The morning times., 1895-08-20
One Cent Wsap P5a
No advertise nent less than I0s
JOE WARMERS BELLING.
One Sat Dead and Held the Note That
Told II w hole Tragedy.

Continued from yesterday sEvening Timesl
AFTER a walk OF some forty minutes, we
trudged over the last hill, rounded the last
turn in the road and came TO a halt short
distance from Warmers little home, which
lay nesting, desOlately, in the woods.
A few dim rays OF light shone through the
crevices in the closed shutters.
''Our little party silently stationed it
self around the house Each OF the planks,
the edges Of which had already been thickIy
coated with rosin. was seized by two young
men. and gently, after the manner OF a viO-
linist tuning his instrument, drawn over
the uptuned edges or one OF the boxes,
which had likewise been smeared with the
same adhesive substance. Backward and
forward went the rude bows, ut first
scarcely making an audible TnUrHur, and
then uttefinE low and almost unearthly
grOans. which increased in volume as the
fddlers bent 10 their work Such notes
as we heard during the trial convinced US
that when the Instruments were played
with fun force they would without doubt
give forth that indesCTibable sound that
has well earned them the name "hUrse
fiddle" The guns were loaded, and all
was in readiness for the great belling, the
result of which, we believed, would be to
bring Joe and his wife TO the doorway,
bowling and parhapss to cause them TO ask
US in TO d feast of sweet cake and Old cIder
''ThesignaI was given and forthwith arose
the greatest din that hasc every been heard in
cur county The ancient muskets banged
viciously, the bells ringing, the horns toot
ing, and above all the melancholy wall Of
the horse fiddle, made a tumnlt that would
shame that which we have Just heard The
result was not as anticipated. The light IN
side died suddenly out and the house as
sumed deserted appearance
We kept TO our work bravely. half
hour passed, and a few impatient cries Of
Bring out the bride arose above the din,
giving evidence that lusty lungs were fast
coming to the aid OF wearied limbs.
Bring her out Fetch out Mrs Warner,
joe we began to cry almost IN unison
An hour passed ana not a sign ofme had
| come from the interior Of the lonely dwell
| ing The noise weakened in volume, the
| owners OF the guns grew cnary Of wasting
! their powder. and at last, much 20 our cha
| grin, we were compelled to retire 10 the
woods to hold consultation
"A thin stream Of smoke poured steadily
from the mouth OF the great stone chimney,
| and the sight OF it suggested the execution
| of plan rrsorted TO only on the most des-
| perate occasiOns-that or smoking out the
| occupants or the house.
1t was but the work OF 4 few moments
10 obtain a heavy board suitable To the
| purpose, and for one of the young men TO
| climb upon the roof, taking 1t with him.
He made his way nOiselesSIy 10 TIE peak,
| Laid his burden across taetop Of the chimney ,
and then cr0uched low to await the de
noucment The smoke ceased 70 escape
Half an hour had passed and not a
| sound had been beard from inside thu house
| Another long elapse of time, ard anxious
| lookSappeared ON the efacesoftaes serenaders-
surely we argued, il any ole y as within
they would have been driven out, or at
| least some noise would have been made IN
their efforts to qgenca the flames
Then tie young man en- the roof noise
IessI removed the cover from the chimney
| A dense volume OF smoke poured upward,
showing tdat the fire had done Wen the
work required. From behind The dOorwa
we spied a few faint wreaths CONT ClrCHng
family out
"A chill OF dread passed over us We
wondered If any mishap could have oc
Cured People are not usually. when wide
awake, willing to be suffOcated IN theil
OVID homes. But the questiOnaS 10 whether
they were at home arose. Some OF US
thought not. But the light that We had seer
burning on cur first approach, seemed tC
augur something. Some one was a home
and something had happened within W,
| decided.
| tNTU FpuT rr FOL
lows holding between them q heavy log
approached the door.
'One blow-it gave way; not a soun'
was heard inside. Another crash-anC
the heavy oak fell backward from ii
hinges. The smoke, released from it
prison, poured out so denseIy as TO al
most drive the excited beIIers from tn
doorway.
''One young man dashed boldly aCros
the room, which passed as living room
and kitchen, and in another instant tn
window was up, the shutters thrown
open, the wind whistled through, driving
before it the heavy veil of smoke that hi
the interior from our view and the moon
light streamed in. Then what sight ne
our eyes
There. sitting in a great, wooden rocb
ing CHdlT, his leeJ RESTING almost IN III
fire, his head fallen low upon his breast
his stern, hard features calmly set. as If i
sleep, sat he whom we had come to bel
dead.
by his side, on the spotless table, stOo
4 CdndleStICk, from which the candle ha
burned away, only a small bit of charre
taper remaining TO tell us that Joe had in al
likelihood died before we reached his home
and that the last spark of the unattende
light had burned out just as we began tn
hideous turmoil outside the house
''CIutched in the dead mans right han
was the explanation OF his solitary life, a
well as of the gruesOme ending OF the grea
beIIing. 1t was a soiled piece of cheaI
lined letter paper"
The school teacher ceased his narration
drew out his pocketbook, and after fumblin
moment in its recesses seized a small
soiled piece OF paper, which he handed {
Jones, who gaZed at it curiously for time
and then silently passed it to me.
This is what / read:
Deer Joe: You and L was never ment 70
one anutheT.
II knowed that three weeks after we 20
I