Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-30
A QUEER MYSTERY.
The Message That Caused a Fa.
 there Hair to Turn Whita

The message That Caused a Fas
 thers Hair to Turn White.
 How . Politician Was Notified of His son.s
 Approaching End-An Important Mes
 sage Delivered by a Super l natural Messeneer.
 That was strange story told by an ex Congressman the other day, and the cir cumstances under which it was related. writes the Washington correspondent of the St- Louis Globe Democrat, were some what peculiar. The story was told as the liter al truth, and there can be no more reason for doubling it's authors veracity than there la Tor denying. that he Is one of the brightest and most honorable men in public life. He IS yet young man, but his hair is as white as II silvered with age. How it came to be white IS part of the story.
 1t was 8 few evenings ago that the ex- Congressman sat with couple of nevsp paper correspondents and Government official in the latter's room in g big hotel. They were discussing politics and the ex-Congressman was talking when he was interrupted by knock at the door. In response to an invi- 1 tation the door was opened and messep- ger-boy stood at the entrance. In his hand was an envelope with heavy black Doroer. It was such as those used to in- close death message or to indicate deep mourning. The boy paused for a moment. evidently speculating in his mind as to tho proper person to receive the letter. Final ly he rendered 1t to the ex-Congressman, who was nearest the door. That individ. ual turned pale and trembled, but extended | ms hand as If to take the message. Hc hesitated an instant and his hand dropped nerveless. A second time he essayed to take the message from the boy, and again he failed. It was only after the third effort that he was apparently able to reach 1t, and by that time the Government official for whom 1t was intended had come to the door. read the address and took the message from the trembling hand that had re- ceived 1t.
 "Ah," said he, after opening and reading it. '1t's only note from an oface.seeker Why 1t should be in mourning. I don't know. As the oface-seeke is a woman. I presume 1t is merely 8 feminine freak" Every body had noticed the strange de- meanor of the ex-Congressman, and, ob- serving that an explanation was expected, he finally said:
 II think the use of black-bordered envel- opes ought to be prohibited by law. The very sight of one unnerves me- When I tell you why you may doubt the truth of the tale, but 1t Is true, nevertheless. Ten years | 0SV Voo AAoAAu8 0 HOllGlCdl C80V8SS ID nv district. At the close of a speech one after noon Ireceived 8 telegram from home stat ing that my boy, the idol of my life, was dying, and that if wished to see him alive l must come at once. went immediately to tho hotel, took my sachel and started for the depot. There was no passenger train due for some hours, but 8 freight was pull ing out, and jumped aboard. It was late when reached the little town on the river where could take boat for home hur. rted to the wharf and found that the steam CT would not pass until after midnight. and that l would thus be delayed many hours. was undecided whether to wait for tho steamer or hire boat and leave at once While stood on the wharf hesitatinR a messenger boy suddenly appeared before me. Before I could say any thing he thrust into my hand a white envelope with heavy black border. A strange feeling came over me, and it was only by the greatest effort that was able to open the letter. The ap- prehension felt in the few moments was awful, for knew that it must contain dread news. When finally I looked at the letter there appeared in strange hand the single sentence:
 "sYou must come quick'
 ''There was no signature and nothing to indicate the origin of the letter, and when turned to inquire of the messenger he had disappeared as completely as if swallowed by the earth. knew that the message re- ferred to my boy, although was entirely ignorant of its source. knew that must hurry if would see him alive The mes sage decided me, and at once sought 8 boatman, and, securing his services, started down the river. I reached home some hours ahead of the steamboat upon which I had originally intended to come. I rushed to the house and was ushered into the pres. ence of my dying boy. As approached the bedside he recognized me with a smile. and then said:
 "'Papa, I've been waiting for you.'
 s'Those were bis last words, and In a mo ment he was dead. l then knew that the message had received had come from him, and that he had been waiting for me. None of my family or friends had seen the mes. sage, nor did they know any thing about 1t. Atterward made the most searching in. quiries at the town where waited for u boat; but nobody had seen the messenger or ever heard of him. Not the slightest trace of him was to be found, and was led to the inevitable conclusion that the mes. senger had never appeared to any one but me, and that alone had seen the message.
 "You can understand now why a black. bordered envelope always fills me with the greatest dread and apprehension, and why 1t was that turned pale and trembled when the messenger-boy who just appeared in the door rendered me the ominous- looking message intended for you.
 "You will observe that my hair is white, although am yet young man. Before that eventful night my hair was as black as a ravens wing.
 "After l received the black -bordered let ter from the mysterious messenger who came to me at the boat-landing that night. feeling came over me such as I never knew before nor have known since The awful agony of that trip down the river will remain fresh in my memory until death ends all. When reached home and stood at the bedside of my boy my hair was as white las snow. It has darkened some in the years that have slnce passed, but 1t will never be black again."
 Pigs That MILK . Cow.
 ). L. Grant, of Mapping, Conn.,, calls pub lie attention to his pigs. There are half dozen of them, and they know more than all | the rest of the pigs in Connecticut. MT. Grant ! was not aware how smart his pigs were until, having noticed that one of his cows gave less milk than she was wont to do, he