Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-12-07
Why He Killed HIS Friend

old John Bigelow when the conversation
touched upon the shedding Of human
blood 81 killed one Of my best friends, +"
be continued, lighting his pipe and throw
ing the largest pair Of feet in the company
on to chair, with an effort and subse-
quently twitching about the face, which
very plainly told that the Old man was
suffering with rheumatism.
What killed your friend 2" exclaimed
one of the company.
''Yes, as warm a friend as l had on
earth"
Accidentally. wasn't it2"
mo, sir, purposely. If you me1 amt
In hurry I'll tell you the circumstance. !"
Every one expressed desire to hear
the story, and the old man, after a mo-
ment's reflection, began:
II was youug feller, and Lad just
come to Little Rock, when, one night
while passing saloon on the ..levee. l was
attacked by several ruffians. fought
desperately, knocking one of them down
and tel You was q slick buck in those
days-I was advancing on another when
he drew horse pistol and leveled it at
me. The moon was shining and l could see
fiendish expression of delight on the face
OF the ruffian Just at that moment the
pistol was knocked high in the air. The
rufiians fled and l saw before me tall
young man. He asked me if | was hurt,
and advancing, took me by the arm Well
We became friends. His name was George
Wemick. Plenty of old people in this
town remember HIM. God knows how
well do. You people seem to be grow
ing restless. I'll cut the story short.
George and became room mates An
attachment-one of these here old time
friendships-sprang up between US Poor
fellow, he had one fsu.t--whisky. When
drunk he was the most dangerous man L
evefsaw. Many time have seen him
walk into crowd, slap someone's face,
and then knock him down for resenting
the insult He used to say, John l am
bilious, and you know that fighting is my
only medicine. l must have medicine.
One night he came into the room after
an absence of several days. l saw that he
was full and / tried TO engage bis attention
on serious subject, but failed. Finally
he remarked that he was bilious and had
TO have medicine. He went down, and
several hours afterward returned with the
end of mans nose sticking on a knife
blade"
Il got my medicine" he said. '1t is
not very polite to haRd you piece OF
meat without fork, but on this occasion
of emergency I'll have to use knife. 1t
was rather hard matter to get the medi-
cine. had to look all around Finally
man came down the street. L told linn
that l was bilious and had to have some
medicine, but mistaking my meaning, he
told ME to go to drug store. This was
an Insult, and in my great need of medi-
cine | knocked him down and cut of the
end of his nose. The people of this town
ought 10 understand that when | get bill
GUS I want the medicine OF human flesh
and blood, anyway 1t cadnot enter TIE
Kingdom of Heaven. John, if l hadn't
found this fellow, l should have killed
you. Hang it, you ought to know that L
must have medIcinel"
HE threw the piece OF human flesh on
the table and told me to look at it. l
turned away in disgust and drawing
pistol, be, MY best friend, told me to put
it in my mouth. l argued with him, but
with a wild howl he told me that he need
ell more medicine, and that if didn't put
the piece of nose in my mouth ne would
kill me- He cooked the pistol and took
up the piece of flesh. and, pretending to
put it in my mouth, droppedlt down my
sleeve. This satisfied him and he went to
bed. went 10 the window and threw
away the end O. the unfortunate nose and
crept down stars. Next morning George
got down OF his knee, and with tears in
his eyes implored my forgiveness. He
found the man who had suffered the loss
of part OF MS nose and gave HIM $400,
every cent of money he had. For long
lime he remained sober and the circum-
stances of his last case OF bilious were al
most forgotten. l had become more and
more attached 10 him, for every day was
impressed with the nobility of mis- charac-
ter. One night, at the appointed hour, he
failed to come home. Another friend OF
mine had ceme up to pass the evening
with us: We were reading ''Copperfeld,"
and George, who wac splendidelocution-
ist, was going to read 10 US. We waited
and waited. determining that George
would not come in until very late, took
Up the book and began reading. Just as |
got to where MIR. Omar, the undertsker,
was driving nails into collins with rat,
tat, tat, George walked in.
Il am bilious !" he exclaimed, and then
| saw he was drunk
George" asked, care you not going
to read Copperield for usl"
"No,". hes exclaimed, II have been
reading medical work, and find that 1
am bilious. John, am going out 10 hunt
for some human medicine. and If l don't
find any III haye to use you"
"He went out and l explained to my
friend that if he did not find some one to
fight he would come back and attack me-
sat for long and studied. My friend
was silent. At length heard footsteps
on the stairs and instinctIvely l ran to my
trunk and took out pistol. l had just
time to again reach the table when George
o.,arad with trra enaru0us ho-Sa ptStoi,