The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-07-10
FAIRVIEW'
One Dreadful Sep
tember Night.
A Thrilling Tale Of Love,
Crime, and Retribution.
By JAMES FRANKLIN Fits.
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER L
In various ways and by many different
persons | have been informed that there
exists wha. may be called popular demand
here, in the vicinity of my residence, that
! should plainly set down, with my own
hand, some account of the very remarkable
events that have befallen me and mine dur
ing the past few months. They have been,
it may easily lie conceded, events entirely
outside of the usual happenings of such a
locality as this, and they are such as peo-
pie of average curiosity everywhere might
well feel interested in. Still, l have been
inclined to treat these requests, as one
after another they have come to me, as
mere manifestations of vulgar curiosity.
Possibly | have turned some away with
short answers who carIe to me upon this
erand. Perhaps some little irritation has
manifested itself in the treatment that some
of these callers have received. Yesterday,
however, the sdbject was brought to my at
tentlon by Wilson Warner, Esq, the prose-
cutting attorney of the county land whom
have learned to regard as very good friend
of myself, in a way that has changed my
views in regard to the propriety or neces-
sity of my becoming the narrator of these
events for print.
Somebody must do it, said Mr. War
ner. and who can do it so we'll as you?"
at has already been done, was my re-
ply. "Have not the papers been full of il
for the last month? What more would you
have?"
what the people want about this bust
ness, my dear sir, said the brisk little
lawer, is the truth 1t is very true that
the press-even the press of the great
l., IL L +l,o& II
one who is very dear to you, famous all
over the country. The story as it has been
thus published is truly remarkable one
but there is a decided feeling that, in all
Its details, the story is not known. Per
haps | myself know as much of 1t as any
person other than yourself and that one OF
whom | inst spoke-for you know that
took great pains to get thorough informa-
ton when 1t seemed that a criminal prose
cution was necessary las, indeed, such may
vet e. but | confess that there are points
IN the whole affair that | do not yet under.
stand, which really ought to be cleared up
Now, if feel this way, you can certain y
excuse the curiosity of the people at large
On the sub Jet.
Mr. Warner, i replied with some irri-
tation, ii seems to me that | have had no,
toriety enough Pardon me for not wish
ing TO extend i By publishing to the worlt
my version of this matter.
"Notorieiy you have had and are bound
to have. No man who has passed through
what you have can escape it. As you know
by thousand tongues and by hundred
pens these events have been, and are daily
being, reported, and, as you know, in ma.
teria parts unsupported. Is it not wortl
viii e now, while the memory of them ii
fresh and vivid, to state them yourself il
"a. in, II 7
have them liye?"
The lnbor will be an irksome one t.
me- ] protested. Happiness has come tt
me and mine-I trust, to stay. We ar,
content for ourselves, that people SHOULD
get the best version they can of the things
you SPEAK Of. We are r.ch, respec ed, anC
happy Why should we bother ourselve
about whethr Tom, Dick, and Harry ar
IN ali respects correctly informed as t.
what has lately happened TO us?7
If you spoke for yourself and your wifi,
alone, observed Mr.. Warner, there would
be some force IN your position. But yol
cannot speak in this way for you two alone
l am looking forward to the days when
shall hold your offspring on my knee, anC
to the days still beyond, when they will b,
growing up around you, and when the,
will De entitled to receive from YOU tina
most precious heritage-the good name o
their parents. Can you then, | ask, con
sidering the welfare of your Children un
born, trust the permanent narrative O
these strange happenings to the tongues O
hands of third persons?"
The argument moved me at once w,
were sitting in the library of this stated,
and luxurious mansion of Fairview, tn
rich furniture and costly appointments o
which were but patterns of what prevaiIe,
hnr,tt no ~
half opened door a glimpse could be ha,
of the luxurious and spacious parlors
filed with everything that could max
home attractive Somewhere there, be
yond my sight, there was one sitting at th,
piano who had been referred TO in our con
versation. for | heard the notes of the in
strument mingled with her own sweet
tlute-hke voice, IN the touching strains o
Kathleen Navourneen. | looked from
the window past the tall, graceful elms tina
fronted the mansion, over the hundred
acres of meadow and woodland that formed
this beautiful domain-Fairview. indeed. i
was'-and the thought that all this. and tn
other wealth that was ours. would one dl'
pass to our descendants took possession 0
my mind. And was not Mr. Warner right
Was IT not my duty-her duty-to leav
behind G. so plain so truthful a record o
these tAtngs that had befallen us that n,
cloud.d name could possibly pass to on
children: that the tongue of Islander. tn
breasa of suspicion, could not successful
assail them when we should have passe,
away
| had never before viewed the matter il
this light, but now the idea took complet
possession of NE.
I'm think Of it. Warner: I'll think q
II, was my answer.
"DplIuhtal | on, tn baar ,.o,, COW 90
Che lawyer rubbed his hands gleefully Il
sill be about as exciting a chapter of rea
'lte as one would wish TO read. | shall al
Ways congratulate MYSELF because | bHol
YOU IL do IT. upon being the humble in
st ument In securing the truthful and com
plete record of this hrsiness for the public
Don't delay 1t; strike while the irons hot.
CHAPTER
When he had left the house | passe
through the library and entered the parloI
The song ceased, the piano became still:
glrhsh, graceful figure rose from the stoC
ana met me with outstretched hands an,
beaming eyes. Beautiful as she was then
beautiful as she viii always be TO me. tber
had been something in the LAWYERS seriou
words that had turned my thoughts ava
from her, back 1pon the brief but stirrin
past IN which We two had figured, and le
me to contrast II with the unutterable 10
and peace that now filled my life. NJ
arms opened to her; they clasped her clos
to my heart; her fair brown head Law trust
fully upon my shoulder: her deep blue eve
looked lovingly up TO nine A silent. heart
felt PRAYER went up IN that moment from ,
breast two full for utterance, that so !
might be ID all the years 10 come; that th,
lurid, tempestuous days and nights of sharr
trial and of final triumph that had Sc