Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1898-10-27
"A Tragedy.

o~~~~~~>
''My goot frient, what shall 1 hat
done nit this? inquired Stomp pathet-
ically as entered his room one day.
"Here is man who haf to see me
come, und he cannot speak der words
nor hear, and he haf hurt der hand so
dot he to write is not able"
Stomp was evidently in state of
some excitement, for his nervous energy
was always in direct ratio to his in
ability to speak the Queens English.
"What's wrong?" 1 asked.
'sMore monkey bricks, "said Stomp.
s'Pah / with der human race DIS
gusted am. come home and my din
ner expect, und t find dot, und he haf
give me dis!'-saying which he flung
dirty scrap of paper across to me.
l unfolded it, and saw an erratic
scrawl, evidently written with blunt
pencil, and so much smudged and
smeared as to be illegible in parts. I
managed to decipher painfully few
words.
"Kommen sic gleich. Folgen--.
Sic haben mich gefangen. Bringen
DIG tlu uuutI6T res
sirt. A. de b."
Explain this drivel," said +, toss
ing the paper back.
Zach, drifel you shall gall it, my SO
goot friend! Dot is der language of
der gods.
Possibly, II answered. 'Tts Greek
to me, anyway"
"The paper haf say" said Stomp
solemnly: "'Come at once. Follow
(brobably der bearer). They haf
caught me. Bring another man with
you. Urgent. Und it is signed "A.
de B. Dot is De Bren1e, who haf
been gone from England six months.
/ do not understand, but haf think
that rows there will be. This bagan
as PIER servant Of my frient. He was
born NIT dree senses only. You will
come with me? Und on der way l will
tell you der story of De Brenne."
eyes; Of course I'll come," said I.
''I'm spelling for row.
sDcre shall be der very big rows, :"
said Stomp
All this time the deaf-and-dumb
messenger sat motionless as carved
statue. Watching our faces as we talked.
/ think that, In common with others
afflicted as he was, he had the power
of understanding our speech by the
movement of our lips. At any rate,
his face frightened when he saw
Stomp making preparations to start,
and sprang from his chair with low
gutteral sound unlike anything | ever
heard before. 1t gave me quite a
shock, and, turning rapidly to the
man, l saw that the hair on the back
of his head was darkened and matted
together. Stomp's eyes followed
mine.
ssYa, haf noticed" he said. 'Dere
will de der first-glass rows. Haf you a
zeveiyer??' '-'.~''',-'
shook my head.
Stomp unlocked a case on the man
telpiece and handed rle one, long
barrelled 32 Smith & Wesson; the
fellow to it he slipped in his pocket.
"They're not loaded" said I, sn ap-
ping the breech to.
Stomp grinned. ''I have der shells
in my booklet. But der moral force is
der safest; you might shoot me in del
leg or der pinafore. Z"
"You do make fair target re
torted, little nettled, for I thinl
sepething ofmyself as revolver shot
and Stomp's waist measurement is {
$50 ffSSa fifSa a1ooKou az r.rv a..o.....,
senger, who, with another of his gut
tural sounds, nodded, and made swift
4 ly for the door,
4 When we got outside Stomp hailed
n four-wheeler, and glanced inquir
ingly at our guide. ''Piccadilly?" he
asked. The man grunted, and STOMP
u repeated the word to the driver.
SN Nov, said he, as the cab numbered
along, II shall tell you der story
Ibis DE Brenne of whom spoke, del
writer of der note. is great friend o
mine. | haf known him many years
He is very rich man; his uncle ha
left him all the money. There is alse
cousin OF De Brenne dot is named
Silvestre; he haf de Bortuguest BLOOD
in dor veins, und is also der nephew
of der rich uncle.
''Silvestre he haf hated nv frien
& because he haf der money, und he ha
& once, dwice, und again sworn dot h,
/ with him will be level. Once ders wa.
a shooting accident, den dere was ,
fire. Oh! der cousin is very clever
man, / tell you'll At der last he was
SO enterprising that De Brenne h'
came to me and say, Stomp, der at
mosphere is not healthy. / think
will travel on der continent for {
liddle whiles.' Dot was six months
go. .und now they haf caught him, unc
here shall be rows. Der cousin
scoundrel. So, haf said.
The cab ratified drearily along th'