Graham guardian., 1902-08-22
ASUCCESSFUL DEVICE
tOriginal.l

suiuetlLheS reminds one OIL an engine
Turn a wheel, and the thing will go
forward rapidly; turn another, and it
will go backward just as fast.
Brandon Somers was in hard luck.
He was out of Il job, with n wife and
two children, nothing to eat and liable
at any moment to be turned out of
doors. His troubles worked upon his
mind, turned mental wheel, and he
began to think of ending his sufferings
by suicide. When he once got to think
ing in this direction, there seemed to
be no hope for him. Instead of trying
To regain his grip ON the world he oC-
cupicd himself considering the best
means hy which TO get out Of it. He
decided on using pistol; but having
none and no money with which to buy
one, he went to his most intimate
friend, Noel Willard, and asked him
for Il small loan.
Willard saw that Somers was in the
Slough of despond and endeavored to
argue him out of it. He told the un-
fortunate man to dig on n railroad, fire
on Il locomotive, split wood, anything
TO earn dollar and relieve the strain
on hts brain by working his muscles.
1t was all in vain. Somers was inca
pablc of being stimulated in that way.
| Willard suspected what he wanted
| money for lie resolved to satisfy his
| demand
| Very we'll" he said; the best thing
you can do is TO blow out your brains.
| This evening at o'clock go TO the
wood just across the bridge on the
Ncrt0nyillc turnpike, and at the foot
Of the first telegraph pole you will find
a loaded revolver, Take it, go into the
wood and finish the job"
Somers was trihe startled at this
ready acceptance of an intention he
had not divulged, but the effect was
| only instantaneous. He left Willard
without word, merely casting a
glance ut him as he passed out Of the
door. Willard had resumed his work
us II nothing unusual had happened
| At o'clock the same evening the
would be suicide walked down the Mer-
| tonyille road, stood for q moment on
! the bridge looking mournfully back in
the direction Of his home, then passed
on to the telegraph pole, found the re-
! yolycr and started for the wood. Reach
! Ing Il secluded spot, he stopped, exam
incd the weapon, saw that the cham
| bcrs were filled and stood looking at
vacancy, picture of despair,
"Throw up your hands?' cried q
rough voice from behind tree.
Now, Somers had come to the wood
/ ,cr the express purpose Of taking his
life, Here was a chance to save him.
self the trouble of doing so. He had
! only to disObey the order and he would
be killed, or if this was not sufficient
he could raise his revolver and the
man who was "holding him up must
shoot him or be shot himself. Never
theless he was so startled, SO taken
aback, at the sudden danger that he
dropped his pistol and his hands went
up with astonishing rapldity. A masked
man, covering him with an enormous
revolver and an ugly looking knife in
his left hand. advanced from behind n
tree.
"Sheil outr'
Il haven't cent"
There was q disagreeable click in the
threatening weapon. "No foolin' or I'll
let daylight into you. Throw yer valy-
bles on the ground"
II have no yaluables."
A bullet whistIed within few inches
Of Somers' ear.
For heavens sake, hold on there!'
Before the last word was out an.
other ball was fired past the other ear.
SOmcrs who a few moments before
was on the eve Of suicide was trem-
bling like q leaf at the prospect Of
death. His assailant raised his knife
and made q step forward, then anoth-
er step and another. There is nothing
more dreadful looking than cold steel
coming to be buried in ones yitals.
The muzzles of guns are not nearly so
terrifying. Somers looked at the long
polished blade with abject terror.
Don't kill me" he pleaded.
"I'll kill you as sure as death if you
don't throw down what you've got"
Search me-"
'If found nothin', I'd kill you any
way. Turn yer back. You needn't
see this blade aforo it bores you"
Too terrified TO face death, Somers
= turned his back. There were a few mo-
ments of silence, which seemed hours,
: at the end of which the strain was too
great to be borne longer, and, turning,
he sank on his knees and begged pite-
ously for his life.
The robber pulled off his mask.
, "Noel Willardr'
eyes, Noel Willard. / saw that some
thing must be done to wrest your mind
from the wise that held it and have
succeeded in doing it, Come. TOmor-
row morning you are to go to work as
porter in the warehouse Of friend of
mine. AS soon as you have fully re-
covered your grip on yourself we will
J find something better for yOu.''
"Im cured" said Somers.
II trust you are, but to guard against
relapse 1 will advance your salary,
; Take this home to your wife"
Handing Somers q ten dollar bill,
Willard led the way from the wood
and toward the town.
When the husband and father enter.
ed his home and his wife saw that
something had occurred TO lift the
cloud she had been so long dreading
there was great relief, and when the