The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-26

among so.ne D1rsOd camp accouiern 5hS dai
old manuscript crumplcd up with other papers
IN battered leather EDapsack. My knowl-
soeo of Spanish soon rovealed for me the fol-
lowing curious and woird story, also short
,xolanation of II. probably written by the
owper OF the knapsaok. As II may be OF inter-
sst 10 soune though perhaps for no value more
sh.n that OF idie curiosity, will submit the
scsnn Of rny discovery 10 public perusal-THE
TRANSLATION
Yes, upon that was resolute-he must
die, but how.
Why did crave his death' you ask.
Was be rich, and ! poorl Was he noted
for bravery and yalor, and not2 Was
there back In Spain q tender hearted, soft
eyed senorita? No, no, man. l tell you
there was no object. In truth, | loved
him. Together we commanded COM
pauy of Cortes' band. Side by side we
fought the Mexicans, and in dividing the
spdls and honor gained we quarrelcd
only lest the other should receive too lit
tie. No, my hate was hardly earthly.
1T is truo the Spaniard fights for little
cause. but not even he murders for 30
little as did l. He would, though-yes,
and you, too, could you either feel the
motives that impeiled me. II Yes, a
Spaniard, but an exception, not only to
ell Spaniards, but 10 all mankind.
You may call me mad. Perhaps was
according to your conception of insan-
ity. For tits true that no one, unless
moved by an urging no less than super
natural, unless impelled by craving
more than human, q craving in human
ignorance termed insanity, could be 80
sensitive, so finely and delicately strung
in all tho fibers of the soul, as to com
NIT tho foulest Of deeds for what, to the
sane, seems so small cause. Butin my
mature, wonderfully weLDed as ii was
by an abnormal mind, the motive to take
tho life of friend-he was q friend
was moro irresistible to me than the
most urgent desire for revenge is to my
conntrymen. Any court would convict
me--judges seldom see motives, never
motives supernatnrai-so that in telling
my story / do not, cannot, expect my
reader to acquit me, because to all the
act viii outweigh tho motive. But,
though eliminating myself, must leave
this record. 1t 10 as necessary to my
happiness now as his life was then.
And why was bis life necessary? Why
do You asit2 Your mind is normal; you
cannot understand. Yet for the sake Of
tho record must continue, though sure
10 be misunderstood. HIS life, then,
WIS necessary to my happiness because
of look upon his face-an expression,
nothing more. When blood flowed,
Us was frequent where we were, or when
q vivid image Of battle was recalled to
his mind, whether In stories about the
campfire or in dreams that look like
speCter's shroud, it would settle over his
face. A condition Of the countenance,
q phenomena of the facial muscles and
nerves, O mere look-that was all, but
twas that which brought his death. 1t
was conferred in the eye, more especially
In the left one.
Perhaps pity for the slainSnd living
wounded caused that pallor, but that
was not all; no. l loved him for that.
There was also dark and foreboding mel
ancholy, chaos Of haunting SORROWS.
No; not that either. Must l give over
any attempt at justifying myself? Oh,
that ! could describe that look, or that
your mind were rs mine. But enough;
IL Is impossible. l must remain con-
denmed in the eyes Of my fellow men.
TO You ! can only say that saw there
upon his face a soul destroying, living
picture of the grave, which in a nature
such rs mino reused u CHASTITY sensation
of horror. Every cord radiatlng from
the eye-the left one-contracted and
heightened in agony. A film such as one
sometimes sees enveloping the eye of
cat, Of slight steel blue, would partial
" unfold ITSELF as the skin of toad,
ovaI the hideous organ Ii drove ME to
fraIzy-ths look. Lifo in the tomb is
profarslble to tho simple recollection.
could bear it no longer; TO mo this
was decided Then with calm delib-
srateness that would do credit TO the
Blugg1sh ease Of Hoilander, but with q
r@schaumg determination equaled by no
man, i decided hc must die-this friend
Of mine But must suffer for his muir
der. humiliation Of that expression
would bring no happiness, and in this l
schemed. Retsibution / knew would
fall upon mo If killed him in battle. for
then there were witnesses in camp
when we were alone together the look
wss not there-tben loved him You
can perceive the opportunity ! needed.
Ihaf expression nnst be upon his face
and no one NEAR. And the opportunity
by NY ingenuity j must soon possess, for
fell within me that ! could not look
epcn his face in that condition again
unless 1t DO to incite mo to his destrnc-
ton
An Acute sensihiity veryes upon in
SANITY. To save my mind / mnt t.ke
tns ME- That was decided. ua mnst
DIED But how?
lou would not have thought me mad
o.c You known the oily designing With
which answered AHowr CoI l,ep
elaboration dpss not nharactesize m,d.
uxn-not a. you picture a ru,dunn.
0 2ook mmk n No.. - -