Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-08-13
TIE OLD FLINT LOCK.
BY LARRY o'LEARY.

lHef0 ~ I'll Olu liIIl5 lock plSGOl mere
in my library which has an interesting
history.
Ii was formerly one of collection of
antique firearms belonging to q family
named Herbin. A number of unex-
pected deaths had reduced this family
to an old grandmother, a young man
named George Herbin, and an idiot boy
called Morg, an abbreviation of Nor
gan.
TO all the wealth of the family the
idiot Morg was heir. He was a silly
looking little fellow, who went around
with his forearms projecting, his hands
hanging Imply. his head thrown back
most of the time and his mouth wide
open. He was 10 or IL years old, sound
in body, and would probably live to an
advanced age.
This latter fact was great aggrava-
tion to George, for in case of
the idiots death he would
come into the possession Of the estate.
When, he looked at the old mansion and
the beautiful grounds, he became
greatly exasperated to think that it all
belonged TO a person who had not the
slightest capacity for enjoying it, while
he, man of educated tastes and much
refinement, must spend his days in
poverty.
George Herbin brooded on his mis-
fortune until he became morose and
sullen. Often he would watch the idiot
boy for hours just for the pleasure of
hating him. He heartily wished the
child dead. at would be better for
him and for me" said George.
Morg's only pleasure was initiating
the actions of those near him. Often he
played in the yard and watched the
people passing by. If he saw a man
raise his hat to lady, he would raise
his very soberly as if wondering what it
was for. He seemed to have slight
curiosity to know things, and OCCASION
ally even seemed to be trying to think.
But no CLEAN Uf intelligence ever came
to him.
However he never failed to initiate the
actions of others. Ii he saw the gard
ener raking, he got stick and went
through the motions himself. If the
gardener stopped to scratch his head,
the boy scratched his, too. If the hostler
curried the horses, the boy initiated
him.
Through all the years that he had
been able to toddle around this had
been his constant employment. There
was not the slightest probability that
there would ever come to him mental
dawn. His silly laugh and laden eye
remained always the same.
One day George was in the library.
He was sitting in a great leather-cush-
toned chair. He had been trying to
read, but his mind was full of dark and,
gloomy thoughts and he had hardly
turned page. Presently he heard
clatter of heavy shoes on the porch and
on the threshold. 1t was Morg entering
the room.
George did not look around. The
scowl on his face grew darker.
He was not man of pure up
right principles. He was one
of those who, in favorable circum-
stances, will lead honorable lives, but
when crowded to the wall by adversely,
or for some reason made dissatisfied
with their lot, will do dark deeds.
Thinking on this idiot boy as the
only barrier to his becoming o wealthy
man, was rapidly making George Her.
bin bad. He wished the boy were
dead. Is it not dark soul that can
have such wish?
Rising from his seat George threw
the book on the floor and strobe over
to the mantle. Morg picked up the
book and threw it down just as George
had done
George smiled wickedly, devilishly.
On the wall there were fastened some
old swords and pistols. One of the
latter had become loosened from its
George picked it up and turned it over
and over, looking at every part atten-
lively. 1t was an old duelling pistol
and had been used in more than one
encounter.
Morg reached up to get it, but he
was not high enough; and George laid
it down again.
Then he leaned his elbow on the
mantle and fell to thinking. He was
wishing as usual that the imbecile at
his side were dead and that he were
rich.
Suddenly Georges face became very
red, then very pale. His eyes stared
fixedly at the old fint-lock pistol.
A terrible thought had come into
Georges mind. 1t staggered him for a
moment. but his mouth soon took on
that set expression which indicates de-
termination.
~ The child was watching closely.
George picked up the pistol, drew back
the hammer, and held the muzz!e close
to his forehead.
1t happened that there was red
birth mark visible where the muzzle
touched. George usually had his hair
brushed down over it, but it was now
to be seen plainly. The child was
watching closely. George pulled the
trigger.
The sparks flew as the flint struck.
The child laughed and again reached
up for the pistol. George cooked it
again and laid it on the mantle. Then
he left the room.
When it was dark George entered the
library, stealthily. BY the mantle
there was chair as if child had stood
on it. The pistol lay near where he
had placed it. The trigger had been
pulled again and the flint was just over
the open pan.
George drew o paper Of powder from
his pocket and poured o quantity of it
in the pistol. Then he took ball from
another pocket and rammed it down.
Some finer powder he placed in the
: ts i