The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-01-30

him and lasted
for two or three
days. often
wondered at these fits of melancholy,
but dared not ask my father, and he
vouch-safed no explanation. My moth
er never knew. She died when |
was born. Would to God that |, too,
had followed her.
| passed the usual uneventful life
Of the country squires son until |
was twenty years old, and then, as is
only human. l fell in love.
My love was returned and the hap
pest moment of my life was when
Lucy Derrick promised to become my
wife,
Later l was sitting at the drawing
room fire thinking of Lucy, when a
servant entered the room and said my
father wanted to see me. He had
taken suddenly i'll and was in his bed
room.
I arose hastily and started for the
room, for this was the first intimation
] had had of his Illness. Just as l
opened the door, l heard heavy
DooLulu6 bouuu 1lh6 SOIu0 lulLueu6c
church bell tolling for funeral
l hastily ran to his side and forced
some brandy through his clenched
teeth. This seemed to revive him
somewhat, and he motioned me to
open the drawer of his secretary. l
did so and found a paper addressed
to myself He glanced at it and made
feeble effort to nod his head. The
next moment his whole body shook
with commissions. He half rose from
the bed, gasped and fell back. My
| father was dead.
| The paper Yves still in my hands,
and, mechanically, unfolded it. This
is what | read
| ITO my son, John Vereken:-I ad
dress these words to you, as 1t were,
from the grave, and l trust that you
will forgive my great sin. There is a
curse in our family and l, poor, weak
fool, have transmitted it to you. You
no doubt, heard the sound of the bell
when l died. l will tell you the story
of it
Your great-grandfather grand.
nature. He was quick to strike, and
as quick to repent of the blow. His
greatest friend was Richard Bassman,
whose family died with him, My
grandfather loved Richard as a broth
er. They were always together. But
one day they quarreled and Richard
Bassnan was shot by my GRANDPA.
Their. He died instantly. Ny GRANDPA
Their was so struck with horror at the
deed that he tried to kill himself, bat
friends prevented the act. Richard
Bassman was buried the next day,
and as the body was being carried to
the grave, the bell in the church tolled
out his years. 1t has tolled IL times,
and the sexton pulled the rope for the
thirteenth stroke. The bell gave forth
booming sound and breaking loose
from its fastenings, fell to the ground
My grandfather had been deeply af
fected 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 expression of unutterable horror
came over it that everyone who saw
him shuddered, His great form sway
ed and fell to the ground dead
MY son, it is my earnest plea that
! you let our accused race die with
you. My father implored me never
to marry and / resolved to follow his
request, but | met the woman | loved
and fell. Will you be stronger thar
I? Already the bell tolled IL times and
, l feel that my end is near My son
forgive me. and heed my admonition
Do not transmit this curse to anoth
er, for it will cause your loved ones
A untold misery"
, The next day | told Lucy ALL
. never saw her again for ] knew tina
! should look upon her dea- face, m,
q resolution would vanish AID would
. sin as my father had done before me
, She died six months latey-of a bro
ken heart.
This is my story. Thirty year
. have passed since that fearful nigh
when / looked upon the dead face o
my father and read the paper tina
sealed my doom. l am an old man.
; have heard the bell toll ~ times AM
a | feel that my end is near. / hav
q suffered much, but as | look back upol
q the life. already spent, l am glad tina
. kept my vow. Many time have
: been in communication with Lucy an
q | know that she waits for me, and
: (Here the MSS. suddenly break
off. The body was found by the table
q sitting in a chair, as in life. A pc
!, was still clutched in the nerveies
Gngers.)