The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-07
Our Daily Sborl Story

the next day and as the body was be- ing carried to the grave, the bell in the church tolled out his years. It has tolled twelve times and the sexton
 pulled the rope for the thirteenth stroke. The bell gave forth a boom it's fastenings, fell to the ground. My grandfather had been deeply affected
 by the tolling of the bell At each stroke he was seen to shudder. Then came that fatal thirteenth stroke. His face grew livid and such an express
 it that everyone who saw him shud- dered. His great form swayed and fell to the ground dead.
 The curse is in the family, trans
 mitted from father to son. We must
 hear. that terrible noise thirteen times sometimes closely connected-some-
 times at intervals of years. At the thirteenth stroke. comes death. When hear 1t the last time, you shall hear 1t first, and the curse will be upon you.
 My son, it is my earnest plea that you let our accursed race die with you. My father implored me never to marry and I resolved to follow his
 request. but I met the woman l loved and I fell. Will you be stronger than IT? Already the bell tolled twelve times and I feel that my end is near My son. forgive me and heed my admonf- 1 tion. Do not transmit this curse to another. for 1t will cause your loved ones untold misery"
 The note fell from my hands. I arose and gazed fearfully into that
 dead face, The eyes were still open
 and they seemed to be bearing me
 through with their horrible glare. I ! tried to close them but in vain. Then
 great fear came upon me-there alone with the dead. Outside the
 winds were wailing as if a thousand | funerals were passing, and there came | again that horrible muffled sound. The bell had tolled twice for me already. panic seized me. dared not look at the face of my father. I rushed and the storm. Three times did l hear the bell through that night. When the dawn | finally broke in the east. my mind was fully resolved. l would tell Lucy all
 and then leave her forever.
 l went into .ne house. The servants gazed at me in fear-and no wonder. As I passed a mirror, l caught a glimpse of myself. Instead of d fresh, happy young face, l saw that of an
 aged man. My hair was snow white. We buried my father. and as I look ed for the last time on that face so drawn by suffering, I forgave him |
 doomed to life of misery, but this man had suffered more than I--for he had the knowledge that he had inflict-
 cd the curse upon d loved one He was dead He had fallen for the sake
 of love God would judge him rightly. It is only human to love and for our l loves we will risk much.
 The next day l told Lucy all. I never saw her again for I knew that 1 should look upon her dear face, my resolution would vanish. and I would
 sin as my father had done before me. ! she died six months later-of d brok-
 cn heart,
 This is my story. Thirty years have passed since that fearful night when 1 i looked upon the dead face of my father and read the paper that sealed
 my doom. am an old man. l have i heard the bell twelve times and feel That my end is near. I have suffered much but. as I look back upon the | life, already spent, I am glad that l l kent my vow Many time have l l been in communication with Lucy, and
 know that she waits for me, and l (Here the MSS suddenly breaks on
 The body was found by the table sit | ting in a chair. as in life. A pen was i sfiIl clutched in the nerveless ringers.
 Steamer Mary Arrives.
 Tine Alabama River packet Mary
 req he'd her wharf in Montgomery al