Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-07-10
WHEN VIRTUE LOST.
A STORY TO PROVE THAT RIGHT DOES
NOT ALWAYS COME UPPERMOST.


In Southern Town The Fatal WORK
of Two Bullets Fired BY Enraged Rivals.
Tho End Of Foolish Girl.
a Star reporter was one of "A group in
a hotel lobby TIE other evening and u
New York drummer had just finished
story on the old Inc OF virtue triumph
ing and tho villain Of the plot getting
his just dues thu side Of the hot place,
when a Kentucky congressman took the
floor
THAT sort of thing" he said, els
well enough in books and on the stage
and ] am willing to agree that it hap
pens in actual life, but not always Let
me cite an instance TO the contrary"
There being no objection to the eta
ton, the Kcntuckian, after casting his
eye over the company, proceeded:
"Years ago, in a southern town." he
said, "there lived a pretty girl with
lot of money--a combination no man can
deny the power ot-and she had sweet
hearts galore, but two Of her devotees,
one quite a reputable man and the other
quite as disreputlble, and after her more
for her money than herself, led all the
rest, and both Of them were nervy men
and quick on the trigger. Any sensible
person would have thought that the girl
would have decided very early as be-
tween the good and the bad, but every
one knows that women don't do that
way in matters Of the heart.
Il Will say for her, though, that her
preferences were for the decent man and
he stood the best chance Of winning
among all Of the contestants. His dis
reputable rival, however, received more
OF less encouragement and he was max.
ing Il hot tght--sO hot, IN fact, that on
one OF two occasions the men had come
to blows and once, at least, pistols had
been drawn. The girl was foolish, as
other women have been under like cir
cumstances, and rather enjoyed the po-
sition she occupied, and felt fattered by
the dangerous rivalry foI her hand and
heart. one day, though, it eliminated
tragically, and the girl didn 1t regret 1t,
that anybody ever heard her mention. 1t
was in the afternoon and pleasant day
and the two rivals met unexpectedly,
just across the street from her house,
and each on his way 10 call on her.
"The girl lived Oh a corner and they
were approaching from different streets
and almost buttod into each other at the
crossing. That VAS hardly the place to
have il out, but they were hot blooded
and young and on the instant two men
jumped back from each other few feet,
two pistols flew from two hip pockets,
two sharp reports rang out upon the
air, and ono man fell TO the sidewalk
dead Aud it wasn't the bad man,
either. On the contrary, it was the repu.
table one, and there was bullet hole
straight through his forehead. The bad
man shot had preceded the other just
enough, and the decent man S pistol
went off as he threwup his hands. Five
minutes later the whole street was in an
uproar and the bad man was in custody.
The other man was carried over 90 tbs
girls house for it was not known then
Shat he was dead, and & physician was
called. Half an h0Cr later the dead body
was removed to an undcrtaker's, and
that part Of the tragedy was over.
"DuDing all the excitement, the girl
had not made her appearance, and as
soon as the air quietod little search
was made FOX her, because it was known
that she had been in the house shortly
before tho shooting. Her mother went
directly % her room, and when she
opened the door, she saw her daughter
sitting at the window, or rather leaning
upon "a flower shelf Ola the window sill,
and her fist Thought Was that the girl
bad seen tLs shooting and had tainted.
She ran So Ter aud Fitted her up and as
sho did so eAa found her face bloody and
the girls body almost stiff. She ran,
screaming, out, and whom the doctor
came he found dead girl with bullet
hole III her head.
Further examination showed hole
in tho glass of the window, and the
whole story was told. The girl had been
sitting there, and had no doubt seen the
meeting 81 the two men, AID tho bullet
from the killed mans pistol had reached
her there and ended her life at the same
time the life Of the man she would have
married went out OF course il was self
defense in the case Of the man who
escaped his rivals bullet, and it was
the rivals bullet which killed the girl,
and the rival was beyond any earthly
jurisdiction. The affair ended there,
with nothing good in triumph, except {
public septimont which compelled the
killer to stay away from the town fer
five or six years. "
Didn't he even meet violent death
or something like that;" inquired the
drummer, thirsting for some trace of
the usual in the tale.
mo, " replied the Kentuckian, mot
even that His uncle died and left him
a fine farm. and be found very nice
girl who was willing to marry him. "
The drummer sighed and didn't offer
to cap the Kentuckian' 5 story with a
better one. -Waahington Star.
Better Work Every Day.
We ought never to be willing to live
any year just as we lived the last one.
No one is striving after the best things