Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-12

life lost its favor and led thereto by habit Of
mind and natural melancholy inclination, he
determined to destroy himself, having long con-
vinced his reason that such act is justified
and agreeable to philosophy. We will leave the
unfortunate gentleman in that resolution to the
other victims Of the tragedy on Pelican estate
I'm the of John Diggle, the night
watchman, no difficulty Of character presents
itself He a direct single minded man
against whom nothing evil be advanced-a
good husband and parent and a loyal and hon
est servant. He carried on the tradition hand
ed to him by his grandfather and father before
him. and worked with sole purpose, the
welfare Of his employers Their relation to
him closer than that of master and man.
They valued him for himself and in many ways
revealed their personal regard and esteem.
This mans duty was to guard the suagr
cane plantations by night, and we find in con-
nection with that work old but general un-
derstanding and unwritten law that thieves stole
at their personal peril 1t not uncommon
in former days for these pilfering gentlemen
to loso their lives, just a poacher, or other
nocturnal robber in England, also has paid the
extreme penalty. But human feeling naturally
sets against such strenuous course of action
as principles of humanity gain ground. A hum
dred years ago the man-trap and spring gun
sanctioned; yet such barbaric engines
by law swept into oblivion. So with this
old slave prescription; and we may take it
for granted that John Diggle would not have
than he likely to receive from one.
"In this connection, nevertheless, find
cloud arise on the life of John Diggle some few
days before his end. Too much importance can
not be attached to this incident since upon it
hangs the the whole theory about to be elabo-
rated. We must, therefore dwell on the state
mcnt made by Mrs. Diggle to my representa-
tive i'll Barbados and fully reported to him. If
necessary, Mrs. Diggle can be further ques-
toned, though in my Judgment she has al
ready said all that need be said.
What does she say?
That on a certain occasion, her husband
came in sad to breakfast. He denies his trou-
BILE at first; but upon his wife insisting that he
is not himself he curses the thieves and says
that he has got to worry about them, because
Mr. Henry Slanning is worrying. Mr.. Henry
has told Dggle that he is falling short of his
duty and forgetting how to treat the thieves.
Then-a,ark this-Dggle says that henceforth
there shall be no doubt about obeying and that
he will dc what he is told to. to the end in fu-
ture, whatever happens.
Immediately before the tragedy, therefore,
John Diggle has been reproved for laxity in his
work, and he accordingly resolves that, come
what may come of it, he will strictly obey his
order to the letter. We shall find what those
orders in a moment; and there can,
think. be little doubt that the commands issued
to Digsle by Henry Sanning were of a nature
that niggle did not expect They surprised
him, and we can how. In the first place, it
highly improbable that Slanning would
bother his head about the petty pilferings OF
cane, a button concerning such a trihe;
and in the second, still more improbable that
he should seek to put stop to them by rever-
sion Ia obsolete drastic measures that he, of all
men, would have been the first to ccnsure.
For so ! read John Digglos trouble coupled with
his resolve. He is going to abey, regardless of
consequences; he is going to do exactly he is
told, whatever happens He therefore appre
hcnded that something might happen; but he
was under orders and did not attempt to shirk
them. though the orders had astonished and dis
mayed him.
Leaving him also, on the threshold of the
disaster. turn to Soly Lawson and find again
character that presents no difficulties and
be very fairly appreciated from the information
at our disposal. This young half-caste is seen
youth of strong animal passions, uncon-
trolled and not nalevolent He was of little
worth, sensual, lazy and quick tempered; but he
lad wit and ready tongue and-what alone
matters-his attitude to his master of
steadfast and deserved devotion. Nor does the
fact that Soy would not scruple to steal cane de-
tract from his affection for the gentemen who had
forgiven so many sins and still employed the
poor fellow at the time of his death. Solly would
steal Henry Slanning's today and die for
him tomorrow The doglike trust and affection
displayed by many negroes and half-castes is a.
part of young Lawsons nature. He has ex-
pressed to his mother thousand times his re-
this assurance the young man was perfectly
honest
What does Mrs. LAWSON say? He dash at
fngs So Soly is ill-goyerned. impetuous and
'mRu'siNs' F0E good or evil be- dashes at