The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-02-03

NIHAfhh AInH1
am a poor LAWYER IN 4 snail town ne
the mountains nj khuinuhNt On Hw %.
Ter night IN ~ wac sitting No my
0flce fendlnt over ny we'll ihumbel
copy Of The Code. hunt NJ up th0 Inv NJ
murder ! was smoking my pipe nnl
hal 4 liion ~ - cir ~ the omhofs In
my slota when | saw if0m ny window,
which fronied on the public square. a
man walking Along IN what swmod IA
be- q deep me lltaiiOn III hands were
locked behind him, his hoai dropping
ON his breast nm HE stop was slow and
weary. A log followed ai his hools
The dog was o fierce looking bull dog
II was a clear, cold night bitterly col
and tho moon shone with M h bril-.
llancy overhead as 90 Hight up the
square Tho rays ~ tho Don nj ol
70 the wilderness Of tho snow which GOV.
cred the ground n foot IN depth ma Ia
the night rs clear ~ daY Tho hour was
late and ! was surprised "a see ans onH
out OF doors nj such m h0nr. The vii
layers were long since NJ home AMI not
light from any window could bn seen,
My curiodty was aroused. aud having
marked my page and placed my book on
the table. ! went 10 tho window. |
watched tho man with u great deal oi
interest. As in NIL Western towns. the
eourt-hou @ stood In he middle of tho
square. Il wa a solid old stone build.
ing with immensely thick walls which
were sup orted by bnttressesthat iutted
out ut zach corner Of the four walls. A
tall spiro rose from the building, In
which the old bragon boil had r NJ out
Its various calls for q century or moro.
This spirc cast a long. slender shadow
over tho square. Tho shape Of the
shadow being tr angular, the apex OF IL
reached directly under my window In
my desire 10 satisfy my curiosity about
the solitary man whom had seen. |
walked 10 my door so as to be- out " tho
shadow Of tho splre. Istoppod out ON TO
porch and saw n stranger figure than
before creeping along IN the darkness
OF tho shadow OF the spiro. every
now anil then with q hasty movement
gliding INTO tho corners where the but
trasses were. My establishment and In
tcrest arose 10 great degree. softly
stepped back Into tho threshold Of my
door 80 rs 10 be hidden from tho Wow Of
both men. but whore Icolld plainly 500
everything. II was growing exciting
now. and my heart thumped against my
breast with n noise. as ] thought, that
could DO heard by both men. Whom
the man with tho dog had reached tho
town pump and had stopped TO drink
from the nozzle, the person who had
been creeping along In the shadow
stepped suddenly out into the moonlight
and with an oath rushed upon tho first
man. The man az tho pump turned
quickly at the sound Of rapid footsteps
approaching. and. seeing n man with
arm upraised and hrandlshlng q largo
knife rushing toward h m. led with a
loud . roam or terror. Tho dog faced
the pursuer. He seemed to DO trans.
formed from a dog into u fend. With
eyes fairly dart ny fire. c,ory brisilc on
his body standing up like quilts on y
porcupinc. he waited for his approach.
With a growl Of fierce anger he sprang
nj the throat OF the mar with the knife
But tho dog was beaten down by tho
man, who rushed on In pursuit. Ny
tongue was paralyxed; ! tried TO cali
out With my eyes almost starting
from their sockets and all power Of mo
ton having left my body. | saw the
pursuer gain his victim aud with
another oath plunge his weapon up TO
the hilt three or four times into tho
body. OF tho screaming man; the muir.
dered n fell and the murderer east
bis knife Into tho 10 and fled. by
that time | had rcgained my senses. /
am nm old man and easily excited.
rushed toward tho body OF the muir
dered man. and when I had nearly
.eaehed II the body and the dog. which
had crept 10 lis masters side and was
licking tho dead mans wounds. had
disappeared. ! stopped and stared al
tho snow where I hal seer the dead
mar lying. With every nerve In my
frame ~qulvering with pain and cxcite-
ment. l rccled and fell faintlng in the
snow.
""su /, ''ea'hvu ohsoioushes L was
Dased and faint with cold aud tho OK.
citement Of the scene I had witnessed.
arose and crept 10 my Office. Nearly
stupehed. could not recall for the mo.
ns why haa ,hn,e1. ~orouched
oseI m! s'ose anu 'ricd 70 collect my
houkhs, My IRAN wh'rled amidst q
snao' % ON lcting emotions-doubt
.ear 2 pei,c,; The sto . having
warmed my chilled podl. with \ name.
less afceh 1 went 10 my door and peercd
cautiously out, tearing lest should sec
erepe.uon o. INA, swiui scene. Hut all
vas quiet, not q soul could be II
WAS nearly twoo,dock. and the ,illagers
were asiesP The moon was stlll shin
ing brightly and made each fake Of
NOV mine u Inc luster OF a priceless
u'sunon@ Not . dot nor . foottrack
marvel me white carpet OF snow that
covered me ground Nevertheless.
.hen ! closed my door double.locked
my rolled m. tAele against H. l
pu,'sa my wlndow-blind down. and
nkns,ne my pipe al downto think over
wv ts,ft,ng me- dents OF the night /
nssef haa used iiqaor. / could not A.
Slosle 70 mat MY mind was per-
sss'y o'e.s ~ . nv had never
expss,eneeu % optical delusion. l
10y sweaf on ms lying bed that |
H. mn. J. , SCREAMS Of
kniIe. heard the growl of tho dog and