The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-01-30
MY TERRIBLE PLIGHT.

NHHN NNNN NNNHNNNL w NFf.l N'''W NNh NlNii
train was swiftly carrying mo from Liyer'
pool ~ l'oudon
was young, NY prospects wore good, my
business hpurlihng, and wa angaged 10
the girl Of my henrt-pretly lletiY Dayen-
port Her name, by tho way, Wn Eliza Ann,
Ia compliment l0a wealthy goim1iher A
dreadful combination, which 90 owner indlg-
nAntly repudiated ME Davenport was an
engpaor and had lately yraturue from Hnuth
America liatty had the reputation of being
a blt 0i iilrl, Hnd there was 70 certain merr
chant 90 iumpa Ayras, james Andrews by
name, whom her bright eyes and clear COM
pleNon had entirely yanaulshed My sweet
heart always looked serious Wbpn tlia mer,
chants name was mentioned lo1r felowl
On his side, a. least, Il waa no idIt nlr,Au0n.
Since tho fair English grl refused him he
had neglected ha business, apt was on tho
high road 10 ruin.
CurIousy enough, ! had beou mixed ~
With hiH affairs Ia q strange way. Though
we had never mot We know each other by
name and roputo, aud ~ We both were In tho
wool trade, had boon thaunc1a a'1ulueaua
Of discovering big swindle which he, a. q
laat desperate resource, had planned % save
him from bankruptcy The attsmpt failed
he waa ruined. And, by a strange irony 0f
fal6, tho mau who had won tho girl he had
wooed was instrumental In aeoelerating that
ruin.
30 my thoughts ran ~ the train thundered
through tho black night
Az Rugby another passenger got Into my
compartment Of which hitherto had beon
tho solo ocoupIor l hal read tho evening
paper down 70 the advertisements, aud had
rere,d liettya laat letter, 10 tho prospect OF
q chat was welcome ono Tho newcomer
seemed ~ much inclined Tor oonyernton ~
/ was, and we were foon chatting away on
tho thousand and one topics Ia witch men Of
the world are Interested, A chance allushn
Of mine 10 South Africa elloted tho fact that
ho had hpont some years of hiH lIfa there, and
THIS formed an additional rolsou for s0aia,
bility, For, before mceeoloi % my fatheriH
London business, had fpant two years In the
nolghborhood OF Kimberley, prospecting for
gold, Apropos Of tho wild state Of some parta
Of tho country, ! incidentally remarked that
tho custom acquired there OF travelling armed
ltlll olung 70 me, and l. When on Journey
always carried pistol,
"Qut0 an unusual procautlon,n / added,
deprocatIngly "in ths peaceful old England
Of ours,h
~ think 10 a very sensible 0no.n returned
my companion, tone never knows when a
klK-ahooier may not he useful Would you
let mo aeo youmr
II waa nm unumal request and for tho
momont rather staggered mo And an he
bent forward noticed that hIa face was
working ourIouhy and hia oulftfotohed hand
tromblud,
The train alaotcicd speed We were stop.
ping W a junction,
Tho porter came along the platform with
hin monoionoua chnnt, "Chango hero for
Choeham.N llo put hia head Ia our carriage.
"Eithor of you gentlemen for Choshamp
No, We we're both bound for London, no tho
man took himAnf on, Hut he looked rathor
startled, aud we'll ho might by tho light Of
the lantern he carried he had seen two mon,
ono bent forward, pale and eager, tho othoi,
holding pistol
handed the stranger my pistol for iuspac.
tion, II was a dainty thing, I was rnthor
proud OF II. My mate In South Africa bad
given II 10 mo, anal my namo was engraved
ON H.
"1orooo Dllgh, nroad my follow travolor.
$50 you, with steady flame IN hia great
oycs "aro Horace BlIghr "rhat u my
namo,n replied, rather dibconcortod Tho
mans manner Waf certainly strange, he toy
ed with the pistol Ia u dangerous way, and
We were going W tho ratio Of ffty miles an
hour, II wns not pleasant position 10 be
placed In, began 20 regret my folly Ia com.
plying with his request
! went on ooolly, "lorhops you had better
rctuln mo my property Pretty thug, IA 10
notl but loaded, aud therefore unreliable.
You are haudlng u caroosly, and 10 might
70 on, 10 win bo nntc' In my pockctn l
reached out my hand In my turn, but my
follow traveller dottly oyadci mo, | shall |
mover forgot tho awful expression on hia hug
gard face
$50 you Nro Horace Blghn W,ll. am
Jnmoa Andrews, the man you have ruined. |
Not only that, You have tlIon the girl |
loved. no0nt 10 KIN myself Il had tho
chance. hayo II now, leyc afro tao moans
OF revenge | could shoot YOU whore you |
stand, But ] win NOT, ! ro.5ryo Tor you n
moro hdoous toto | viii kIll mytclf with
your pistol and IN such lnauuU that suicide
will appear improbable, On you will fall tho
suspicion, nay, tho certainty Of guilt
Irushod forward and tried 10 wrcst tho
pistol from him A brief struggle onauod, In
which no, endowed with mnuiao strength
throw me 10 The floor Of Tho carriage Do.
foro could rIso lc placed tho pistol IN tho
middle Of hia forehead, frod, ard fell dead,
,I9r opo moment horror % ule tragic end
or BettyH some Time lover punished nl othOf
thoughts The next noticed that wo were
slaokonlng speed lpullod down the window
aud thrust out my hoad We wore nearing
the end Of tho journey. Like flashes Of light.
Mug, ono thought after another rushed across
my BRAIN llo was dcad--Jnmou Andrews;
tho man who had oyory reason 20 boar mo
onmity, llo was dead. Shot through tho
head with my pistol What moro llkoly sup
position could thOro bo than that Ia the heat
OF ungw, Of rocrlminatlon ON his part, |
had Lost solf control, drcd VI aud killed him
Then misied tho most foolish aotlon Of my
life loapt from the now ALMOST notion
loss tratu ON 10 tho platform aud ran up the
stairs into tho stroob. / hailed passing
hanson, and told tho man TO drive 10 my
chambers In FurnivnlA inn. Az he ratified
through the quiet streets ! congratulated my.
pclf on my escape from an unpleasant prodlo-
ament II was unlikely That the portor would
my fnco, and II ho did thoro was
noe very great chance OF discovery Tho
pistol good Godl.-I lifted my hand 10 my
was empty. In the hurry OF my
flight had left behind tho eN.
douce that would convict mol had forgot
Ton Che pistol,
II was impossible 10 10 home. They had
my namoi my address was IN the directory
should bearrgdcd before dnybrealt. called
30 tho driver togo To Leicester square, stayed
iii closing time, then wandered about Lon.
DON Thon wont into cate, trying 10 de-
side on my plan OF action, 10 fly the coun.
Try was the first course that suggested Itisolf.
Then / remembered tho vigilance with which
Tho ports aro watched when asuppoped crlni
ial IN al large, 30 wandered on for hourp,
wavering misorably. would put a brave
'front.' on the matter, and oonfors my share IA
-. n. - !