Newspaper Page Text
WHITE & McINTOSH,
VOLUME VIII.
rofessional.
Si|{ I!. A.JELKS,
« RACTicixci Physician,
QUITMAN OA.
(IFPICK : Brick * ;
Messrs. -T.-Iks A .
January ill, 187 l
jamers ii in
cUfonirn anb (Tomisrllor at Hate,
QUITMAN- CA.
Opkick. in rHE Conn E
March 17, 187!.
Bskkjpi
HESSET .V KIAGSUiiIiY,
ATTORNEYS AT LAW,
Quitman. Brooks County, Georgia.
February 7. 1873 (5
JED WAR I) R. HARD EN,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
QUITMAN, GEORGIA,
Office, in the Court House, second floor
May 26, 1872. ly
DENTISTRY.
l)u. D. L* RICKS,
HAVING recently ,v"
. attended a thor- / /L /
DiigliCourse ot Lee- ■ ■* N v \ /
til res and graduated \ ' ■
•\L the New Orleans
Dental College, has AC"
returned to Quitman, Cp
and reoconed his of- ' / , T \Vj
7 _
Thankful to friends
and patrons for past favors, ho will be pleased
to serve them in future. Good work and mod
erate charges.
March 14, 1873. 11-ton
Du .1. S. N. SNOW.
D E.N TI.ST,
QUITMAN GEORGIA.
TJ ENPECTFVLLY silipits tin* |Y'Y#'
XV patronage of the Citizens nf mK.i j l iJwk
Brooks county, and will endeavor,
l»y faithfully executing all work entrusted to
him, to merit their confidence.
Charges moderate, and work guaranteed.
up stairs, over*). TillmanV store.
March 21, 1873. 45-ly
Miscellaneous.
I)Kt Mi C. WII.KINHOX. Dll. A. I». EMITS!.
LARGE CRUS SIGN.
WIIKINSON & SMITH,
~wr EEP on band a
IV Complete stock > ,'i7r , S~*g x
of Fresh and Pure /f)L MX J Ijt ,
DRUGS
»m> ,vjKVV/**r j.
MEDICINES*-;
t.„t /id., .
AV-a • 1 V n-niY;' :. Paints and Oils, J
Rr, ?‘nh;i ' Articles. Ac.
- on reasonable terms,
compounded.
• • ,nll hr- after L< sold at
n. 31, 1873. .0-1 y
Sff I !
rWNIIE undersigned, who I: - mi • \ - ■ i
a. many years in tin* < SiilV
(ILES, notifies the publi that ii*■ ;%>•< ;,- nlnad.
and will make to order, any number <>\ Jungles
desired, and deliver them on i tv- > .bi< . .u>.
l&Br Orders left at Cap?. Brook-' ‘ore, Qui;
man, will be promptly attended to.
S. T. #OIXG.
L> oks county, June 12, 187;?, 24-ts
\ w\i ii..
rVBr.ISIIED BY
J L. PETERS. 590 BroadwayN Y
Mailed, post-paid, on receipt of milked price, j
VOCAL.
Above and Relow. Soered .Sens, by Juch, §0.30 |
lt;,ck to tbe Old Home; song and chores, 30
Beautiful form of ray Dreams Stewart, .... 30
Darling, weep no more; song and chorus... 35
Do not weep so, sister darling; song 30
Don’t forget to write me; song and chorus,.. 35
Void we our hands; song or duet; Iloildieu.. 30
Done to the Heavenly Garden; song ;.. 35
If you were I. would you? song 30
Kiss the. darling, ere we part 30
Little Blind Nell; song and chorus 30
Little Dan , song and chorus 40
Lord, forever at thy side 25
Meet tne, Dessie. in the Dell 30
Meet me, dearest, with a kiss 30
My boy across the sea 35
Oh! Give mo a home in the South 40
Oh, Sami song and chorus 35
Only for You! Ballad 35
Our Little Pet; song and ehoru3 40
Papa, stay home; Temperance song 40
Save one blight Crown for me SO
We pray you sing that song; duet 35
Wilt thou weep when I am low ? 25
ir4STRUSVIESrfAL.
Polkas. —Sunbeam, by Hinkle, 30 cts; Belle of
Saratoga, by Victor, 35 cts.; May Flowers, by
Simon. 35 cts,
Mazurkas.—Awakening of the Birds, 50 cts:
Happy Thoughts, by Walker, 30 cts.: Laughing
Wave, by Vt ileon, 50 cts.; Sunbeam, by l’acher.
