The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-03-28
CHAPTER II.

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approach to a smile was the grim eX-
preston that crossed his face when he
bent himself over the ease and
coughed with a hollow sound. He kept
a bottle of cod liver oil setting on the
press, and three times a day he would
take up the bottle and drink with as
much zest, it appeared to me, as though
he were imbibing choice wine.
He slept in the office. One night
while we were sitting by the stove he
looked up suddenly and asked
"What is your religionP"
81 do not belong to any church"
(Which church do'you favor?"
81 favor them all, for they all point
to place of final rest"
"And final hell, " said he
Eyes, the most of them believe in a
hell, though not so strongly, l fancy, as
they did before education became so
general"
Not so much as they did," he as
sented. "Many of them do not now
believe that hell is necessary to saliva
ton, but there must be difference in
the treatment of good and bad souls.
Suppose man who never harmed any
one should kill himself? Do you think
his soul would find restp
THAT is a question upon which l
would not like to express an opinion"
at is question though. " he con-
tinued, (which concerns me very much.
My suffering daily increases, but l don't
see that l am approaching the grave
with that degree of acceleration which
promises an early relief from pain. l
have often thought that in my case a
man would be justiiable in taking his
own life. 1t looks to me as though |
am relentlessly tortured"
hardly knew what reply to make,
for | felt that the old man had cause to
complain, but after a few moments of
reflection l said
"Wait. No matter how much you
may be racked by pain, wait You
surely can not live much longer"
A light of encouragement shone in
his eyes as he said:
"Ah, those are pleasant words"
After this | fancied he was not so
restless. He continued to take medi-
cine, to allay pain rather than to pro-
long life, he said. He wrote several
strangely readable articles for the Cat
Fish. l don't know that, with all my
experience in handling manuscripts, /
have ever seen handwriting so peculiar
as his. A number of our citizens who
saw it remarked its dssimilarity to any
chirography they had ever beheld, and
among them the old man was known as
the curious scribe.
One evening, as | was about to leave
the Office, he followed me to the door.
"Mr. Buck" said he, II think now that
my time is short. "
He looked as though he wanted to
smile, but that his poor old lips had lost
the movement necessary to the reflec-
ton of so pleasing an expression,
"Why do you think so, Mr.. With
ers?"
Il dreamed last night that l was
dead. thought that l lay down in
quiet rest, like tired man who goes to
bed"
Il don't think that you should sleep
here alone
Eyes" he replied "The presence Of
any one would disturb my meditations.
/ have an impression that will die sud
denly. An attendant would do nc
good, and would rob the first few hours
of my long-coveted sleep of that deer
solitude which | desire shall surround
me-"
As was walking down the road to
! ward the house where boarded on long
time and short ratons, / met Squire
Duval.
"Well, Buck" when l had stopped
and shaken hands with him, " how il
the curious scribe getting along?"
almost cheerful in the thought tina
he is soon to leave u.s." Ireplied
, Strange old man, mighty queer, bu
| don't think that his mind 5 altogethe
out o whack. Him an me agrees put
ty well here o late, fur I've might,
nigh made a spiritualist outen him
luther day when he 'peered to be 81
dead sot on suicide. said to him, say!
l: 'Withers, don't do it. If you dc
, your grade will be low. Live on, ever
fyou do suffer, an your grade will b.
;. high. y
, The next morning as l was going t,
the office | overlook the Squire nea
t the place where l had met him the da,
before. b 'leve I'll go with you, sal,
, he, IAN have few moments chat will
/ the old feller.n
There was no lock on the office door
and lifting the latch we entered. Grea
r God, The Cd mans body Law on tn
e floor. His head, with the face turnel
toward us, lay on the imposing stone
A bloody-an awful scene! On tn
r stone, near the head, lay a sheet of pa
t per covered with the old mans recuiia
D writing. Almost breathlessly, 1 rea
{ these words:
l You will be surprised to find my head Il
p here and my body Oh the floor. You do nc
see how it is possible for man to cut of hi
4 head and place il where he chooses ana the
throw his body on the floor 1t Is singula
but you see for yourself. How would you 2
about such performance? Ten to one 70