Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-09-16

We'll, what II he is his irleni1 he
asked.
Why said the other, hesitatingly,
if you should fight Prince, Bowie will
act as his second, and you shohd hit
him, which l think you viii, Ae will
challenge you
And then ? said the gambler, in
quiringly.
He will kill you, was the-,y Y,
The gambler laughed, hui il ase e.
identity forced, and said
Why, man, do you suppose bat |
am afraid of Bowie? !, wh6shaye
fought nineteen duels, and lglways
killed my adversary at the .st fire.
If he challenges me, will M qt him.
Bowie is a dead shot, said the first
speaker. 4 have often seen Y "a drive
nail into tree with pistI at ten
yards
What of that p said Lam My
eye is as sharp, my hand is as steady
as his. Who cares for Bowie1 Not
I? Perhaps you do not know that I
have long wished to meet him and |
would not now miss keeping by ap.
pointment with Prince for tenIthous-
and dollars
A SILVER passed over his Il me as
he concluded, and he raised BIB hand
to his brow.
why, Lang, what ails vol ex-
claimed Thompson. Are you'll {?
II believe go, said the gambler
rising from his chair, and staggering
to and fro like drunken mai. BY
= There it is again Take it
away I!
Take what away asked Thomp-
son, catching him in his arms in time
to prevent him from falling.
Did you see it?' inquired Lang
staring wildly towards distant part
Of the room.
See what p inquired Thompson.
Black Tom
The men looked at each other, but
none spoke,
Bring me a glass OF brady, said
Lang, Let it be as strong as HI !
No water for me-
The liquor was brought, and the du.
elst drained the glass to the last drop.
In a few moments he rose from the
floor and seated himself. His face
was az pale as that Of corpse, and
his hand trcmbled violently 'Thomp
son. he said. sndlsnl, and the, hes'
! itated. For a few moments his eye
wandered up and down the room, and
then appearing to gain confidence, he
continued. DO you believe in appa-
ritions ?
'Believein WHAT exclaimed Thomp-
son.
In ghosts?'
Not l. was the reply. Why do
you ask ?
Because, said the duelist, speaking
slowly and solemnly, Just so true as |
am sitting here, just so true is it that
saw Black Tom, the man whom ]
shot three weeks ago, walk up and
down this room, and 90 out through
the door.
And when was that inquired
Thompson.
Just now, was the reply.
You are only trying to scare us,
said Thompson. Confess, you are 10.
king
4 would to God 7 was, replied
Lang, solemnly. Have | not told You
of the dream I had last night P
The reply was in the negative.
We'll, then, listen, said the duel
ist. You, all of you, have seen my
mother ? The men nodded, for their
curiosity was so great that they dis.
liked to interrupt him. She was a
beautiful being, more like an angel
than one Of the earth. She was the
best and kindest of mothers, and now
that she is dead, when | think of the
many unhappy hours | caused her, |
almost weep. You smile, gentlemen,
but it is So Think not that because
I am duelist and the slayer ofnine-
teen men, my eyes cannot drop tears
to the memory of my almost idolized
mother See, he exclaimed, drawing
a small miniature from his breast and
gazing upon it with smile so sad
! that it reminded me Of the picture
Of our Saviour weeping over Jerusa.
lem, was she not worthy of being
loved? But pshaw | must remem'
Der whom | am speaking to, and he
thrust the miniature into his bosom,
We'll, last night, as | lay part asleep,
! | thought my mother came to my bed
side, dressed all in white, just in the
same way in which helped to lay her
in the coffin. Her face was very white
and my limbs chilled with an icy cold.
ness as | gazed upon her She raised
her fingers towards Heaven, and
touched Inc on the shoulder A shud.
der ran through my body, and buried
my head beneath the bed clothes
When again looked up, saw her
standing by the door. Have you
nothing to say to me, mother ] ask.
ed. For a moment she stood as il
meditating, and then slowly approach
ed the bed
Did she speak ? asked Thompson
seeing that he hesitated.
Yes, and these were Ter words
Ny son, ! have come to warn you
In three days you will all by the
hand Of Here she stopped Whom?
asked. She pointed t. my bowie
knife, which lay upon the table, and
then disappeared.
"A singular dream, that remarked