40 cts.
Gallops.—Charlie’s and Freddie's, by Kb:-
kle, each 31 cts.
SHOTTLSCIIES— Fatal Glance, by Young. 20
cts.; May Morning, by Schmidt. 50 ctx ; Sun
beam, by Hampel, 35 cts ; and Willie’s, by
Kinkel. 35 cts.
Maiecues. —Belle of Saratoga, by 'Baumbacb,
40 cts.; Mollies, by Kinkel, 35 cts.
Any of the above mailed, post-paid, on receipt
of price. Address
JJ. L. PETERS,
039 Broadway, New York.
May Ist, 1272. IS-ts
e **PBWYW»*^
Quitman.
IfMlPli OF rw. WORLD.
T !r E QUEEN m, HIVE
-——-AND
IIONVY LXTB AOTOR l
| fk s ■! has nmvhased tin* LIGHT
. H • > BEK IIIYL and ATKIN
jSf >.V-- 11' ;NKI \'l: V i'< ML as j>atcuti*d by
j T. .ARji'itsf ititb for tho on tip:'
State of Georgia and the Eastern portion of
Florida.
The HIVE has proved by its merit* to be t.lie«
most practical in use, having the advantages of
all others, viz : case of access to the brood
frames, without having to remove the c ver. ho
ney boxes, surplus frames, or honey board. The
brood 1 rallies being removed from the buck of
the hive without, in the least, injury to the combs
or disturbing the working of the bees.
The EXTRACTOR is the most simple, cheap,
and durable machine that lias come before the
public. It will empty large combs or pieces with
great facility. It works very easy, and the prin
ciples applied are the simplest in nature, being
the combination of gravitation with centrifugal
torcc.
Any person or persons desirous of purchasing
or examining the Hive and Extractor, will call
at my office, or address me at Quitman, Ga.
terms:
Single Right to use Hive $5 00
Single Right to use Extractor 5 00
JOHN A. IRVINE.
Quitman June 5, 1873. 23-ts
fi>. W. PRICE,
OVIT'M IA <:]'OU(ll.\,
Unit liv l::i )u?t op- aL'" Y- Yv
ened a FIRST Cla: - 7 J , SW'.Vi
Merchant wa.
TA IlImiNG 4
ESTABLISHMENT in Quitman, and has on hand
a fmo lot of
Cloths and Cassimeres ,
suitable for making Dress and Business suits.
He has also on hand a Select stock of
READY MADE CLOTHING.
jfSSP*Cutling. Cleaning and Repairing done on
short notice I’rices moderate.
April 10. 1873. ! 1 y
CARPENTERS WORK.
John D. Bozeman,
QUITMAN, GEORGIA,
j rTVAKES this method of informing the public
| 3 that his Ms LL business does nos interfere
j with his business as a
HOUSE CARPJJNTfIR;
and he is fully prepared to do all work d< .red,
Fnvornlde T '-nns
as possible, and to • I • ■ ■! all parties
| interested. He will
FUI» NISH LL r v
j arid h ■ <
in p e
him a trial.
May to. 187:1.
LOOK HERE!
Good ( alien at 12? Cents.
j A C Of# B A U
L vR IN
Dry Good- Notions, H irci
ware, Crockery, &e.
({nituian <*eorgl«.
rpAKES pleasure in notifying I,: hi■uul-i and
1 the public gonoraily that be has reifei veil
SPRING AND SUMMER STOCK
i«r:s,
which will be sold on fair and honorable ter;ri -.
These goods were purchased on very favorable
terms, and I am confident can and will be sold
as cheap as any house in town.
My stock embraces almost everything kept in
a retail store in the interior—
Dry Goods,
Dress Goods,
Domestic Goods,
Heady Mule Ihihlwj,
hosiery,
Notions,
Boots,
Hhoes
Da Is. tie. <fc.
The Ladies are specially invited to pay me a
visit, as 1 have many things that will meet favor
in their eyes.
Purchaser? arc also specially invit -
ed to give me a call, as I am determined to sell
as low a? any one.
Thankful tor past favors.a continuance of cus
tom ie solicited. JACOB BAUM.
Marcli 21, 1H73. ly
T H K
' P ' ’
"niiAUWjo ■ ***£'* £’**£'* 8
i
familTnewspapir,
Established on the Cheap Cash plan, at tile low
rate of only
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR.
