The Delta independent., 1890-01-14
MY EXECUTION.

Twas walking home from my Office
some time ago. revolving how should
meet my payments, when was solicit
sd for charity by respectfully dressed
woman, who stated that she had ar
rived from Cork few days ago her
husband having sent the money to pay
her passage to New York. Upon her
arrival she found that he had been
killed by drunken rowdy, and as she
was penniless she asked me for trifle
10 get a nights lodging.
Having been imposed upon the previ-
GUS day by tale of the same kind.
passed on without needing her piteous
appeal.
Ihad walked but few PAGES when a
feeling OF regret came over me for my
harshness, and I turned round to re-
lieve her distress, but she had gone.
stood muslng. undetermined what to
| do. felt had acted with inhumani-
ty; but it was so unlike my usual con-
duct that consoled myself with the
reflection that I always had been the
friend Of the outcast, and that very
likely the woman was not in actual
want-this the responsibility of her at
tire led me to adopt as a fact, and re-
solving to Danish the transaction from
my mind. walked homeward.
When I reached the corner of Wall
street a man, apparently the worse for
liquor, asked me for charity, and with
an eagerness which evidently aston
ished him I gave him some money.
This somewhat eased my mind, al
though l felt that had relieved the
wrong object AS passed St. Paul's
church 1 saw by the clock that it want
ed few minutes Of my dinner hour,
md was always so punctual that l
knew even a 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 haunt ng
feeling hailed an omnibus and jump
ed in but new torture now seized
me !; the noise OF its wheels seemed to
echo the woman's appeal for charity
so visibly that 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 Wash
ington street, l walked hastily to my
house and paused an instant on the
steps, half resolved to go on wild
goose chase in search of the mendi-
cant. Finally pulled the bell
When the door opened, instead of
following my usual custom OF entering
the parlor to greet my wife and daught-
ers, walked straight up to my dress
ing room. where sat for some time
in gloomy abstraction cthen, bathing
my head with cold water I mechanic
ally changed my dress and again
seated myself, in the deepest dejec-
tion.
/ was aroused by my wife, who. sur
prised by my unusual conduct, asked
tenderly if l did not feel we'll.
yes" replied; "but very tired.
The weather tries me. But, however,
let us go TO dlnner.'
My daughters aud niece who was on
visit came round me and playfully
scolded me for being SO naughty. At
last sat down to the table, but could
not eat mouthful. After several at
tempts to eat requested my butler to
bring me the brandy decanter, which
surprised them all, as I was strict
temperance man and merely kept wine
and liquors for such OF my guests as
did not share my scruples.
When the brandy was brought 1
filled goblet nearly full Of the "liquid
damnation," as I had recently called it
in a speech l had made at temper
ance meeting, and drank it of at a
single draught This somewhat re-
lieved me and enabled me to swallow q
few mouthfuls OF dinner.
My spirits somewhat returned and
we all adjourned to the drawing room.
The arrival OF some visitors of my
wife and daughters afforded me an op-
portunity of leaving the room unob-
served. I put on my hat, to call upon
a friend who lived in the next street.
Not finding him at home / strolled
on. The evening was fine, and before
l was aware OF the distance 1 had
walked found myself near the North
river. Attracted by crowd which
had gathered round the end OF one OF
the piers, went towards it. and was
told by a policeman that poor wo-
man had just been taken out Of the
water. $40.
pressed forward, and exclaimed
aloud, on the impulse Of the moment,
when l gazed upon the lifeless form:
"Great heaven! the very woman I
treated SO brutally not an hour ago."
The words were scarcely out OF my
lips when strong hand grasped my
collar. 1t was the policeman who had
just spoken to me.
'Oh, the murders out them" he
cried. "You know something Of the
matter!''
A cry was Immediately raised that