Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-02-12

you given me notice ofthls wish OF yours
before starting would have made ar
rangements and have spoken to my wife
to prepare her. Have you made your
will9o
No, / have not"
Good heaven. man, not made your
will Tom, it is absolutely necessary for
both Of us to make our wills before we
die. have not made mine, and should
not like to leave the world with the
chances of my wife and child going to
the workhouse or to be chargeable on
the parish aftermy death. You would
wish to leave your money to some one in
particulars it not so2n
'sOf course / should like to leave my
money, property-of course-yesl /
never thought of making my will.
You must also remember, Tom, that
it would never do to die deliberately, in
the way we both wish to die, without
leaving to the world our reason for the
act. You would not wish your name to
be by-word and be cause of derision
to any one, am sure; and / am certain
don't wish my own to be SO. Therefore
we must draw out our reasons for dy-
ingg'
"Doyou know, Jack, ! never thought
of thatG"
sWell, then, first put your knife down
on the cushion there, and then we will
set to work. I've plenty Of paper in my
bag and plenty of lead in my pencil, and
we've the whole night before US. "
A tremble of my hand, quiver in my
voice, would have been fatal. / opened
the bag and drew forth the writing
paper. The knife was on the cushion at
my side.
Now, Tom, let US first state our rea-
sons to the world for wishing to die to-
night by our own hands. If you will
dictate to me your reasons, will write
them down, and then we will revise and
correct them. After that | will dictate
my own to you and you shall write them.
We shall be able to do our work well and
quickly
''Quite right, Jack; we ought to give
them our reasons. How odd that 1
never thought Of that. Let me see +; if I
kill you first I might write them out
afterward.n
"Ah, but you will write out minea
Don't be selfish; there's good chap"
ITO be sure. Well. are you readya'
He began debating long and fowery
sentences. Now and again l inter-
rupted his flow of language to gain time.
This kept him thoroughly occupied and
interested, while the train sped on at ex-
press rate. He had nearly finished his
long, rambling dictation, when to my in
expressible delight I felt the speed of
the train slackening. I knew my chance
Of deliverance was near.
''Read over for yourself what I have
written, said to him. s'The carriage
is very close-a little fresh air will do US
good. will make any corrections you
may require =
! sat on the knife and reached over to
lower the glass. A slight fumbling
necessitated my rising to manage better
and the knife was in my left hand CON
cealed under my coat I turned around
to look at my old friend, and saw him
trying intently to read my scribble by
the light of the lamp, seemingly uncon-
scious Of the stopping Of the train. In
another moment the glass descended, the
knife dropped upon the platform, my
hand was thrust through the window and
on the handle of the door, The train
nearly stopped as | jumped out, shut the
door and held the handle firmly. Peor
Raven was then quite engrossed with
what had written for him. called the
guard, and secretly and quietly the por-
ters were assembled over the platform at
the door of the carriage.
"Come, Tom, this is SwindoD Let us
have cup of coffeef' 1 called him
through the window.
In that moment the spell was broken.
| saw him look for his knife, then rush
to the window at the opposite side, but
we were too quick and too powerful for
him. The guard, two porters and
jumped into the carriage, and he was
secured.
My best friend, with brilliant future
before him and in the ripe portion of his
life was a raving maniac, and has re-
manned so-insane from that time-one
Of the many victims to overwork.
/ need scarcely add the case which
Raven had represented to me as calling
him to Exeter was an entire fabrication,
and was invented by him as a part of the
scheme which, in his madness, he had no
doubt seriously imagined would be for
the benefit of us both.
That terrible night can never be ef-
faced from my memory, and can never
sufficiently congratulate myself on hav-
ing SO fortunately thought Of the expe-
dent which answered so admirably
Writing for life. 7
Largest Hanging Bell.
The largest hanging bell IN the world