Address, INDEPENDENT,
P, O. Box BGS, Savunnuh, Ga.
K:.U3 SHAW 1 . races THUG PEOPLE’S RI IMTS MAINTmU,«JNAWED BV FEAR AND UNBRIBED BY SAIN,
QUITMAN, GA., THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1873. •
THE DEATH RENT*.
■Wlien Or. Eilwavtl Inmsfiold was a
votinw man, ami just euteriiit? uiion thu
ja •. of nu'illeine, ho located himself
i in tip- then town and now city of .
There was I rat one other physician in the
place, and he was an old man, who was
irn me (oo far advanced in years to pay
t he proper attention to his business.
Thoyoung doctor had a hard time at
i. st;-for the people of the place had a
si ran go and bitter prejudice against
yinui;r physicians, and for a while turned
their faces from him.
•It was fully a year before lie had any
thin;- at all to do; and had not lie been
provided with money enough to support
himself in a shabby way during’ that
. time, he would have starved.
As it was, lie was almost discouraged,
and was seriously content plat ing a speedy
departure from town. lie was sitting
in the little room lie called his office, one
evening, puffing away vigorously at his
Gorman pipe, and pondering the ques
tion whether to go away from h —, or
remain and fight it out a little longer.
It was snowing heavily out of doors, and
the wind was howling around the houses
at a furious rate, it was an excellent
night for thinking, and the doctor felt
that ho would bo perfectly safe from cull
ers and patients, and would have ample
time to discuss the important question
which perplexed him. He had thought
it over a hundred times before, but had
never fully made up his mind either way
in regard to it.
He. could see very Jittlo lobe accom
plished 1 i maiiiing, if indeed there was
anyth b, ‘Sut mi the other baud, to go
away . i ■■ cowardice. It, seemed
like ;il.:iinimdie.- the field ill disgrace,
like victory of ignorant prejudices over
science. He was thoroughly perplexed.
iSnddenly be was aroused by the loud
ring of Ids door-hell. In genuine aston
ishment he opened the door, and saw
standing before it a man well wrapped up
and uevered with snow.
“Is Hr. Landsflcld at home?” he asked,
hurriedly.
“I am he,” replied the young physi
cian, in n state of bewilderment. “Wnat
do you want with me?”
“Old Air. Gravely, on the hill pis very
ill; sir,” was the reply, “and you must
go to him right away.”
“Why don’t you go for Doctor Joues ?”
asked the young man.
“I have I.ceu for him, sir,” was (he re
ply, “but be says h isn’t well enough to
venture out iuto such a storm. You’d
both r hurry, Dei tor, for the old man is
bad off, 1 ecu t"ll you.”
Doctor I. in’. Held needed no urging.
It seemed to him an unusually lucky
I chance that bad thrown into his hands as
a. ? :_t " lit the wealthiest, and most, iullu
ontial man in the place.
He did not part so to think much upon
the subject, but hastily attired himself
for his errand, nnd in half an hour was
standing by tie- sick man’s bed. Mr.
Gravely was bid vd ill, and I. sure a was
one that required the exercise of consid
erable skill on the part of the physician.
The young and» f >r, who w > ■ dip
man of great ability, managed it ably, |
“and ;i . fiV fiiorui <<; f .s : - ’two and
and old 1 * i, * 1 and
of letteK, he was not :;b a runted for a 1
v.■ *k; Mill in tin meanfir ■ he was called I
n see several otla rof the old doctor’s !
•n; . \vbom in las! wor! ;;■ r, ’knas.:
forced to an opt a ytmiig n.an or do i
i wu soui medical advice.
lie gave entire satisfaction in every
case, and when Doi tm- Jones appeared
on the ground once more, he fully on- j
j dorsad the young man’s practice in the I
j of ->! r. Gravely, and even went so
;, , .: ii • I Ito Ivoconie his
.... r, with a view to making him his
when lie should retire from his
,■ i ,r. ar he iut. aded-to do at no very
| distant day.
; Dr. Hniil:.field was Jairly ovcmlielmod
> by this . iidd' a good fortune, and for a
! while could s- arcely believe it real. Ho
made i.lic li-’ot of it, however, and accept
ed the offer held out to him.
Once under the wing of t lie old doctor,'
his fortune was sure; for the people of
L seemed to think that as the part
! lier of the man they had looked up to so
long iii matters of health and sickness,
lie was a very different person from the
young man they had frowned so coldly
upon because of liis youth.
