The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-05-24
SHOT IN THE HEART.
4 N
by EDWARD REXF0RD


| do not know what do believe.
You will infer from this, that myun;
belief in apparations has been shaken.
Your inference will not be wrong
one. Let me tell yoA my story, and
you can see what cause | haye to
doubt the correctness OF my first be-
lief on the subject. e sliai IJls I a.
John Haynes and myself were
friends together at college. We
used to be called sthe inseparables,"
with some justice, | admit, for we
were always together. and our
studies were the same. We had TAX
ell great liking toeach other from
The earliest moment OF our acquaint-
ance. We were nearly of the same
age. and our tastes aud habits we're
very similar. 1t is not to be wond-
cred at, then, that we were slaunch
friends. 5is& III ls- r 81
We had no secrets from each
other. What | knew John knew
and | shared his confidence illthe
same way. Sometimes when alone
alone IN our room we used to get
into conversation ON such, strange
and mysterious subjects as mesIacr-
ism, clairvoyance, and the like; and
Ii Knew IRON Johns manner that
these subtle, weird, unexplainable
mysteries had strange fascination
and charm for him. lie was not a
believer III theni, aud yet there was
something about them that haunted
him strangely.1 All of us have ex-'
perienced This feeling, / persuae,
when thinking about something
whese mystery was past our compre-
hension. Ii would keep iutruding
itself upon our thoughts, and YET
battle us completely IL We tried 10
solve its secrets. 1t was so with
John. ~Izas. -. .sTA
One evening We were sitting to-
gether alone. We had been talking
on these things, aud from them we
| had got to talking about ghosts.
| l declared my unbelief IN strong
and positive terme. ess ss !.
.'rlere are no ghostsW / said.
\ mo person every saw one except In
imagiuation." M . .,'a ~
"Do you think so" John said,
looking into the fire, thoughtfullys
4 .Yes | honestly think that ghosts
are separations Of the imagination
Strong minded people never seen
them" | answered.
II am not SO sure Of that" he re.
piled "Truth TO tell, Ned, ] do be-
lieve there are ghosts, spirits, oI
whatever you please to cali them"
"What are your reason for this be
liefy" / asked.
~ have no reason for imy belief,
I he answered. "But that the spiritl
{ OF the dead can visit the earth be
lieve, as much as believe in my OK
istence. j may be wrong, but lthink
not"
I'M tell you what" ! ssid, laugh
: ing NJ his seriousness: "lf die beior'
l YOU DO, III appear to you, II such
: Thing Is possible and II ifyoudies first
T why you do the same to me. VIVA
do you say, John2" lie 3Palt
I II will agree to your proposition,
J, he answered, seriously. II will com
to you when Idle, wherever yo'
may be, should lchance to die first,
Our college life ended at last, aite
J, we had begun 10 think il was goii,
to last forever. And then John an'
d [ took different paths, and went on
e In the world. lie went to Canadi
I having an uncle there aud lcame I
J. London 10 enter myself ut the Teil
IS pie aud study FOR the bar. A.la 2
!, The year went by. | heard fror
Q him very often. lie wrote that h
Q was doing well. At first he ha
{ been junior partner with his uncl
: who wasa merchant; and then, tc
c certain reasons, he separated irol
y his relatives and set up for himsel
!. All ola sudden there was a panic
q crash came, and he was ruined. B,
!. still lie wrote checrfully. He wel
y to New York, and thence he wro
q that he had secured large claim
e one of the richest mining region
N and was going out with party
y miners " seek 'or so,u. ssaaI Iho
IN 90 so'ne h'o .,,I"a sIm' Lawn, So,sn ,n,n
r. 'narl,eu anu c"so,;,,os 800, ,nhar ! roc
70 steaoy man. oo,h.,n.s ,,,'s,. vs. ~ 10 oo ~
Johh le''cls, nn9usnIy; SIsaa; -,
iege Gays, ahu wohue''u - ~
oeiicveu ~ gmos's1. @ SAT-. ,ho n.s,,
4. WheJe JeyyS."s rha a. q 20 = h,r,,ed raS
or WIN ,ny WHY, ~ ',Sann ~" ,',o. u ~a. all, AIN
RS ~ ., n'ss.as., ,o'm ~" % We wsrs fond
a. nsn. W = i,a,f, wiI;,,,t Snsde
m SUING ~ wy na.,.s",s N,s .sa !,
M me e,owing ooa''' "uu '~ -
,y iign.ea .ne lamp ,bo,ah, ~ Jo,
n, ouaaep'y IA .ao"s ,.ean to,L;aa o'
n. nayheM W. naa D ~ Mot;7;c
n some recsn. ~. eseh; VIM, :. saS aS ~ , ,nn
jl wor,u, snu .mu ,,;,,, SuI,so III" hsn.,;gh, !,
oonnso.'os "p d., n,i =, enca
semoies gay; Dul az nv nv. oavo " .
thought Oh nun, a"% W., ~ sve,neu ,,oma oss "s
ne was near nlc' ~ na'v ~
ia ielt that some one was W. nsa, .o", a. =
n@ looked up 70 'nce. ,s ,'s ,S., s'anoe' ~
e aieenhg came ove' :, "no l'o" -;
nd 1how s.fanse M say " ~y yo,;,;
'itcre VIC were taihihS ". pon"'