San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-12-05
MY EXECUTION.


some time ago. revolving how should
meet my payments, when was solicited
for charity by a respectfully dressed
woman, who stated that shc had arrived
from Cork few days ago, her husband
having sent the money to pay her pas.
sage to New York. Upon her arrival
she found that he had been killed by q
drunken rowdy, and as she was penni.
less she asked me for trifle to get a
nights lodging.
Having been imposed upon tho pre-
vious day by tale of the same kind,
passed on without needing her piteous
appeal.
had walked but few PAGES when q
feeling of regret came over me for my
harshness, and turned round to relieve
her distress, but she had gone. ! stood
musing, undetermined what to do. /
felt had acted with inhumanity; but 1t
was SO unlike my usual conduct that
consoled myself with the reflection that
l always had been the friend Of tho out.
east, and that very likely the woman
was not in actual want-this the re.
spectability of her attire, led me to
adopt as a fact, and, resolving to Danish
the transaction from my mind, walked
homeward.
When / reached the corner of Wall
street man, apparently the worse for
liquor, asked me for charity, and with
an eagerness which evidently astonished
him gave him some money.
This somewhat eased my mind, al
though felt that ! had relieved the
wrong object. AS passed st. Paul's
church saw by the clock that it only
wanted few minutes of my dinner
hour, and l was always SO punctual that
l knew even few minutes delay would
cause the greatest anxiety to my wife
and daughters, whose affection for me
was the great comfort Of my life.
Resolving to crush the haunting feel.
ing, l hailed an omnibus and jumped in;
but q new torture now seized me; the
noise of its wheels seemed to echo the
woman's appeal for charity so visibly
that l involuntarily looked out of the
window to see that she was not running
at its side reciting her tale of sorrow and
destitution.
Getting out at the corner of Washing
ton street, walked hastily to my house
and paused an instant on the steps, half
resolved to go on a wild goose chase in
search of the mendicant. Finally pulled
the bell. When the door opened, instead
Of following my usual custom of enter
ing the parlor to greet my wife and
walked straight up to my
dressing room, where sat for some time
in gloomy abstraction; then, bathing my
head with cold water, mechanically
my dress and again seated my
self i'll the deepest detection.
was aroused by my wife, who, sur
prised by my unusual conduct, asked
if did not feel well.
"Yes," replied, "but very tired. The
weather tries me. But, however, let us
% dinner"
Ny daughters and a niece who was on
/ visit came round me and playfully |
colded me for being 80 naughty. At
asst sat down to the table, but could not |
at a mouthful. After several attempts
o eat requested my butler to bring me
he brandy decanter, which surprised
hem all, as ! was a strict temperance
nan, and merely kept wine and liquors
or such of my guests aS did not share
ny scruples.
When the brandy was brought filled
goblet nearly full of the "liquid damna-
ion," as / had recently called it In a
peech / had made at q temperance
leeting, and drank it off at single
raught. This somewhat relieved me
nd enabled me 20 swallow q few mouth
us of dinner.
My spirits somewhat returned, and we
Il adjourned to the drawing room. The
rrival of some visitors to my wife and
aughters afordcdme an opportunity of
.aving the room unobserved. | put on
ly hat, resolving to call upon friend
-ho lived in the next street.
Not finding him at home. / strolled on.
he evening was fine, and before ! was
ware of the distance / had walked
,md myself near the North river. At
acted by a crowd which had gathered
,und the end of one Of the piers, went ,
wards it, and was told by a policeman
lat a poor woman had just been taken !
1t of the water.
pressed forward, and exclaimed !
oud, on The impulse Of the moment, ,
hen gazed upon tie lifeless form: I
Great heaven! the very woman / treat
50 brutally not an hour agor- IN
Tie words were scarcely out of my lips J
hen a strong hand grasped uy cellar.
was tie policeman who had just
oxen q me.
"Oh. tie murders cut thcnT- lie cried q
Tou know something q this mattcrl- D
4 CRY --as Immediately raised that .
q ooufessed myself the murderer; and "
there was 2 severe Lruise cn the poor p
5m1u's lead, d5ubtlsss occasi0ued hy e
= s,riki1g agzizst tlle Tier, it was eE- "
-ssa-la1 i-io a fr-l-furl ! skull q
aI y-zs r5- ci .1r o. the crcifel mob d
.-5 f--- El-.d r-r -.-i-l VII a f.-u -
-r-- --r --- fa ~-- rF