When Mr. Gravely recovered, lie took
a strange fancy to Dr. isindsfield, and
declared his intention to do all in his
power to secure thu young man a pros
perous future.
With two such fib n.J;>, his career could
not be otherwise than prosperous; and
in five years aft r bis midden change of
fortune, he was the only physician of
L Dr. Jones having retired, and turn
ed over to him all his large practice.
Mr. Gravely was a widower aivi ' ibl
lcssinan. It had been the go m,t de
sire of Ids ! ! fo to have a.son to inherit
his fort ’ ir Providence had denied
j him this ' .*•. urig.
i About l sic uue of lii# wife’s death, he
, had adopted a young girl whom he
! found in a distant, country town, and she
| had been for six years the rc puted heir
' css of lii.-. wealth. Blic had taken his
name, and many persons looked upon
her as the very embodiment of filial virtue.
Julia Gravely was in her twenty-third
year. She was tall itnd stately. Her
dark, rich complexion, large, lustrous
black eyes, and luxuriant hair, at once
revealed her parentage.
Her parents had died when she was a
mere child, and she hail been taken, out
of pity-for her lonely condition, by a
worthy couple, who reared lier until hoi
sixteenth year, when Mr. Gravely, whe
chanced to meet, her, was charmed with
her beauty and vivacity, and adopted her.
Her father had been an Italian artist.,
I possessed of genius and its usual aceom-
I paninient poverty; and her mother had
! been an actress of sonic reputation in
[ In r native land, who had forsaken a
promising career there to follow her hus
band to America-;
Julia united in her own character the
impassioned and unstable disposition of
her father and the fierceness and subtle
ness of her mother.
She was [radiantly beautiful, and she
know that it, was that which had at first
Spawn Mr. Gravely to her.
She made good use of it to retain the
hold she lmd gained Upon him; though
in spite of all the kindness ho had be
stowed upon her, she really cared very
little for him, yet managed to make him
and every one else believe she was de
voted to him. Bho overwhelmed him
with her demonstrations of affection,
whidi were as hollow as they all were vi
olent. She gained lier end by them,
however, and succeeded in convincing
the old man that she was as "entirely de
voted to him as tho Ugh she had been his
own child.
When Dr. Landsficld appeared on the
scene, she regarded him •with intense
dislike. There seemed to exist in each,
opposing qualities wliieli would forever
keep them apart. As she marked the
growing fondness of her adopted father
for the young physician, she became
jealous of him.
She feared he might either deprive
her of tho foi l line which she had always
believed would lie hers one day, or di
vide it with her, and she coveted it all
herself. Sometimes, as she thought of
this, she felt that she could destroy the
intruder, so deeply did she liate him.
Dr. Lansfiold was sincerely' attached
to Mr. Gravely. Ho had from the first
regarded tho old man as his best friend,
and the many earnest proofs of friend
ship that he had received, bound him to
Mr. Gravely by the strongest ties of es
teem. and gratitude. One day ho was
sitting with the old man ill his library,
when tho latter, producing ji paper,
handed it to him, and said ;
“Edward, since I have known you, I
ha.ve looked Upon you as I would have
regarded a Bon, had I been blessed with
one, lam a very old man, and I may die
at any moment, In view of thin, 1 have
prepared my will, which I wish you to
read.”
The doctor took tlxe will and read it
in silnee, but the tlush and strange look
which passed over his face as he did so,
showed that lie was not a little astonish
ed by it. The will gave to him the en
tire estate of his friend, upon condition
that he would marry Julia Gravely. In
case the marriage did not take place, be
was given the bulk of the estate—about
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
-while Julia was given one hundred
thousand dollars.
“1 fi el deeply grateful to you for your
gi uerosity,” lie said, after a pause, “but,
1 hope it. niay.be many years yet before
i shall profit by it.. Hut why do you
v, i h me to marry your adopted daugh
ter?” he asked, alu nptly. “She has nev
shown any preference for m«. Indeed
I ha ve always thought she disliked rue.”
“I wish to leave her safely provided
• for,” said his friend, with a smile. “A
j young woman with so large a fortune and
I ho protector, in in danger of being bad-
Ily treated in t' • world. If you can mar
; vy her In fore I di , it, will make me very
li.ippy. Bile. i■ a good giil, and you will
j hardly find one more beautiful and ac
complished.”
| “Does Miss Gravely know this?” ask
! eu Doctor Mansfield.
