The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-09-20
"MY CHARACTER is LIED AWAY"

N" J2M!4,Z.DE~'
"MY CHARACTER
set fire to the barn, and who was unduly
influenced to promise never to tell the Sc
cret Shall we elect to represent us this
Bristol incendiary?'
JUSTICE
"That letter shot Placide. There are
murders for which no one Is ever arrested.
The jury is in an unseen world. read that
charge over and over again with staring
eyes. My soul told me who wrote it
what your soul tells you is likely to be
true. Men die of poisoned words-the
words Bristol incendiary' were poison.
cit is the asdes Of life that are revela-
tions. Do you understand me? The aside
in this case was this-'They were entrusted
to me by zone of the young men, who was
with Placide!' knew that Grant wrote that
letter, and how could he be acting on prn-
ciple and trying to hide his hand in SUCH
blind and deceptive way as that That
was Grant. Now you see the soul of each
of them.
"The state buzzed like the little beehive
tudI IL 10. W. uoyS dLlCl IilC AtIltI dppSdT-
ed the postmaster at Warren sent for me-
He said to me-'This envelope has been
brought to me from Providence for identi-
cation-did you ever see it before?' I stood
dumb-ny heart beat like the heart of an
OK. rivetel my eyes on the envelope, and
they blurred. Driver, why do you stare
SOP asked the postmaster. What do you
see in that envelope? "A lost soul! said
I. 'Whose?' he asked. 'Placide's? Nor
answered with voice that gave vent to
my feelings, and staggered out OF the door.
He called after me, but did not return.
"Placide was defeated at the election by
three votes. 1t was said that Grant used
money to purchase votes for himself, but
this was not proven. From the day that
Placide read the letter in the Eagle, he
shrank away from men. His fathers blood
was in him. His poor mother said that
when the paper fell into his hands and he
had read it. he sunk upon his bed in his
room and said My brain burns. My char
acter is lied away. Other accusations as I'M
just will follow-that is the way of politics.
Don't let anyone see me-to be accused of
dishonor-it sets a fire in my brain! and it
I cannot bear it care for nothing more
"He was right in regard to other accusa-
lions. Thug multiplied. No one outside
of Rhode ISLAND or New York city, or the
far south could well understand such a
campaign Of detraction. Just before the
day of the election, all of the charges and
suspicious against him were circulated in
the form Of pamphlet entitled The Bris-
toll Incendiary.' Who paid for this work?
Who did this work? No one pretended to
know much about it after the election.
Memories of detraction were short then.
But it was night; when a man has been
untrue to his friend, it is night"
There was fearful tone in the mans
voice as he uttered these strange words He
presently added-"'The political lie grows
1t points the way Of destruction to those
who wish to believe evil.
after his defeat Placide used to dwell
upon his wrongs, and brood over them. 1t
was cowardly in sense, know, but 1t was
but natural to a mind like his. He had
inherited his fathers temperament. He
liked to go away by himself alone. He had
inherited tendency to melancholy land it
made him recluse. Somtimes he would
seek secklsion among the rocks and woods
of the beautiful Mt. Hope Lands, and sit
alone looking out to sea. If any one
found him there, he would say, Leave me
alone. I am a sick man and cannot bear
much. Don't excite me- He died sudden
ly at last and kind of mysteriously. Some
folks limited at suicide. but he did not take
his own life; his brain had been smitten by