The sun., 1889-11-08
TIE TRAGEDY OF 4 rALrsMAN


1t was night in the White House. The only
sound was the scarcely audible click tick that
iently smote the ear with monotonous reRu-
iarity' This came not from the corner clock,
ior that had stopped at half past two nor was It
tne note OF death watch nested somewhere In
tne walls Of the venerable mansion. The
ucklnR proceeded from telegraph instrument
Wnlch mad been struggling for hours to tell the
full story OF disaster.
NlRht In the White House. but what niahtl
hours earlier the faithful 'Lige had stolen OF
10 PED confessing that his tortured brain
could no longer stand tho tiok-cllck OF that
demon magnet. One By one the members OF
tne little group had departed, each on tiptoe
ana without word OF farewell. and each
closing the door softly behind him, as
lrlends do when they pass mutely out OF the
presence OF one greatly afflicted. Wanamaker
only had turned his face and smiled. 1t was
smile intended to express all the oflces OF
Christian consolation but it was not noticed
or appreciated. Silence now everywhere. ex-
cept the tck-cllck-tick Of the abandoned in
strnment Even the voice OF Baby Mckee was
hushed In the awful stiffness OF quarter to
three o'clock In the morning
NlRnt In the White House, and one man
awake and alone. He sat In great easy chair,
his elbows on it's arms and his head bowed
down and tightly clasped between olawinR
fingers. His figure was rather IMPOSING as he
sat In the chair, but when he got up and began
20 pace the room with restless tread, II might
De observed that his legs were uncommonly
short for his size.
ana now something happened which was
eVioentlv the contamination OF purpose long
deliberated in that midnight agony.
The man went straight to the great cabinet Of
OArVon ha vuip 0f hA
with q small key Of curious workmanship he
unlocked Its central compartment and took
therefrom an amorphous and rather bulky
parcel. In tissue paper tied with pink string
lie nervously broke the string and tore off
layer inter layer OF the enwrappinR substance
Then q faint, musty odor stole out into the
room, as when one opens n long closed chest
IN some back garret; and the man held in his
hands shabby black hat of cylindrical shape
and of the fashion of half century ago.
he Glared nercely for n moment At this In
animate and unresisting object. then placed 1t
on the floor, and. stepping back few feet,
shook his cenched fist at the old hat.
"D-n you!" were his exact words.
1t was Presbyterian oath. and the Record
Ing Angel, In noting the circumstance, dropped
a tear upon the page and blotted benjamin
Harrison's first damn forever from the record.
The telegraph instrument licked once or
twice. and all was still again. The hat
crouched HELPLESS at the feet Of its owner. Its
very helplessness was a mute appeal, but the
fury OF the man grew as he contemplated the
Rrotesque. old-fashioned object.
Tick-click-tick tick tick"-he started and
looked around him as II the devil himself had
Just whispered in his ear the suggestion OF q
terrible deed.
Then, with his features distorted almost be-
yond recognition by an uncomfortable passion.
his limbs quivering with the impulse OF a
deadly purpose BENJAMIN Harrison twenty
third President of the United States, suddenly
shot up into the air with an agility surprising
in 80 short-legged person. and descended
heels down. square on the top OF the doomed
relic and discarded talisman
And as tho shape and soul went together out
OF the once venerated form, as it was crushed |
down into an unrecognizable wad Of paste
board. bide and hair an aRonizing cry was
heard through the corridors OF the White |
House. Wns it the soul OF the murdered tai !
isman. or was it only Baby Mckee. wakened |
by dream or collie?