“No. I shall, show her the will to
day, and to-morrow 1 will have it execu
ted In due form.”
The conversation was abruptly chang
ed, and tho doctor soon after took his
h earture. A few hours' Later, Julia
Gravely, sitting by her adopted father,
read the draft of tin: will.
Her face was turned from liim, and be
did not see the fierce and almost fiendish
expression that sr • pt over it as she learn
ed the contents of the paper.
There was still a dangi rous expression
in the eyes as she turned to him, but lier
face was calm and smiling.
“I thought J. was to have been your
cole heiress,” she said, caret ssly.
“True, dear: There is now a will, at
mV lawyer’s, signed and sealed, constitu
ting yon the sole heiress Os my fortune.
Hut this suits me better. I slmll leave
you perfectly comfortable, and if you see
ii! to marry Edward Lanilsfii Id, you will
hav all 1 *ba»o t" give. T. -monow I
shall cancel mt in”'’ "’ld and replace
it with this. Hut tell me, dear, what do
you think of it ?”
“It is so sudden that I cannot make
up my mind,” she said, seriously. “To
morrow I will tall- more freely with you.”
She left him with a kiss, and sought,
her room. Once there, her calmneits van
ished and she gave way to an nneontrol
ablo outburst of fury.
She paced the floor lniriidly, talking
to herself angrily in her native t ongue,
and her small hands were c'inched so.
i tightly that the nails drew blood from
; her palms.
When she went down to tea that caven
ing she was quieter, and os she met lew
adopted father, eveiy trace of passion
had vanished. There was a stranger and
sj briliant light in her eyes, hut ho did not
notice this.
While sitting at the tabic, he saw she
! wore a strange and curious ring that he
i i ia d never seen before, and asked her
I how she came by it.
’’Whctt-wy mother ditd,” slip replied,
• composedly, “she left a little Casket con
i taining a few trinkets forme. In a note
which accompanied it she stated that
t his l ing had been in possession of her
, family for over two hundred years.”
Nothing more was said concerning the
ring, and when Julia left the old man at
his library door, she pressed his hand
tenderly, and said in a strained and un
natural tone; “to-morrow, my father, we
will talk about tho will.”
Air. Gravely drew bis hand from her
with an exclamation of pain.
“Your ring has cut my baud, I be
lieve,” he said, abruptly. lie hold it up
.to the light and discovering no sign of a
wound, passed into the library.
Toward midnight, Doctor Ijandsfiold
was hurriedly summoned to at tend Mr.
Gravely. The old man had been suddenly
smitten with apoplexy, and the case was
urgent.
Without a moment’s delay the doctor
hastened to the house. Ho found Mi-
G lively lying insensible upon a sofa iii
the library.
J ulia and the housemaid were standing
by him the former calm and silent, and
the latter ovewliekneil with grief.
He was informed that the "hi man
had been found lying on tho floor in an un
conscious state by one of the servants who
had gone into the library for some purpose.
How long he had lain there no one
could tell. It might have been several
minutes, or perhaps several hours, as he
had been in i.lio library ever since slipper.
As soon as lie learned this, tlio doctor
went to worki
It was indeed a had caSe. There was
every symptom of apoplexy in its worst
form, and at a glance the doctor saw that
human skill woUld avail but littlo. Ho
used every exertion that science was
aware of, lull iii vain; Death had claimed
the old man.
As Doctor Lauds field sat by the side
of liis dying friend, with his hand on his
pulse, and anxiously noting every beat,
he could not lwlp wondering that death
should have come to him in such a form.
Mr. Gravely had never manifested tho
least tendency toward apoplexy in his
effort, to account for his being, attacked
by its
Ho was uttorty at sea, and his medical
skill was of no assistance to him. Sud
denly his eye rested on Mr. Gravel’ys
hand. It was a smooth, white hand,
one that would show a-cut or scratch in
stantly.
As he gassed at it, Doctor Landsficld
saw on tho inside of tho middle finger,
two small marks, of a nature so singular
that he bent down to notice them; They
were very small, but seemed as though
they had been made by the claws of some
luihiixtivo beast, and from tho appear
ance of the Wounds he felt sure that they
had been made very recently.
Something, ho could not tell what, im
pelled him to look up, and as ho did so,
liis gave encountered that oftj ulia Gravely.
She was standing at tho back of the
sofa, and looking at him with intensity
of expression that startled him. Her face
was ghastly pale, and her eyes shone
with a kind of wild terror.
