Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12

" ~ walks with W r y
| step the dark streets
| Of johannesburg Where were the bright
hopes with which he had set out from his
| English home only one short year before?
Where was the fortune he had confidently
come to win? Could 1t be only a year age!
II seemed to him as if q whole lifetime had
passed since then.
For the first few months everything had
| out we'll.
He was betrothed to Minnie colbeck. one
OF the ioveiiest and sweetest girls in South
brightest. But suddenly all was changed.
with rapid run. Claims on which he had
long been working. and which he believed
% contain rich reefs. proved worthless.
Garrison found. like thousands of others.
now success and failure have in common
!ns same propensity Of accumulation.
adage. as one success leads generally to an
oiner; And SO "inisfortunes come not sin
gle spies, but In battalions."
Mr.. Colbeck did not believe in unsuccess-
fui men, and regarded failure as a social
crime. He closed his doors upon Clarkson.
gagement with Minnie at an end ms
h., CiafKson had tried to obtain employment.
put business Of all sorts being positively
at standstill he had failed to obtain an
This This night. almost worn out with his
arui,iess EFFORTS and struggles. he walks
clifton which borders upon hopeless despair
ne would give up the struggle-he would
strive no longer.
gone; except one solitary shilling which
$1,000 between him and starvation.
what should he do? He decided to 60 to
the nearest bar and spend that shilling in
something that would deaden the intoler-
aoie pain burning in his brain and heart
t hasn resolve! But how many thousands
have similarly courted disaster at some
supreme crisis Of existence?
br,,,is mn, an an was activity; merriment and
moment dazzled and bewildered Then
throwing down his solitary coin ne ordered
maj bnat mos m3st seductive and deceptive alco-
HIS strange manner. haggard face and
MIC, Whld,iooking eyes attracted attention even
| events were common. Many curious giances
were cast In his direction Some one spok =
TO Ciarkson. but he turned away without
Suddenly from one Of the rooms came
the strains Of music, and a voice COM
PisceHcme. sweet honey omey II n w sseh rem.
dered. too. with such wonderful power
and and plaintive sweetness that the oaths.
and hushed into silence. More than one
aea a ns ,ss h sat to hs lips
mad FADED away before drinking the bev-
erase Thomas stood listening like the
a blow.
Clarkson hurried from the place. leaving
his brandy untouched. His guardian angel
had returned.
Once more he was out in the streets.
alone sanI With the stars and with a great sor-
mad gone to the brink Of a precipice and
had nearly fallen What would his mother
s sSy tb snd What would Minnie think If either
Thank God he had been saved. And then.
amid ami feelings Of shame and thank fulness.
mination. to struggle on, TO try again and
not to yield to despair. Then followed a
collapse OF the physical powers. and a great
he had eaten nothing since early morains
OF the day before-fell upon him, and. turn,
ing into ga then deserted street he lay down
and fell into a deep sleep, or more properlY
a stupor Of exhaustion
still Was Sa, early ~ morning when he awoke, but
hrst bewtidered at finding himself in the
street Gtddily he rose to his feet and made
one was astir but the landlady, who viewed
MN curlously, and by no means approx
ing fmg w when she opened the door. But
to his bed room, threw himself down on the
bed. and once more fell into a heavy sleeD
~ was past noon when he was awakened
by loud knocking at the door Two men
In the uniform of the johannesburg police
stood outside. As soon he opened the
Are you Mr.. Clarkson?" one of the men
asked.
II am; What is your business with me?'
MY business. replied the man, firmly
and deliberately, lis to arrest you"
ITO arrest me?" repeated Thomas, stag
gered. Ito arrest me for what?''
For the murder Of Mr.. Diblin," was the
reply.
Yes: murdered last night, or early this
morning He was found dead. shot through
Thomas was Mortified beyond measure.
He had often in his more prosperous days
had business dealings with Mr. Diblin, and
a hard. selfish. money loving. ciose-fistei
man. singularly disobliging and harsh, and
Just the sort of person to have enemies.
auestins employment in on OF his places Of
business, and on both occasions had he
been colby and CURLY refused. He had
little reason to like the merchant, but all
his dislikes were forgotten In the horror
Of hearing Dibltn had been murdered.
Are you ready to come with me now?"
the policeman asked after time, during
him.
ITO go with you where?"
ITO the police station. Don't you under
stand? It's my duty to arrest you for the
ITO arrest me for the MURDER" gasped
dazed at first.
Yes. Mr.. Clarkson."
W.
Il know nothing Of the murder"
Then you'll only have to prove it."
"On what ground was my arrest
dered?' Clarkson asked.
ION the ground that Mr.. Diblin didn't
deal squarely with you in the matter of
those claims of yours. and that it's well
known you've got a grudge against him.
and that your revolver was picked up only
found"
My revolver" interrupted Clarkson
has not been in my possession for weeks.
1t was stolen from my ROOM"
That will be all right, then" said the
policeman. Il daresay the people in the
house VIII be able to swear that 1t was
stolen"
Il don't know" answered Thomas, 81
don't think / mentioned the loss"
Its a pity you didn't" replied the
officer. curtly. ARE you ready?"
No, 1 am not ready" answered Clark
son, fierceiy, II refuse to be arrested.
am as innocent of the murder as yourself"
Il hope SO. Mr.. Clarkson" replied the
man. but 1t is no use refusing to come
| for If you do We'll only have to use force,
and that wouldn't make things look any
better. you know"
At the police station. wretched little tin
tenement Just of President street, he was
searched and. judge of the poor fellows
horror and amazement. when, in the pock-
cts which had not for weeks contained n
single thing Of value, there were found
bank notes of the value of ESQ., besides a
watch attached to very curious ANTIQUE
gold chain, which several persons Identified
as having belonged to the murdered man
The revolver was also produced ClarksOn
acknowledged that IT was his. but repeated