The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-14

husband of Lady Dediock," a:d the
hurting aut OF this fearful fact
struck Sir Leicester Dedlock aghast
with horror. and sent him down on his
hearthstone dumb and s-enseiess with
paralysis. Found dead on \ filthy
pile OF rags like an ugly rat caught In
a hole. The passing of Memo. The
shutting ort Of the feeble, worthless
light OF Mr.. Nobody.
The close OF my LAST article In last
Sundays Messenger caught the third
drummer, the second man from New
York just started in MS story when
the porter on the Atlantic Coast Line
railroad train called Fayetteville"
But on the following night his travel
ing companion. with one or two other
listeners. got around him In the lobby
OF the Hotel LaFayeteS and heard the
following tale:
About the winter OF 1900. as was
saying On the train last night. I met
in Charlotte a drummer from Boston
whom | will call Wall, though that
was no, his real name.
Fl was the best appointed and
best equipped man about the hotel
iobby-what you would cal, n we'll
groomod a a man OF fhe bath tub
and the hair-dresser. who always
smeit OF fine scented soap. like the
lawyer Of Miss Havisham. In Dickens
Great Expectations. He was of fine
physique, apparently IN excellent
health; and. although not Il hustler.
was q good salesman. He was some
what cpnviyial in his hibits, liking
a teddy or W and n zane Of billiards
after supper and rarely goingato bed
before midnight.
Il ran up with WalISn TWO or three
towns in North and South Carolina.
and then | saw and heard nothing Of
him for three or four years. One night
l had come out OF Murphy's hotel in
Richmond, n had walked about one
hundred yards along the street. when
came upon Wall, standing on the
edge OF the pavement. and looking In
~teresungiy at a piece Of paper in his
hand, though | would never have
known him if he had not been full in
the glare of the electric light.
Hello, Wall. | said. stopping
and extending my hand. L have not
seen you In an age. How are you
getting on?' He looked at me coidly.
almost sullenly, and I think he first
intended to disclaim his identity, but
finally he called me by name. and met
my hand clasp with a feeble. ~listless
response. AS l looked at him / was
shocked at the change in the man.
Without being positively shabby, he
Vra O canGS- n~I Is-n-.~ "
p~earance, like Il man who neglected
not only his clothing but his person.
had broken loose from all decent So
cial restraints, and was letting him
self go to the dogs.
Il aatempte To ak business with
him. but he turned the subject of. be-
came downright rude and churlish In
his manner; and, although / was 10th
to part with him in that condition, he
seemed so anxious TO part company
that | went my way and he went his.
shutting out OF sight down a side
street. He did not seem to be intoxi-
cated-it looked TO me more like
mania. The next night, as I was
riding in the bus to the railway sta
ton, passing through the foulest, dirt
lest street of Richmond, | saw Wall
standing in the doorway of the foul
est, dirtiest den of all. There could
be no mistake, for once again the light
was showing full on his face.
About three months afterwards my
firm sent me TO Boston to attend the
clearing sale OF a manufacturer in our
line. / bethought myself Of Wall,
and, going to the house, / inquired of
a clerk in the outer office: is Mr..
Wall in the city, Mr.. Wall no
longer represents the house, replied
the clerk civil!y. NJ. tr;cds an1 went
on with his work.
Il heard more about his case after
wards-how his firm had borne with
him, demonstrated with him, but all
to no purpose, until they were alb
solutely compelled TO dismiss him in
preservation Of their own business in
terests.
What do you suppose was the mat
ter with Wall? The one serious break
was his physical makeup, the weak
link in the chain, was hat he suffered
excTuciating torturess with neuralgia.
Some fool OF a doctor put destruction
in his way by placing in his hands one
of those little devils hyposlerni,c
syringe an ana a bite OF Ma1euieS Sd
lutloa OF Tic sulpn1:e " no bh'ne-
that finished him. He had better had
stuck a 38-calibre revoi ger against ,hs
side Of poor Walls head. and pulled
the trigger.
Where is Wall new. o., r:ci only
knows. II he has not died like a dog
in he ditch, he Is creeping. in the
caEkness OF night, a fecrsJt. ghost
:" zpe:re, thr"ugh the sires:s e some
.oHn. begging, borrowing or stealing
= few grains Of the faraf drug TO bring
an hour Of Abandonment. OF forgetful-
ness, with a reaction Of such suffer
ing as only the lost can endure. I
never think Of Wall without thinking
also OF Jasper, in Dickens unfinished
novel OF Edwin brood lying In the
! den OF that old bag. while she fed his
-