The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-15

Ever since sun rise tho day had been
sutry and the heat intense. Shortly af-
ter noon the sky became gray and to-
wards evening the sun In the west gloWed
| like q bali Of fire. and finally set In q
bank OF leaden-hucd vlouds. a strong
wind arose. the heavens became overcast,
completely obsourlng the full moon and
enveloping the earth in utter darkness.
Tho rumble OF thunder hitherto OCCASION
al and distant finally became incessant,
each crash seeming louder than its pred
ecessor, and the accompanying lightning
began to dispei the Egyptian blackness OF
an almost Egyptian night. At last
tho rain came not in drops, but In sheets.
| My great-grandfather and u were to-
gcther in the library. The old gentleman
| took decanter from the table and be-
gan to fill his glass; but a. advancing
years had rendered his hand 90 unsteady.
arose to assist him. Nlotionlng me to
remain seated. he put his glass down,
and began to rub his palms together, a
peculiar habit OF his when either reminds
cent or perplexed. .55
Tvs just such a night as this sixty
odd years ago. he exclaimed with some
enthusiasm, after having drained his
glass; that your great-grandmother and
| 1 were we'd" FL
I was surprised, but made no comment.
as the ancient worthy before me was
averse to any Interruption. Inwardly I
| gave thanks to the wine that loosened his
tongue and persuaded It to speech.
when l was your age, Richard. my
boy, feared a woman worse than did
tho devil. Endowed by nature with q
bushful disposition and faltering tongue,
my wits easily forsook mo at the sight
\ OF q petticoat. I was looking forward to
the happy life Of u celibate when the un.
expected happens, as 1t always does.
Returning from college, a lonely youth
! of twenty some years, found myself
master of large estate, which yielded
i a goodly income, My mother died wher
7 was but a babe, and an English bullet
/ at Lundy's Lane shortly. afterwards ended
1 my fathers unhappy existence. Smallpox
| favored me In removing an obnoxious
1 guardian shortly before I attained my
| majority.
while at college had as a room.
mate James MISSIONER, a good English
Il I1A4Aob .DuI uui n lcdtulcS UCltuyc 1
his foreign blood his mother being Of
j Italian lineage. A long, red sword cut
dlstiEured his left cheek, and on his
4 body there were similar scars, the cause
i OF which attributed to wounds INFLICTED
by this same instrument of war. Mother
no nor I ever addressed each other ex.
cept when necessity so demanded, and
though we were not congenlal we never
quarreled. nursed him through a spell
of fever. and on his recovery no left for
parts unknown" Here he drained anoth.
| or glass, paused, and then exclaimed:
S"Twas from this same decanter w
drank that night Ali a night 1t was
too--aye, worse than this perhaps. The
chimes Of yonder clock were striking the
hour of midnight when there came pro
longed rapplng at the door.
f'Welcomc!' I cried. whether you be
God. man or devil. None can weather thi.
storm tonight
I'm response to my bidding, two NOR
entered. Both wore long cloaks and hats
which were drawn over their faces. Min
iature riyulets streamed from their cloth
Ing,
"'Drink hrst. gentlemen. whoever
you may be- i cried. This wine viii
renew exhausted vitality and warm {
weary soul to ninth, Twas brought
over in the good ship, Neptune, from