The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1886-05-29

that horrible gas-pipe, l felt sure some aw-
full deed was in contemplation, yet when
to face / couldn't believe it of them, they
looked so innocent, SO good; there was such
an absence of all suggestion of wickedness
in those blue eyes Of Miss Emily, in that
square, handsome face of Will Graham.
"Wen, at last matters came to a crisis
1t was one summers night. had worked
hard all day and was terribly worn out
and nervous. / came home; had a chill or
something. Anyway, Eliza allowed me
only light dinner and made me go to bed
early. During the evening the house was
very quiet; the gaspipe especially was 81
lent as the grave. I fancy must have
fallen asleep, for remember nothing be-
tween Eliza's coming upstairs about ten
o'clock and being awakened shortly before
midnight by q sound, coming, OF course,
got so nervous over it that the slightest
sound from it woke me instantly. Eliza
slept on placidly as dormOuse at my side.
II listened intently. Whether it was my
weak condition or presentiment, l don't
know, but felt sure at once that some
thing dreadful was coming. 1t did.
"Ive made up my mind, Wiu'-from
below.
"sWell, what to dos'
"Just as you said. Shooting's the best.
She'll die instantly, You know, and won't
have any dying farewelrs to go through.
don't feel up to such thing-have never
had any practice in just that line
"Horrible girl thought. People don't
generally get much practice at numbering
their mothers. ...t g..
"srm going to do it now, too; I've DIAL
lied over it a dreadful while, and Pm going
to have it over by midnight. Then Fll
breathe freer. There'll be nothing more
but the marriage, and after that can rest
"Was she a fiendl red lie! Appar-
rently they both were.
- 60 fx<xv,n I<>x-o
DO it up brown. I'll help you spend the
Il could stand it no longer 'Eliznr
shrieked, there's murder murder murder!
going on in this house. Get up! get up!
81 simply flew up. In two seconds had
on a pair of trousers and coat. Eliza
tried to hold me, but flung her off. There
was no time to be lost. l expected the
sound of a pistol-shot before I could get
downstairs.
81 went down three steps at q time. On
my way met party of people coming
from the front room, where they had been
playing whist.
"Mr Jonesp shrieked our landlady, see
ing my excited face and glancing at Eliza,
who was hurrying after me in her night
dress
's'Madamp cried, there's murder going
on in your house. Come at once-cOmei
To the rescue, command your
"'With the whole house following,
rushed to the door of Miss Marvin's room.
flung my whole strength against the wood.
A series of shrieks came from within.
I" It's locked! it's locked it's lockedp
cried.
"'Of course it's locked, you indecent
man. cried our landlady. The ladies are
gone to bed. What do you meanP
Mean, madam cried; 4 mean there's
murder going on behind that door,
"By this time l had succeeded in con-
vii " hat fOr1ld
under way, for the two young men from
the drugstore and both servants came
rushing up. One had the fire tongs, the
other the shovel, and one of the servants
had seized a decanter, which she evidently
meant to use as a bludgeon.
"Bent on saving that poor old lady from
dreadful death at her daughters hands,
threw my whole strength against the door.
The drug clerk helped me. There was a
straining of the wood, bursting of the
latch, the door gave way, and there we
stood in the midst of the room. I gaze one
spring tOscard the murderess, and piaiOned her
IN nsy arms"
At this point Mrs. Jones, who bad listened
with the utmost interest to her husbands
narrative, burst into a peal of laughter. /
laughed too and then meekly inquired of
them both what was laughing at.
"Well, Teddy, what was itl What hap
pened next"
Teddy Jones gave a prolonged sigh.
''What happened nexta Why, that miser-
able wretch, Will Graham, actually
threatened to have me arrested for as
saulting his promised wife. Think of it-a
decent, respectable married man like mer'
'But the murder-Miss Emily-what was
it all about?"
"What was it all aboutl" The disguised
look that Teddy had worn when literary
people were first spoken of came over his
face again. "Why, it wasn't anything.
Miss Emily was one of your precious
literary peOple-writing nasty story with
a murder in it. She and Will Graham had
been engaged for three years. He usually
helped her out with her plots. Just now
wouldn't take the old lady's money to go
into business with. Will said he wouldn't
risk impoverishing her. The old lady got
provoked. She was tired of seeing Will moth
ing but telegraph clerk, SO she said they
shouldn't speak to each other until he came
to his senses and went into something for
himself"
But how did Miss Emily come to under
stand telegraphy2"
''Why, she was an operator herself. She
didn't like it, and found writing, literature
-bahw Jones was contemptuous still)
as afterwards learned, she really made q
good thing of it."
''But what did they do to you for raising
such a terrible fuss in the housel"
Don't speak of it. l thought those
women would never have done screaming
and railing at me. Will Graham took me
upstairs by the ear, and Eliza put me to
bed. The landlady said had behaved like
a fiend, that her house had always been
decent and respectable, and that 1 had
ruined her. Old Mrs. Marvin kept having
Mysteries twice day for fortnight. l had
brain-fever for six weeks. Then, before ]
had more than half recovered, they gave us
warming. and Eliza and l had to turn out
into the street. Literary people-ugh pr
Hdrper's Weekly.