Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-12

''piH AtNAN. ud'A Ii'Ntu my
wife to larger apartment at the font Of
the house When mentioned this to the
suffering husband he c.utchrd at the idea
a drowning man does Rt driitwUOd.
Only momen. was he relieve however,
tor he gaSpei the horrible words:
"But, the trunk"
That was "a blow to my fine spun
theory. had To admit. still. | reasoned,
the transfer of rooms might nave been
male late in the attern oon and the over
worked porter might not hay. been a lie
to at. end TO tHe transfer of tie baggage.
confess that | was unable to impart
mnch enthusiasm 20 my cousOliny ssSur-
anCcs.
Clearly, there was Only.ue thing to
be done The hushanI mus go down to
the desk aud ascertain If his roOm-hiS
wife's room-rad been changed since his
departure No, | couldn't 90 Positively no!
He mast De diplomatic. 100. | assured
him, for his wrfes honor depended on not
awakening any suspicion at the desk. |
still felt that there muSt be Il clear way
out OF this tangle, but ] couldn't see any
daylight ahead He arSuel with me
again. The husband, not the friend, must
go. Yes, | was firm on that point. |
braCed HIM mp as well rs | could to the
top of the main stairway leading to the
office. Then | waited. My friend was
about as diplomatic as a Hollander. He
wa krd up to he desk ani, glaring wildly
A. Clerk Ben Hays. demanded:
"'Why in the tiend's name did you
move my room while vas awayY"
our room has not been changed. sir,
was the calm reply of the veteran clerk
as he glanced over the rack on which the
names are all carefully set down. Then
he said Front" in voice that made the
cOlOred porter on duty spring forward.
Mr. Hays said to him in a matter Of
fact way:
show this gent'em to his room"
Il saw that crisis had come. Stepping
down the stairs, plunged into the thick
of the contest My friend, the husband,
acted as though he would fall limp upon
the floor. Mr.. Hays expected him to, evil
IDENTIFY. for he whispered to the porter to
take the guests arm, but the husband
wouldn't have il. He recovered himself
and stormed like a tiger. He knew the
way; didn't want anybody to show him
to-to-his room. Hotel clerks were al
ways impudent, he added.
MIR. Hays, who has bad thirteen years
experience at the Fifth Avenue hotel and
West End, had seen such cases before
He knew the only way to manage a man
under the circumstances was to let him
alone. That's what he did. His theory
worked like a charm in this case; and,
making what apology | could for my now
thoroughly distracted companion, | be-
gan to navigate him toward the stairway.
Now, expect you to believe me when |
tell you this staggering man was dead
sober He hadnr had a drop in my
room, because there's never any there.
1t don't last. Why | actually thought
I'd have to carry my friend, his legs
doubled mp so under the weight Of his
grief. God knows pitied lin.
What wa, to be done' l tried again
AMI again, to imagine myself in this aw
ful pred cament Impossible. must, Of
course, regard all that knew and had
seen as a sacred secret Though an un-
willing contidencel that could not be
dragged from me with heated pincers. 1t
should die with me. But what nexts
That was the hus bands place to decide,
and his only.
Have you a pistol'" he finally asked
Yes | answered. reluctantly. |
hadn't any real wish to be made an &C
cessory to a murder before the fact, nor
had / the heart to refuse q boon to a
wronged and outraged friend. Anything
| had in this world was at his disposal,
and said so.
We had reached my room for the thir
time. 1t was after o'clock-nearer ,. in
fact, as found by looking at my watch.
| got out the heavy weapon, examined it
to see that it was properly loaded. and
laid it on the table so that he could take
it. He divined my mental observation.
He evidently believed that shrunk from
handing him pistol about to be used in
taking a human life I'd cross the Ru.
bicon. | seized the heavy revolver, placed
it in his hands, AMI, with heroic rising
infle XiOn, said:
"'Go. and do your dutyr"
The way in which the merchant han
died the weapon satisfied me that he
never be ore had had pistol in his fing-
ers His first act was 10 place the butt
against his breast and TO bring the
weapon to a full cock. Then his conf.
dence grew stronger and his reckless ness
increased
stepping back to give the injured hus-
band courage, urged him to avenge him
self. | told hin how Mr. Murat Hal
stead had only the other day actually
threatened TO shoot Mr.. John X. Mclean,
ami that he had telegraphed a column oI
so about the daring act to ali the papers
OF the country. Now, do you know, that
was one of the most unfortunate remark
| ever remember to have made The mer-
chant and husband had read the blood
curdling screed himself, and, recalling
likewise the fercenesS of Mr.. Halstead's
letter to Secretary Chase in 1863, he said:
They both had seconds. You must
be mine | can't kill a man without a
second. | tell you, 1t isn't right"
Il would have smiled, too, had been
indifferent TO the fate of this family. a.
You are. But assure you it was a mos
so.emn moment, which the succeeding re
mark did not render less grave The
husband hsd Strengthened himself up as
he made the high professional point
about killing the destroyer of his peace
Of mind. but fancied he withered some
what As he added:
"'Remem Der the size Of his shoes. He
must he a terror
Two o'clock had passed, and the en-
ragged man certainly had a right to know
the worst. would stand by him to the
last. | hai gone too far to draw back
now. Perhaps | could avoid bloodshed
and scandal. l accompanied my unfortu,
nate friend along the hall. We reached
TIE door. There still sat the damning
:y1saoe Of his TE3ass aReqsPt of thsy
rested upon the floor, Damn the shoes,
Changing the revolver to the left hand,
the nffi cted husband knocked on the
door. in a timd, half-hearted fashion
Silence. No answer
a'i Ii- ka ~ ir
lie struck the door with the fiat of his
hand
There was noise within, consi derable
tumbiiIs about the apartment, we were
bO,h sure. Finally a timid voice, but the
n-ni..n ~ -. .,.,f. L..