,
but only two enter into the story the first
being Colonel Morton, a very old friend of the
Generals, and the other, the Lieutenant Ste-
venson above mentioned. Colonel Morton
and the General had known each other in
youth, their respective families owning neigh;
boring estates; they had gone out to India
together, and now were returning home in
company. And still, another tie bound the
two old friends together. Colonel Morton
had SOD, and they had agreed that this son
should marry the Generals daughter, partly
because of their long standing friendship, and
partly because the two estates united would
make very fine property. Nay, the General
even went so far as to make his WILL leaving
all his property to Rose, it is true, but ap.
pointed Colonel Morton sole trustee, and au.
thorizing him to use the influence the position
gave him to bring about match between the
young people.
"Now, although all this was known to Rose,
vet it affected her very little; she was true
woman, and would only follow the dictates Of
her own heart; and who shall govern the ca
prices of the god of. lover Soon after leav.
ing Calcutta, it was noticed that Lieutenant
Stevenson was often seen in her company.
~ /, i hon hnIH
frank bearing, or his general intelligence and
affabiity, that first attracted her, l. know not,
but certain it is their friendship soon ripened
into mutual love. Ere the Cape was reached,
they had confessed to each other, and the
father was made acquainted with their feel.
ings and wishes. But, alas did the course
of true love ever run smooth? As before
mentioned, the General had his own idea with
regard to Rose, and so he sternly refused his
sanction to her engagement with Stevenson.
81 now come to the dreadful circumstance
mentioned, in the opening of my story There
had been q good deal of merriment in the
large saloon the night before; but because Of
his anomalous position with regard to Rose,
Stevenson took very little part in it, and re,
tired early. The General. too, not feeling
very well, had passed into his cabin somewhat
before his usual time, and soon after eleven
o'clock entire silence reigned throughout the
whole of the after-cabins. So things remain
ed until about FIVE o'clock in the morning,
when all were aroused by loud cries for help,
proceeding from the Generals room. Hur-
riedly throwing on few clothes, several OF
the passengers has,ened to the cabin indica-
ted and what sight met their Mortified eyes
Supported in the arms of Lieutenant Steven
son, lay the General, his head bathad in blood
His closed eyes and pallid lips seemed to be-
token death, except that his labored breath
ing and deep groans showed thathe still lived
In another part of the cabin lay the body of the
Generals servant. An examination showed
that he was quite dead. Being very old, he
had been unable to withstand the heavy blow
dealt him. The ships doctor, Captain Bowl
by, Colonel Morton, and many others, were
now collected in the cabin, and after the doc
tor had taken the wounded man in hand, the
question was anxiously asked: How did it
occur? AS Stevenson was the one who had
given the alarm, all looked to him for an ex-
PLANTATION but what he had to tell was
summed up in very few words. He said he
had been restless all the night, and had got
up early, to see the beauties of tropical sun
rise; that passing the Generals door, he
heard groans; that he had knocked, to see if
he could be Of any service. but receiving no
reply, he had entered, and found things in
the state they saw them.
"There were many who shook their heads
at this tale, as it was we'll known the Gener-
al had not an enemy in the ship, unless it
might be the lieutenant himself; and most
knew the two were not on very good terms.
Some one suggested suicide; but the doctor
showed that the wound on the head had been
caused by a blunt instrument, and was IN
such position that it could not have been
selfinhicted. And now suspicion grew strong.
er that Stevenson knew more than he had
told. Men asked themselves: who would be
the gamer by the old mans death?' Steven
son, of course; as the only obstacle to his
marriage with Rose would then be removed,
especially as dilligent search failed to dis.
cover the box asserted by Colonel Morton to
contain the will. So things remained for
several days.
"Stevenson could not but notice the half
averted glances of his fellow passengers, yet
he treated the idea of being really suspect,
ell as preposterous. Rose was for the most
part close y engaged at the bedside Of her faith
er, who still hovered between life and death.
He was for greater portion of the time quite
unconscious still there we're times when he
seemed to be aware of all that was passing
This being the case, it was arranged that he
should be asked, in the presence of the prin'
cipal passengers, to name his assailant. AT
the time appointed by the doctor as being