As there eyes, met a sickening feeling
crept over him, nnd with an involuntary
shudder he drnppi and his glanco upon tlio
hand again.
Mr G i'svly died that night, and Julia
’ informed the doctor that the funeral
would take place the next, afternoon.
Mr. Gravely had said I'requeuty while
living t,hat. lie wished them to bury him
v,'lbin I weiity-fonr hours after death, and
Julia was determined that his wishes
should be carried out.
Tin; doctor told her that although the
symptoms in his friend’s ease all pointed
to apoplexy as the cm e of his death, lie
was not convinced of it, and wished to
make a post mortem examination of the
iiody, to ascertain tlio true cause of the
affliction that had fallen upon her.
Julia started violently, and exclaimed
hastily: “I could not bear to have liis
body treated so.”
Doctor Landsficld urged her to con
sent to examination, hut she steadily re
fused and throughout the interview man
ifested the greatest horror at the idea.
Hmaily, the doctor gave up the attempt
and Went home.
As Doctor Landsficld sat in his room
that night, he thought long and earnestly
over wiiat had just transpired.
Tho more ho dwelt upon the subject the
stronger became Ids conviction that Mr.
Gravely’# death was not caused by apo
p!cxy;a;idJio could not help believing that
the marks on the hand were in sonic way
connected with it.
But what could they be? Perhaps they
were the mai l. < of tlio bite of some poison
oict insect. But no, tliat could not lie so,
for thee was no insect known to him
that coifl.d leavcsuch an impress behind it.
The marks looted as though they had
Is eit mad" by the claws of a minative
Don.
Then the doctor thought of Julia
Gravely’# strange conduct, and her vehe
mence in refusing to allow this Jiost-mor
tein exam ination.
11. was all very strange, and he shud
dered a:-; lie thought of it. Still ho was
not satisfied. The day was breaking
when be rose from the deep reverie into
wlii-’h li" had fallen, and went out to the
stable. Saddling his horse, he rode rap
idly to a nei;;hl»i‘ "ig town, where lie had
a long interview with a brother physician
who was e:,t;ihl : bed there. Emm the
.-vc surprise of b s tiieiul it seemed
that Doctor. LarnWield’s communication
was one of unusual importance.
The funeral of Mr. Gravely took place
in the afternoon of that day.
ft was largely attended by the people
of the town a,nd surround ing country,
and among them was the phisician upon
whom Doctor Landsficld had called in
the morning. When the funeral was
over he went home with the latter.
It was fully midnight when two men
drove hurriedly up to the door in a wag
on, and removing a long, heavy box from
the vehicle, carried it into the house. As
the light fell upon their faces, it revealed
the countenances of Doctor Landsfield
and his friend, Doctor Ellis.
Without speaking, they proceeded to
secure tliS room. The coffin, for the box
they had brought was nothing else, was
placed on a couple of chairs ileal' a long
table; the lid taken off, and the body of
Mr; Gravely laid on the table. The ex
amination was speedily begun, as the
proper instruments were all ready at
hand.
“By heaven, Ellis,! >vas right aftorall.”
“What is it now ?” asked Doctor Ellis,
pausing.
“Mr. Gravely did not die of apoplexy.
He was poisoned. See here,” lie contin
ued. “Here are traces of a strong min
eral poison which has produced effects
precisely similar to those of that disease.
See, it xvas infused into the bitted in. some
way, and has done its erraild well; lam
confident now that this poor man was the
victim of some fotll play, and that those
wounds on tile finger wore the cause of
liis death.”
“Y<nl uro certainly light;” said Doctor
Mils, musingly. “Poison was the cause
»of this man’s death. But who eoilhl
have administered it?”
“That is what perplexes me,” was the
|v l'b- i
“May upl Mr Gravely lmve taken his
own life?** asked Doctor Ellis;
“No, lam confident he did not. 1
know he had the strongest motive for
wishing to live.”
“I am inclined to agree with you that
the wounds on the finger wet other, attseof
his death;” said Doctor Ellis, “and Unit
fact induces me to believe that this i-; a
case of suicide. They were beyond a
doubt, made by a singular instrument,
of which 1 have lately read in a envious
old Italian work left mo by my father,
who was profoundly learned in the mys
teries of poisons. I refer to the ‘death
ring,’ as it was called. It rv.ufveiy com
mon in -Italy during the seventeenth cen
tury. It is a broad, flat circlet of gold,
with a movable slide on one portion
of the outer surface. By slipping back
this slide< iWti claws of fine, sharp steel,
steeped in j ust such a poison as this we
have discovered, are disclosed. The
wearer cf this ring, wishing to exercise
his vengeance, has but to press bis enemy’s
hand, when the sharp claws will be sure
t o make a slight Scratch upon the skin.
