Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-11-07
script, and read the following, couched
in O plain and delicate hand:

script, and read the following, couched
in q plain and delicate hand:
1T Ronsard Redcliff, have q history.
VIII anyone be profited by its relation7
Perhaps it may prove, should anyone
ever find 1t by my bones, that the wages
of sin Is death and that he who sows to
the wind will reap the whirlwind. And
he who is thoughtful may look farther
and learn another lesson. / feel my rea-
son going just as certain as / ever
stood by the sea and saw the tide ebbing.
have endeavored to fight off the feeling,
but 1t stays, and with 1t a horrible sug-
gestion to commit suicide comes. Fearful
that something may happen, and de-
sirous Of having my child's bones pro-
tected at least by some one who may
become interested in her innocent, but
lonely life. 1 state that was born In
Louisiana, and for many years lived
in New Orleans. / was a musician by
profession, and at one time my friends
had hopes that"-here the writing became
undecipherable. Then 1t continued: 81
married a beautiful lady of the same
city, and for few years we lived hap
PLY; the only barrier being my inability
to support her in the style to which she
had been used. This worried me so that
in an evil hour I committed forgery
not through depravity, but for the sake
Of her. 1 could not brook a look of re-
proach from her eyes for bringing pow
erty to her. Being detected, was sent to
the state prison, away from my wife and
child, Ruby.
Serving out the sentence, returned
home, fondly expecting my wifes love
and sympathy in my hours Of humilia-
ton; for I had suffered for her. But
what was my surprise and despair to see
her turn from me in scorn and hate,
absolutely refusing to see me. She used
m taI ms n w T INT taI
to be spoken in jest, that l had mes
merized her into becoming my wife.
and that when I was out of her sight she
did not love me so well. Remembering
this, in my desperation, I sought an
interview with her, hoping that 1 might
exert power over her, but she kept
well out of my sight.
There are many things coming up in
life to wound us, but there is no pang
so poignant as that caused by the eyes
which once loved us looking into ours
with Indifference or hate. Some men
| have gone mad for this
| Crushed already by disgrace, after
| life was a burden. After wandering over
| the state a few months. the idea took
| possession of me to abduct my child
| and leave Louisiana forever. / carried
| 1t out, and we strolled and wandered
| five years-and now / feel the end Is
| nearing. Ruby, coffined and buried by
l
| temples, and 1 will follow soon. Friends!
| this Is my only request: Send this let
| ter to my wife in the beautiful city Of
| my birth, where happiness sun rose
| and set, and ask her to have the body of
| the child of dead love placed in the
| family vault of the Redcliffs AS for me.
| / desire to slumber here until the dawn
| breaks, If 1t ever can break to life
gone down in such black despair"
What could the incident mean? Had
been asleep, and while wandering in
that state found the manuscript in
some crypt or niche? have never
been able to this day to account for the
letter but in this way: The next morn
ing, at the mouth of a cave along my
route, discovered a dead man, violin
by his side. His hair and beard were
long, his form gaunt and his clothing
very Indifferent, and from indications
l believed that he had been dead but a
few hours. Mesmerism was mentioned
in the letter. Perhaps the dead man
was Redcliff; perhaps his hypnotism
may have thrown the spell about me
and compelled me to follow him until
the letter was placed in my hand. This
is mere supposition, but know the ex'
istence of the letter to be fact. have
it now, having sent it to New Orleans
and finally received it again from The
dead letter Office.
But Redcliff-was death welcom,
or farewell?