The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-02-21
WHEN VIRTUE LOST.
A STORY TO PROVE THAT RIGHT DOES
NOT ALWAYS COME UPPERMOST.

NOT ALWAYS COME UPPERMOST.
A Remarkable Tale of Love and Tragedy
of Two Bullets Fired by Enraged Rivals.
Tho End of Foolish Girl.
A Star reporter was one of group in
. hotel lobby the other evening and a
New York drummer had just finished a
story on the old line Of virtue triumph
ing and the villain Of the plot getting
his just dues this side Of the hot place,
when Kentucky congressman took the
floor.
''That sort of thing" he said, sis
we'll 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 cita-
ton, the Kentuckian, after casting his
eye over the company, proceeded:
Years ago, in southern town." he
said, there lived pretty girl with a
lot Of money-a combination no man can
deny the power of-and she had sweet
hearts galore, but two Of her devotees,
one quite reputable man and the other
quite as disreputable, 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.
II 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
or less encouragement and he was max
ing hot fght-so hot, in fact, that on
one or 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 fiattered by
the dangerous rivalry for her hand and
heart. One day, though, it eliminated
tragically, and the girl didn't regret it,
that anybody ever heard her mention. It
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 to call on her.
"The girl lived on corner and they
were approaching from different streets
and almost butted into each other at the
crossing. That was hardly the place to
have 1t 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 one man fell to the sidewalk,
dead. And 1t wasn't the bad man,
either. On the contrary, 1t was the repu-
table one, and there was bullet hole
straight through his forehead. The bad
man g shot had preceded the other just
enough, and the decent mans pistol
went of as he threw up 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 to the
girls house, for 1t was not known then
that he was dead, and physician was
called. Half an hour later the dead body
was removed to an undertaker's, and
that part Of the tragedy was over.
During all the excitement, the girl
had not made her appearance, and as
soon as the air quieted little search
was made for her, because it was known
that she had been in the house shortly
before the shooting. Her mother went
directly to her room, and when she
opened the door, she saw her daughter
sitting at the window, or rather leaning
upon flower shelf on the window sill,
and her first thought was that the girl
had seen the shooting and had tainted.
She ran to her and lifted her up and as
she did SO she found her face bloody and
the girls body almost stiff. She ran,
screaming, out, and when the doctor
came he found dead girl with bullet
hole In her head.
Further examination showed hole
In the glass of the window, and the
whole story was told. The girl had been
sitting there, and had no doubt seen the
meeting Of the two men, and the 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 it 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 a
public sentiment which compelled the
killer to stay away from the town for
Eve or six years.
Didn't he even meet violent death
or something like thatf" inquired the
drummer, thirsting for some trace Of
the usual in the tale"
mo. replied the Kentuckian. "not
even that. His uncle died and left him
q fine farm, and he found very nice
girl who was willing to marry him. F"
The drummer sighed and didn't offer
to cap the Kentuckian's story with o
better one. Star.
Better Work Every Day.
We ought never to be willing to live