Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-03-22
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forgot the tenement house window and slept
without disturbance. The next night, how
ever, | came in late, and yielded to sudden
whim that led me to the bathroom window.
AS l entered the bathroom looked over to-
ward the tenement house and gave little
start at seeing a flight in the very apartment
that had SO long possessed for me fascinat-
ing interest. The night was warm and the
window whence the light shone was hoisted.
The curtains were drawn also and [ could see
pretty clearly man and a woman sitting
opposite each other near the center of the
room. shivered little on discovering that
the couple were very like those Of the panto-
mines. The man was smooth shaven and
well featured. The woman seemed older than
he and her face fitted well with the names of
evil suggestion that l had seen in the vesti-
bule eight months before. As 1 gazed saw
the woman suddenly start toward her COM
panion with some cleaning weapon in her
appraised hand. 1 felt my heart quicken and
my breath come thick. The man rose to re-
ceive the attack and I saw shining dagger
plunged into her bosom. Trembling with
HORROR was about to cry out when hearty,
natural laugh burst upon my ear from the
hall On looking round I saw Holt in the
doorway.
''Good heavens, man, did you see that?" /
gasped
Certainly" he said, with another laugh
''Then how can you stand there laughings
If we both saw it there can be no doubt of its
reality"
SIT was real and unreal, old man. Your
sight is vindicated and the doctor and are
put to shame, but there is no cause for horror.
See, the light has been turned out and there
is nothing more to be learned Take glass
of whisky to steady your nerves and I'll ex-
plain the mystery"
Wondering at his language but consider
ably treasured, followed him to his parlor
and sat down.
"Now," said Holt, ''the thing you saw to-
night 4 shuddered again as he spoke) and on
two other occaeions is easily explained James
Carr and his SO called wife, who have lived in
that apartment off and on for eight months,
are known to many theatre goers here and
elsewhere as Arthur Leroy and Nile Picard
What you saw tonight was the rehearsal of
an incident in play which is to be produced
at a Chestnut street theatre early next week
You'll find the rery scene on a dozen down
town bill board tits quarrel. The woman
attacks the man with a pair of scissors and he
responds with lager. The play was pro-
duced in small cities last winter and at one or
two popular watering places in the summer.
You've seen three rehearsals."
''Holt, don't believe you'll cried, as it
flashed upon me that my old illness was re-
turning and Holt had taken this method of
diverting my mind from the threatened
calamity.
True as gospel" said Holt briefly, pour
ing cut another drink.
II will not believe it unless you describe
the scene exactly as it appeared to me.n
Holt promptly went over the whole occur
renee, and his description differed in no i'm
portant feature from my own vision I was
convinced. We talked half an honr longer
and five minutes after going to bed was
sound asleep Next day I went around to
my doctor, laughed at his learning and ac-
copied his apologies for the discredit he had
cast upon my visual sanity.
i x
That evening at dinner while reading an
afternoon paper came upon conspicuous
heading in these words:
''SLAIN AT REHEARSAL"
I started, read on, and discovered that
James Carr, alias Arthur Leroy, had killed
his wife the night before in their rooms on
Clinton street. Then knew that Holt and
l had actually seen the crime committed.
Aeeendingte the newspapers account Carr
on being arrested had confessed the homicide
and pleaded self defense. He had lived and
quarreled with the woman for five years.
After their rehearsal of the night before she
had called up an old grievance, and finally
in a fit of anger attacked him with pair of
scissors, the very weapon she was to have
used in the mimic scene on the approaching
First night.n He had defended himself with
the dagger just employed at rehearsal and
was Mortified to find that he had slain her.
Nobody quite believed Carrs story at FIRST
but the testimony Of Holt and myself saved
his neck. Philadelphia Times.