In this manner the poison will be infused
into the blood, and death will surely
follow. Now, as these rings are at pres
sc’nt among the rarest things in the world
and as Mr. Gravely was fond of collec
ting old relics, I think it, extremely likely
that he may have used it upon himself.”
“No, no: I am sure ho did not. I
know iti
“No one else hero could have one,”
said Doctor Ellis, positively. “But toll
me, do you suspect any one?”
“No one,” replied Doctor tandsfield.
He shuddered as lie spoke, for there
Hashed across him the recollection of a
strange and antique ring winch he had
soon upon Julia Gravely s liaud the night
her adopted father died.
He said nothing, however, but Assisted
his friend to replace the body in the cof
fin and screw down the lid again. After
this, it was driven back to the village
cemetery, and le-intei cd in the giavt)
from whence they had taken in.
When they returned the day was break
ing; After breakfast, Doctor Ellis sot
oil for his hornoi
Doctor La udsfield was sfr'cly perplex
ed. He knew not what to do.
lie knew now that his friend had been
poisoned, and lie was equally certain that
Doctor Ellis was -w oug in supposing
that Mr. G'avcly had committed suicide;
Ho was sure, in his Own mind, that
Julia Gravely had mu -do cd the old 111 n
to prevent the execution of the will, but
lie bad lio proof of it. As several days
passed away, and he heaul nothing of
the intended will of Mr. Gravely from
her; or frtttn her lawyer, he became eon
vinoed of flush
He determined to tost the mailer as
soon as ho could, by obtaining possession
of the ring he had lioticed’on her finger.
To accomplish this lie prepared* pow
erful compound, which, if desirously
used, would enable lam to render her in
sensible, and thus secure the riiig.
He had not long to wail, for in less
than a week he was called in to sec the
young woman, who was suddenly taken
ill. As lie stood at her bedside he saw
that the ring was still upon her left hand
whore he had noticed it at til's!.
She was even more beaut iful than ever,
and it seemed so hard to think that so
lovely a woman could he guilty of so foul
a crime.
But he had felt that his suspieionswore
not unfounded; ami resolved to test
them as far as lay in his power.
Quiet!v prod'o lug the compound that
he had b ought v : -h him. tic a ringed it
so that she Would exee-ience its ,nil ef
fect, and i a a few i(foments he saw a gen
tle and and ca my lan nor steal over he’ ,
and in less than ten mimi cs she was
helpless. The effect of the dug would
not last long, and,he had but little time
to carry out his plan;
Drawing the ring from her finger, he
moved back the slide, which In; quickly
discovered, and saw two fine claws of
sled lying underneath it, and coated
w'th a dark gray substance. They were,
beyond a doubt, tlio inst; uments that
had made the wound on Mr. Gravely’s
hand, and all his suspicions wore con
firmed.
Only one thing remained, and that
[52.00 noi -Annum
NUMBER
was to prove by actual experiment that
the ring was poisoned, and capable of
producing dec lb. llow to do tins was a
difficult question. Glancing round the
room, lie tw a cat do/.'ng quietly in one
corner.
With n i e..c l :unation of joy, he sprang
to it, and sc fifing, gave it a scarp scratch
with the claws. Then readjusting the
ring, lie slipped it back oa the young
woman’s liond, imd [ a t down to watch
the cati
In lea.; Ilian half auhoU-' she manifest
ed signs of dir.;-,Hi ness, and finally foil to
the floor. Iler breathing .became more
difficult, and her fra-nie and
swelled fi iglihU'ilHy, Until at last she lay
quite still.
After waiting a, few miiiut.es, Doctor
Baiidsfield c;:.minted Inr. and found that
showas dead. Raising the window, he
tli ew the cal. out on the lawn, and then
turned his attention to bring Julia back
tb consciousness. ~
She soon revived; and he Inflr her, and
Hastened home, cilrryjligf with him the
cat he had picked up on the wav Aeare
ful examination showed him fluil. she had
died from the effects of :i poison similar
to that which had I teen fata Do M r i Iravely
This was all lie wanted M,. "as deter
mined to hying the murderess to jUsticr
for her crime, and he was equally resolve
ed tb elm ego her with it before causing
her arrest.
