The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-29
blesses. but a baleful fire that con-

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Bon Air had never before witnessed,
never even heard of. such an enter
broad halls of Haywood Browns house
with rare plants and flowers, and Illus
trated his hospitality in the lavish art
Of the caterer in his dining con on
the OCCASION Of the marriage 81 his
daughter Madeline and Phillip W.lsoa
at high noon on Il bright day In win
ter. People remember afterwards that
on that morning Elliott Webb looked
as il he had aged % years in a nigh:
(this was of the lost spirits OF
Dante's Inferno). but there were eyes
for only the happy welded pair. div
en- after the ceremony in Al open car
riage 10 the station. there 10 take he
train for a journey south.
The movement OF large bodies OF
troops TO Florida and thence 10 Cuba
had deranged the passenger train
schedule, and ii Vas found that the
north bound fast mail was an hour late
while the southbound vas cautiously
slipping on from station 10 station.
with a halt at each for orders, anu (
was now at a stand-still at 1on Air.
waiting for authority from the the
train-dispatcher to so forward. Oh, for
a word of warning against the horrible
face which peered for a moment above
the blind OF the station window, mid
eous' in its malignant hate. the face Of
a maniac, a murderouS maniac Then
Elliott Webb stepped out On the plat
form. Go aheadi' he said 10 the con-
ductor in Il quiet tone. "All aboard"
shouted the conductor, as he swung
himself up on the car Step-and Webb'S
last look Of Madeline was a sweet pity
ing face smiling on him from the a
window, and q wav of her little hand
Then he turned, and strobe into the
Office. Click, click, click!' Come on"
was, the order to the nOrthbOund fast
mail, halted at the station ten miles
below. Keeling from the telegraph in
strument, he sank into a chair, and
buried his ace in his hands.
- :. =
For a minute or two the ~lifeless form
Of Madeline, brought up from The
wreck Of the train collision midWa
between the We stations lay just vn-
der the window of the agents Office at
Bon Air, until it could be conveyed -
the home which she had left but an
hour before. Strange to say, though
many passengers We're d~readfully III
jured-her young husband lying long
unconscious, and famed for the rest
of his life-the bride alone was killed.
Her limbs were fearfully crushed, but
there was no Disagreement of the fair,
pure face, on which a snfle of peace
rested.
What fearful thing is this dashing
from the inner office, With eyes glar-
ing, hair disheveled, clothing rent IN
tatters, blood gushingfrOm the foam
ing mouth? 4 did /it?' cried the
| wretched man. bending for an instant
over the dead girl; Il did it. | stopped
the honeymoon, apd the blushing bride
and the happy brtdegroom!" And with
strange, stifed cries, that curdled the
very blood to lear, he ran with IN
credible speed along the railroad line
t a deep cut, plunged headlong dom,
and lay motionless on the stones Of a
culvert piercing a steep embankmene.
He was terribly mangled and broken,
but with returning consciousness he
raved again, disappearing God, and
| cursing himself as a murderer.
When, an hour later, that last fatal
! order csme to light which brought the
trains together, Haywood Brown, be-
side himself with despair and grief.
wouid have torn Elliott Webb to pieces
limb from limb, and the Infatuated and
horror stricken people of Boz Air
would have lent willing hands TO the
work of r~etribution; but the murder
er was then inside a steel cell in the
county jail.
The next morning, when the o Of
the cell was opened the deputy sheriff
started back with an exclamation of
amazement and horror, for before him
slowly swung back and forth h life
less form of Elliott Webb. During the
night, with his strong white teeth, he
had gnawed asunder the ropes that
bound him and had taken his hated
life with the letters of his imprisOn-
ment.
ment. j. II. VI.
Fayetteville, June q.