The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-07
TRAGEDY OF THE WEST.
The Crime and the Punishment OF
D!ssipatsd Lover.
Erou, h Na-r VI So.

The Crime and the Punishment OF q
D!ssipatsd Lover.
Ffonl the Men York sun.
Ten years ago Cuffey's Cove, on the Pa
cifc coast. hundred miles or so above San
Francisco, was lumber camp. But as it
prOspered, women came and children. a
school house and church. And above the
rough aud Doisterous life which the lumber
men had led rose a circle Of society with re-
finement and education and strict notions
OF what was right and what was wrong
To this circle belonged the widow Thurs
ton, who owned small ranch, lived in a
cottage with wide porches. and had a
daughter OF 81 years. This daughter, Nav
Thur ston, taught the village school until a
year ago, and was the stOry-book school
marin in ojeverness and prettiness In most
ways Cuffsy's Cove swelldom approved of
her. Ia one way they disapproyed heartily.
The young school teacher was in love with
a worthless, dissipated young mau named
Jackson Rhodes. When May was Just out
of short gowns jackson drove the mail
coach which dashed into the village every
evening. He was a handsome man, and
looked particularly well on the box. But
be soon gave that up and devoted his whole
time to drinking and gambling. living Off
his father, who was a ranchman. jackson
was always in scrGpes. and about his eyes
-
doubtful charm Of dissipation.
Three years ago Jackson was engaged to
Annie johnson. He met May Thurston,
fell in love with her, and soon had her even
more violently in love with him. Her
mother could do nothing with her. ard she
refused TO listen to the warnings of her
friends. But although Rhodes showed by
the most devoted attentions that he loved
her, he refused to work and get ready a
home and living for wife.
Sometimes, at the urging Of the girl, he
would go away and work tor a while. But
be soon came back and said that his ieal-
Gus fears forbade his leaving her. This
was the way matters stood when the new
school teacher came. Miss Thurston's sue
cessor was young man from Illinois
named David Sholl. He was good-looking
enough, rather better dressed than the other
young men of the town, quiet, Inclined TO
be religious and member OF the Cuffey's
Cove eau rch.
He boarded at Mrs. Thurstons and won
that ledys heart. She besieged her daugh-
ter more assiduously than ever about giving
up Rhodes. This only had the effect Of
making May cling 10 him more closely and
urge him to get work that they might
marry.
On April 25 est they talked matters over,
and she lent him 500 out of her little saw
iugs TO 90 away and get start. They talked
of different places where energy and ability
of his kind could find employment, and de
cided upon place to the north. Jackson
expressed some fear about Shell and warned
May not to let Sholl beguile her. Then he
went away. But instead OF gong north he
went luth, and began to drink aud gamble
and otherwise degrade himself in the town
of Bakersfield
He wrote to her and she answered him.
Letters passed between them frequently,
and their affection each For the other
seemed as strong as ever. But before Jack
sou had been gone a month stories If his
method OF life in Bakersfield came to n ss
Ihurseon. She gave up hope OF ever re-
forming her lover. She wrote him that
their engagement was broken aud that she
had ceased 10 care for man who WAS so
unworthy. 1t became the gossip Of the
towp that Mr., Sholl and Miss Thurston
were engaged.
When Rhodes got this letter he proceeded
to get drunker than he had been at any pres
vious time in his life. "Shes shook me,
boys" be said to his Bakersfield acquaint-
ances. "She was the only one that cared
anything about, and now sne's gone back
on me-" When he had sobered a bit be
started for Cuffey's Cove.
de got there on Monday May 25, in a
moody and desperate frame of MUD. 1t
seems that he inherited bad qualities from
his ancestors weakness of will, love for
drink, frail mental balance. He found that
she was calling on Miss Thompson, and was
soon face 10 face with her in Miss Thomp-
sons Darlor. He pleaded with her for sew
erai hours, but although she shed many
tears she told him that she had at last
realized his unwerthiness, aud that things
could never again be as they we're.
He flung himself out of the house and she
saw him no more until Friday. But esch
day she heard stories Of how he was drink
ing and carousing. Some people though
that he had gone mad. His handsome face
became terribly bloated and his eyes were
awful to look at.
On Friday Miss Thurston was teaching q
class for Mr.. Sholl IN the village school.
She looked out Of thu window, saw him
coming, and went out TO meet him. He
came up to her when she stood in the porch
and began the old appeal. She listened to
him with a sad face. The children, who
were peeping at her, told afterward that
she wept aud shook like leaf. Then she
stretched out her band and said:
"Good-by, jackson. 1t is you own fault.
can't stay here any longer. l must go
back TO my class"
He walked away with his head down.
She went ia and dismissed the school. She
went home and found the home empty.
Her mother had gone to visit her ranch
MT. onOn was GOWN IN Cne village. She had
been home but few minutes when she saw
jackson Rhodes coming toward the house.
walking rapidly.
As she did not want to meet him alone
again, she locked the front and rear doors
aud kept out of view from the windows
Rhodes knocked. called, then, after shak-
ing the door, burst it in. He had seen her.
aud now the rustic of her skirts as she fed
through the house told him which way to
sgo. At last she was cornered in a bedroom
from which there was but the one exit.
He took her by the arm aad shook her.
Then, his fury rising, he clutched her throat
and choked her.
"You were false to me, he said. Now,
you must de-" and he cursed her and
choked her the more tightly. She tore at
his hands and loosed her throat enough to
scream. At the scream his anger left him.
He burst out crying and fell down at her
feet
"What are you doingw she said. "Do
you want to kill meW
He pleaded with her to forgive him.
81 did not know what I was doing" said
he. 81 am Jealous of you. You have left
me. You were my only friend" and he
rushed down the stairs and out of the house.
AS he went. David Sholl passed him and
entered. Rhodes wandered about in the
woods for an hour. Then he went to the
house of Mrs. Anderson, the nearest neigh
Dor of the Thurstons II have seen a deer, !"
he said to Mrs. Anderson. II wan to Dor
row a gun to kill it,"
Mrs. Anderson noticed that he looked
strangely, and seemed to be more ex tied