Perhaps the hit ter resolution was not
wise, hut he wished to carry it out. in or
der to set hiSMndi l at rest concerning
the affair. Waiting until Julia had re
covered, ho called on hei one afternoon:
She met him calmly and w'th distant
politeness. Adroitly turning- the con
versation to suit his purpose, he said at
length:
“1 have been thinking of the death of
your adopted father, Miss Gravely: 1
have always doubted that, it was caused,
hv apoplexy.” She r'n ted and ttirhwl.
ghastly pale, but ho n ('feci id ndt, to no
tice libs, and wont on: “'This was my rea
son for wishing to hold a post-morteni
examination to which you objected sH
strongly. I foci cobfideijl, Mini jle Was*
not a victim of apolpe-.v;”
“What do you think vfrik the matter
with him?” she asked, nervously, and
making a visible effoi t to bo caliri'
“I think lie was poisoned;” replied the
doctor, quietly.
She sank back in her chair with her
lace perfectly livid, but t.ho doctor; still
affecting to bo unconscious of this, con
tinued :
“There are certain mineral poison's'that
will produce almost, every symptom of
apoplexy, and as my friend was not slib
jert to the disca.se, I think he inltsl; fiavo
fallen a victim to one of these. But let
me 101 l you a .- nguiar dream I have had
lately, which has influenced nni greatly
in my lie'icf. Ido allied I had to make
the post-mortem examination in spite of
you, and that on the night after the tm*
rial, I, in company with a brother physi
cian, had the body exhumed and taken td
my home.
There we made the examination, and
found flint poison had caused your arlopK
ted father’s dtc.t.lj. There were strange
marks on ouo of his fingers, which we
had reason to suppose were caused by
some instrument which had been used
in implant!bg the poison in the system,
The body was re-iiitei red, I thought, and
I determined to leave nothing undone to
find the murderer. I had reason,- ifi iny
and vam, lo suspect, a certain beautiful
young woman of this place, and shortly
afterward, as 1 thought, I was called in
to see her du mg an attack of sickness;
By means of a powo ful d' ug I rendered
her insensible, and and -ew fr om lief finger
a mysteiious ling which I had sttnposcd
was the inst ument u-cd in ivruing my
frond’s death. With it, l idled a cat,-
and then loplaced 1; cu ln-r hand, fully
ait lied of i'-e co- ■ of my conclu
sions. Tho dream Ims influenced mo sd
greatly that I have dote: mined to cause
the arrest of the part.» I suspect,.”
Julia lay hack in her cusb'oned chair;
with her eves closed, and her faSS tho
Inn- of tl rave. Ib-r forehead was
damp wMr a painful pe asp'cation, and
her hi'calh eauic heavily and with difficult
' *'/•
As the a nd; 1 .'or fu ,: hod speaking, she
opened her eyes and gazi-d at him with
an expression that haunted him to his
latest hiiii!';
“It is useless lo cntefld against you,
she said,in a strange unnatural voice.
“It was no dream yon told me, hut a
ft.- 1- ful i-enhiy. This is the i ing, ,and its
power has not. been eye -• ated by you.
See.” and A— drew back fho slide, and
exposed the chows to h'-s view. “They
arc l.e iblefor good ex 11. I used theni
on lum to i sec|>eyou, a id now they are
• •qualiy powei ful to proven* you triumph
ing over me.”
As she spoke eln ro'-<’d her hand and
p • -cl ii. - gainst In-.- lo;. lu-id. With a
cry of hor'-or, Tf.'icto • Landsfield sprang
foi-wn rd, lint it was !< • tale, 'the print
of (be dais • we- visible upon her
brow, anil (he pby u know Os hh anti-'
dote that could save bin'.
“What have you done?” he exclaimed;
in a t remliling voice;
“Baffled you.” Dm replied.' as she
swept past lrm to her eh umber.
In a few lion s tin' you.’’ woman wav
aco p c. Shore’ si'dtlie omed'os which
t ii,. phv -a offe • and hough he did
not knew i hat he <oi nt . e her. She
w:ise;d>n a ad oompSseu Until olie bceame
■ i u,*eii -aide, aul (bed m a short time after
ward.
Doctor L.tnfisfielfi was horror-stricken
by the te l J’lc ir.igcdy, and as he left
tlic unhappy house that had witnessed
it, he looked a dozen years older than
when he entered there