The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1881-02-19
wRlrrnr For ''THz RIPLEY ADVERTISER"
WE WMNtc Rose
--- M EMPHIS. So
BY W. G, FALKNER
CHAPTER XIV.


cd since ! left Memphis, In erder
to see if Il could make anything
tangible out oft. | at length ar
rived at tire conclusion, that my
imprisonment was the result of a
mistake, as TO personal identity.
| had often read ofsuch things, but
never until now credited them. it,
was very certain that Mr.. CLAN
ton had been killed, whether it
was willful murder or not Of
course did not know; and it was al
so clear that a man calling hltnself|
Edward Debar had been arrested
for the crime, and had succeeded in
making his escape, and that was
now in prison, supposed to be the
same person. And the strangest
part o. the mystery, was that an in
telligent physician, as Doctor Lam
berton certainly was, should think
| was the man who had escaped;
especially when he professed to
have been we'll acquainted with
D9bar-the real criminal. II was
natural consequence, considering
the circumstances, that | should
feel no little apprehension. If an
intelligent physician should 60 in
to court and swear to my identity,
how should | escape the punish
ment of the crime committed by
another man? The two officers
who had arrested me, would no
doubt corroborate the doctors
evidence; SO would the negro
waiter, and so would all thejailef's
family. With such an acccmuIa-
ton of evidence against me, how
could | expect to escape, unIess |
could communicate with some OF
my friends at Memphis. | was SC
bewildered by the unfavorable sur
roundings, that began to fear
that should again loose my senses
and | tried to shat cut the gloomy
prospects, but could not 10 it.
was too weak to write; in fact
was unable to manage my ideas
even if | had been physically able
to use a pom; hence | was COM
DelIed 60 lie still and wait al
patiently as could for fur
ther developments. The hour
dragged slowly along, a fain
light struggled through the smal
Aperture misnamed window; lit
tie mouse stole in aud began t.
nlbbIe at the crumbs of bread on th'
floor, while | watched him intentIy
1t was relief to me, to see any
+ living thing, no matter what 1t was
ii had the effect to keep my mint
off Of painful subjects. When tn
little mouse would finish his re
past. and leave me alone, | Woul
lay on my filthy straw bed an
watch his hole, for hours at time
hoping he would come again t
keep me company. A large sp
der had set his net in one corne
of the window in order to captur
unsuspecting flies that were col
stantly coming in and out throug
the opening. His net was an lnse
nious piece OF workmanship, an
it took him several days to fnis
it, and he could throw his du'
spun thread with as much accur'
CIV as a Mexican Greaser toul
throw his lariat. After he ha'
completed his net, he built a littI
neat residence tor himself near j
SO he could sit and look through h
window and watch his trap.
noticed that in selecting the loc
ton for his residence, he was vel
particular to place it 50 that
would not be seen by any inset
coming in through the window;
erected his apartments inside, and
little il rear OF the corner OF u
window sill, while his net W
stretched across it. The web W
woven 50 very fine, that II W
scarcely visible 10 the naked ey
and many bold fy lost his life
being caught in its mesht
Sometimes a vigorous conte
would take place, when a fly wou
make desperate struggle to IT.
himself; but noticed that the GO
test most usually turned again
him. One memorable battle y
tween the spider and a large huI
bic bee, | think worthy to De
seribed, tor it reminded me Of :
brave deeds Of Homer's hero
AS soon as the humblebee got 2
Of his legs entangled in the 2
he commenced to work vlg0rol
ly to get it loose. Inc sPilc
came out and took up bis poslt.l
8eA Ala