Wichita eagle., 1889-12-10

suuarely in the eyes as they walked "You
would not dare-you have not the courage"
he saia. He emphasized the words with .
contemptuous gesture. "You are brave
enough to read me in street car; but-in a
deserted house alone i in the forest at
night BAIL / have a manuscript in my
pocket which would kill you"
Marsh was angry He knew himself
man Of courage and the words stung him.
eff you know such place." he said, stake
me there tonight and leave me your story
and a candle. Call for me when I've had
time enough to read it, and I'll tell you the
entire plot and-kick you out Of the place.
That is how it occurred that the farmers
boy, looking in at an ungla1ed window Of the
Breede house, saw man sitting in the light
of a candle.
Late in the afternoon of the next day three
men and boy approached the Breede house
from that point of the compass toward which
the boy had fed the preceding night They
were in high spirits apparently: they talked
loudly and laughed. They made faoetious
and good hurnored ironical remarks to the
boy about his adventure, which evidently
they did not believe in He accepted the
raillery, with seriousness, making no reply.
Arriving at the house and finding the door
bolted on the inside, the party Of investi-
gators entered without further ceremony
than breaking it down. Leading out Of the
passage into which this door had opened was
another on the right and one on the left.
These two door, also were fastened, and were
broken in. They entered at random the one
on the left first. 1t was vacant. In the
room ON the right-the one which had the
black front windows-was the dead body of
a mani
1t lay partly on one side. with the forearm
beneath it, the cheek on the floor. The eyes
were wide open the stare was not an agreea-
BILE thing to encounter. The lower jaw had
fallen: a little pool of saliva had collected
beneath the mouth An overthrown table, q
partly burned candle, chair and some paper
with writing on it were all else that the room
contained. The men looked at the body,
touching the face in turn. The boy gravely
stood at the head, assuming a look of owner
ship 1t was the proudest moment Of his life.
One of the men said to him: You're good
'an'-a remark which was received by the
two Others with mods Of acquiescence. 1t was
Skepticism apologizing to Truth. Then one
Of the men took from the floor the sheets Of
manuscript and stepped to the window, for
already the evening shadows were cleaning
the forest. The song Of the whip poor-will
was heard IN the distance and a monstrous
beetle sped by the window on roaring wings.
'Before committing the act, which rightly
or wrongly have resolved On, and appearing
before my Maker for judgment, L, James r.
Colston, deem it my duty as journalist to
make statement to the public. Ny name
is, | believe, tolerably well known to the
people as writer of tragic tales, but the
somberest imagination never conceived any
thing SO gloomy as my own life and history
Not in incident; my history has been desti-
tute of adventure and action. But my men
tel career has been lurid with experiences
sach as kin and damn. I shall not recount
them here-some of them are written and
ready for publication elsewhere The object
of these few lines Is to xplain to whomsoever
may be Interested that my death is voluntary
my own act. l shall dieat 10 O'Clock in the
evening on the 18th of July-a significant
anniversary to me, for it was on that day
and at that hour that my friend in time and
eternity, Charles Breede, performed his VOW
to me by the same act which his fidelity to
our pledge now entails upon n1e--he took his
Ike III nis uLuie HOuee III Lue OOpeCOh WOOuS.
There was the customary verdict of temper
aIy insanity. Had testified at that inquest
had l told all l knew-they would have
called me mad have still a week Of life In
which to arrange my worldly affairs and
prepare for the great change. 1t is enough,
for | have but few affairs, and it is now four
years since death became an imperative obi
cation. | shall bear this writing on nv body;
the finder will please hand it TO the coroner
JAMES r. CoLsToN"
"P. S-Willard Marsh, on this the fatal
18th day of July, l hand you this manuscript,
sealed, to be opened and read under the con-
ditions agreed upon, and at the place which
designate. / forego my intention 10 keep ID
on my body to explain the manner of my
death, which is not important 1t will serve
to explain the manner of yours. l am 10 call
for yon during the night to receive assurance
that you have read the manuscript. You
know me well enough to expect me. But,
my friend. it will be after 10 O'Clock May
God have mercy on your soulsl j. r. c."
Before the man who was reading this man.
uscript had finished one Of the others had
picked up the candle and lighted it. When
the reader had done be quietly thrust the
paper against the fame, and. despite the pro-
testations OF the others, held it until it was
burnt to ashes AT the inquest nothing
could elicit an intellgible account Of what
the paper contained. The man who did this.
and who piacidly endured severe reprinand
from the coroner, was a son-in-law of the
late Charles Breede