The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-15

"My uncle Elias emigrated to Amer
lea when he. was a young man, and be-
came planter in Florida, where he was
reported to have done very well. At
the time Of the war he fought in Jack
sons army, and afterwards under Hood,
where he rose to be, a colonel. When
Lee laid down his arms my uncle re-
NAMED for three or four years: About
1869 or 1870 he came back to Europe,
and took small estate in Sussex, near
Horsham. He had made, a very con-
siderable fortune In the states, and his
reason for leaving them was his
aversion to the negroes, and his dislike
Of the republican policy in extending
the franchise to them, He was "a
singular man, fierce and qnlc!k temp.
angry, and Of most retiring disposi-
ton. During all the>years that he lived
at Horsham T doubt if ever he set foot
in the town. He had garden and two
or three fields round his house, and there
he would take his exercise, tho very
often for weeks on end he would never
leave his room. He drank, great deal
Of brandy, and smoked very heavily,
but he would see no society, and did
not want any friends, not even hia own
brother.
Gle didn It mind me, in fact, he took
fancy to me, for at the time when he
saw me first I was a youngster OF
twelve or SO. This would be in the year
1878, after he had been eight or nine
years in England. He begged my father
to let me ivewith him, and he was:very
kind to me in his way. When he was
sober he used to be fond Of playing
he would make me his representative
both with the servants and with the
tradespeople, SO that by the time that
was sixteen was quite master. Of the
house. I kept. all the keys, and could
20 where I liked and do what l liked,
SO long as did not disturb him in his
privacy. There was one singular ex-
ception, however, for he had single
room, lumberroom up among the
which he would never permit either me
or any one else to enter. With boy g
curiosity I have peeped thru the key
hole, but T was never able to see more
than such collection Of old trunks and
bundles as would be expected in such a
room. t,@ - $40, F.
"One day-it was in March, 1851
letter with a foreign stamp lay upon the
table in front Of the Colonel's plate.
1t was not common thing for him to
receive letters, for his bills were all
paid in ready money and 1h he had :. no %
he, as he took it up, 'Pondicherry post.
mark! What can this beq' Opening it
hurriedly, out there jumped five little
dried orange pips, which battered down
upon his plate. I began to laugh at
this, but the laugh was struck from my
lips at the sight Of his face. His lip
had fallen, his eyes were, ,protruding,
his skin the color Of putty, and he
glared at the envelope which Ih ne s stu
he shrieked, and then, my God, my
God, my sins have overtaken mel
"'What is it, uncle7' I cried.
"'Death,' said he, and rising from
the table he retired to his room, leaving
me palpitating with horror. I took UP
the envelope, and saw scrawled in red
ink upon the inner flap, just above the
gum, the letter K three times repeated
dried pips. What could be the reason
of his overpowering terror7 7 left the
breakfast table, and as / assembled the
stair I met him coming down with ar
old rusty key, which must have. belonged
to the attic, in one hand, and a small
brass box, like cashbox, in the other.
They may do what they like, but
I'll checkmate them still, said he, witt
an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want
fire in my room tpn tGdayX and send dowr
"I did as. he ordered, and when thu
lawyer arrived was asked to step .uI
to the room. The fire was burning
brightly, and in the CRATE there was s
mass Of black, fluffy ashes, as Of burned
paper, while the brass box stood ope1
and empty beside it., As I glanced a.
the box I noticed, with a start, thai
upon the lid were printed the treble Z
which had read in the morning upo1
the envelope. u
&C. wish you, John,' said my uncle
to witness my will. I leave my estate
, advantages to my brother, your father
. whence it will, no doubt, descend t.
you. IF you can enjoy it in peace, wei
and goodl If you find you cannot, tax
/ my advice, my boy, and leave it t.
your deadliest enemy. I am sorry t,
give you such two-edged thing, bu
+ can't say what turn things are goint
Ito take. Kindly sign the paper wher
| Mr.. Fordham shows you.
: /, ~ signed the paper as directed, an
the lawyer took it away with him. TIL
singular incident made, as you ma,
think, the deepest impression upon. me
and I pondered over it., and turned i
tevery way in,.my mind without being
able to. make anything Of it. Yet
: Ecould not; shake off the vague feeling
, Eof dread which it left behind tho tn
sensation grew less keen as the week
: passed, and nothing happened To- dis
fturb the usual routine Of our lives.
: could see a change in my uncle, how
Lever. He drank more than ever, and b
was less inclined for any sort of society
Most Of his time he would spend in hi
: room, with the door locked upon the in
! side, but sometimes he would emerge i,
= a sort Of drunken frenzy, and woul
! burst out Of the house and tear abou
the garden with a revolver In his han6
y screaming out that he was afraid Of n
man, and that he was not to pc coope
up, like sheep in a pen, by man o
r devil. When these hot fits were ovel
= however, he would rush tumultuousl
: in at the door, and lock and bar
behind him, like man who can braZe
4 it out no longer against the terror while
! lies at the roots Of his soul At sue
;. times I have seen his face, even on \
+ cold day, glisten with moisture, as tn
: it were new raised from q basin.
9 ttWell, to come to an end Of the maj
i ter, Mr.. Holmes, and mot to abuse you
patience, there came a night when b
made one Of those drunken sallies frol
j which he never came back. We foun
I him, when we went to search for hin
9 face downward in little green-scun
t med pool, which lay at the foot of th
garden. There was no sign Of any vi,
}, lence, and the water was but two fee
s deep, SO that the jury, having regard |
his known eccentricity, brought in
i verdict of suicide. But ], who knew ho-
+ he WINGED from the very thought (
n 10 -,