The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-12-01
WHICH WAS HEP
The Extraordinary Story OF the Quiet Mas
In the Corner.

The Extraordinary Story OF the Quiet Mas
In the Corner.
The drummer had told a story which
was a corker. 1t was that kind of q
story which makes a quiet good man.
nered dog on the rug get up and howl
as if a bell were ringing. or there was
going to be death in the house It
was true story. too, for it was of his
own experience and he said it was true.
Nobody was saying a word, when a
hitherto quiet man, who looked as if he
might be a professor in theological
seminary, coughed nervously and re.
marked:
''Our friends story, here reminds me
of an experience once had. You may
have observed that have a clerical APP
pearance, at least as to my face. Idon't
blame you for that. and you should not
blame me; it is not my fault; it was my
misfortune In my youth | was by no
means a good young man. and for some
of my misieeds was compelled to fly
the country. | few and landed in
China. where, by some strange chance,
fell among missionaries. The natives
had become ugly and were making
threats daily, but we had colony of
two hundred or more foreigners and
being we'll armed we were holding the
fort bravely. One day I went with
missionary OF about my own age into
the Chinese town and the yellow devils
swooped down on us and under some
plea or other put US in pr son
and the next day after farcical
trial we were taken out into an
open lot to be beheaded, as is the Chi
nese custom. Our friends had heard
of our plight and we hoped for a rescue
but none had come when we went forth
to our execution, nor was there any
sign of it when our foes forced us to
kneel and bow our heads ready for the
sword. 1t isn't necessary, gentlemen.
to go into our feelings at this awful
moment We did as other men have
done under similar circumstances As
the executioner came beside me and
took his place with his cleaning sword
in hand, knew the end had come and
nerved myself to take it. My missionary
friend was praying for us both. All at
once heard a great shout, the firing Of
| Suh"t u Suoi ~ Hu'Nh pun 10 ~ u hCN-hOh
cord around my neck and then | knew
no more, for / can not say how long
Suffice ii, that did recover conscious
ness and that had been rescued by a
force of British soldiers, and that my
poor friend had been executed just as
help was at hand. Nothing more was
told, and for a week lay in kind OF
stupor, with a strange burning pain in
my neck, and the surgeons watching
me with the greatest interestand solicit
tude, permitting no one but themselves
to see me at any time. Then began to
improve, until one day l was well
enough, they said. to hear their story,
which was also my own. They told
me that just as their force fred on the
Chinese, the executioners performed
their task and within few seconds
they had rushed up and found two
headless bodies on the plain. Instantly
the surgeons clapped the heads on
again, closed the wounds, and by every
means known to science had sought to
undo the work of the fiends in Chinese
shape. With my friend they had been
unsuccessful, but with me, success had
crowned their efforts, and now, they
said handing me mirror:
| Look at yourself
| Il took the mirror, looked at my self;
hurled the glass at the surgeons.
Great heavens / shrieked, you
have got the missionary's head on my
shoulders and then tainted away. A
day later recovered and they were by
| " hnlSiAa xx,aiftnrr anysarcl,- Tbnp
asked me question or two, but APP
parently knew nothing. Then they
told me the story over again and handed
me the glass locked at my face and
then down at my hands and at my body.
flung the glass at the surgeons
| "'Men and brethren cried, what
have you done? You have put my head
on the body of my friend and with q
scream tainted away. From this re.
covered again by the next day, and
once more the awful thought that
had another mans head on my shout
ders almost crazed me. When l slept
and woke again, the thought that
had another mans body affected me as
seriously as the other thought Thus
alternating | slowly grew stronger
until was able to leave nay room. and,
gentlemen, since that awful experience
am divided man; one day what you
see now, the next my missionary friend,
and the fearfulest thought of all il
which one of us is dead"
The strange speaker ceased, and the
drummer in deep humility handed him
bottle.
Take it all he said. THE mission
| ary. presume isn't a drinking man I"