The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-14

could not have long survived the exhaustion
Of natural food
at was not long before we imagined we
heard and saw sounds aud sights which
were not OF earth. OF course, we knew that
our condition was likely 20 ca2se such illu-
SONS; cut after time we grew q accept
ing them as realities To our dIsordered
sensibiiities, there were peals of demon
laughter In the air, threatening words from
n:aeVolent voices, and in whatever direction
we looked we were leered at by demon
faces. They were OF all sizes and shapes,
and they were simply eve -ywhefe-even the
incessently falling fakes of snow wore these
sinister, grinning countenances.
"SOOn, so awful was it all, "A great dis
trust grew up among US. Each man feared
that he would be slain and eaten by his
neighbor. After that, none Of US dared
sleep.
FOR two nights and days we stood and
sat around that roaring fire, with unclosed,
glAring ewes.
Then the end came. One after another.
our over-strained minds succumbed. We
yelled and laughed and danced about, like
the maniacs that we were, cursing the gold
which had lured us into our trouble. the
mountains which shut US off from our fell
low beings, the snow, the fire, God aud
each other
That night from sheer exhaustion. we
fell like stricken beeves in the snow around
the fire, and while the ethers slept [ arose
and with an ak slew them-all of them-my
SIX poor comrades.
And then, having killed them, | cut
great chunks Of flesh from their dead. help
less bodies, which cooked aud ate.
How long this fearful feast was kept up.
DO not know; but it must have been for a
considerable time. for it was many weeks
after the storm had ended before some set
tiers found me IN valley to the westward,
prone upon the ground and breathing
heavily.
II Vas picked up and nursed through a
terrible fever which followed, every moment
OIL which made hideous with muttered dis
closures or my doubts aud fears and orgies.
around that awful campfire.
lWo months later, as soon as was we'll
enough, L came back east, TO my young
wife; but without any knowledge of my
crimes. l had no recollection whatever of
the period l bad just described to YOU.
those to whom recited its particulars. at
the time OF my illness, regarded everything
disclosed as mere mad ravines-the hall
luoinations of fever and weakness. Aud
so it was not till my return to California. a
year later, that l was told of my sick.bed
confessions.
mo sooner did hear them, though. than
1t all came back TO me. with the most fear
tui clearness-the hooking snow, the mad
oenlng hunger. the distrust my comrades
and bore each other, the murders. the
nnibalism-everYthiuR
70, Greenwood, it was frightfull"
Greenwocd's face was now blanched and
sympathstic
"Frightful, indeed he assented: ''but
why have you told me these thugs? What
have they to do with that which you started
out TO tell me-your reason for denying
marriage TO your daugh5erW
with glistening eyes and more excitement
than ever, the old man arose in his chair.
" W hat has all this to do with hers Every
thinRl Everything! She was not born till
year after my-feast in the mountains"
"NellW
"Dosyou not gather the logical inference?"
II confess gather nothing which affects
your daughters capacity for wifehood-
that was what was 10 be demonstrated. |
rear your excitement has led you to drift
from your purpose
Not at all, not ut all-nothing can ever
make me drift from it. Off only could
L must explain further. l had hoped |
might escape another plunge into those soul
sickening horrors.
''WeD, Mr.. Green wood, after was told
OF my teve--ravings, l went to Dorner
Lake and searched till found that valley
OF death beyond it. l still had hope that
/ might have beel only delirious, after all.
But at the site of that wretched campfire
"sl' o. OSJOiiu inc bones
my murdered comrades, our arms, tools.
all the familiar and damning array. 1t was
more than conclusive. | surrendered my
self to the authorities, who thought ne
lahoTing under delusion. They instituted
private investigation, but were confronted
with so many elements of doubt that they
soon dismissed me with the opinion that it
was case In which the Almighty alone
had jurisdiction.
$50 left my merciful judges and came
home.
But terrifying fear had seized me in
that Californian court room, which my sub.
sequent studies satisfied me was only too
well grounded. Mr.. Greenwood, l have
consulted every obtainable authority on
the subject of hereditv, and, substi-
tnting other names and places. have laid the
matter before the most eminent specialists.
The result In each and every instance is the
same. Not one ray CT hope offers itself
from any source. Ny daughter cannot
marry because, sooner or lator. either she or
her children will inherit from me an appe-
tite for human fleshi"
For brief Interval, perhaps a minute,
Kenneth Greenwood sat staring at Tulkiug-
ham In Mortified silence. The significance
OF what he he'd heard was 80 over " helm.
ing that he could not grasp it all ct
once. Presently his lungs filed with gasp
and then sitting moan the
impulse to shrek out his despair, he ran out
of the house and rushed swiftly away in the
darkness, unnamed, hopeless. wrecked
fleeing from the unknowabl and the IN
seen.