Newspaper Page Text
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VOL. V. J. a&WR SEALS,} ffilSASS
ATLANTA, GA., JUNE 58, 1879.
Terms in advance:} 3fi££ a &£‘3S- No. 207.
Witfe*!* Blast on Tobacco.
He sits in the corner from morning till night,
'Tis smoke, chew, smoke.
He rises at dawn, his pipe to light.
Goes putting and chewing with all his might.
Till the hour of sleep. ’Tis his delight
To smoke, chew, smoke.
The quid goes in when the pipe comes out,
'Tis chew, chew, chew.
Now a cloud of smoke goes op from his throat.
Then his mouth sends a constant stream afloat,
'Tis chew, chew, chew.
He sits all day in a smoke of fog,
'Tis putt', putf, puff.
He growls at his wife, the cat and dog.
He covers with filth till; carpet and rug,
And ills only answer when I give him a jog,
Is pulf, puff, putf.
The house all over from end to end.
Is smoko, smoke, smoke.
In whatever room my way I wend.
If I take his clothes to patch and mend,
Ungrateful perfumes will ever ascend,
Of smoke, smoke, smoke.
At home or abroad, afar or n ar,
’Tis smoke, chew smoke.
His mouth is stuffed from ear to ear.
Or lie's putting the stump of a pipe so dear.
And his days will end, I verily fear,
In smoke, smoke smoke.
WALTER ELLINGTON,
Anil
Nellie Cranston.
The Mysterious Murder.
An Exciting Story.
CHAPTER XXII.
The brandy was immediately broug it, and Soui-
el The potent stimulant brought back the color to
h-s cheeks, and the mind of W alter was greatly
rC ‘Your arm, Walter.’ said his cousin daggering
on his feet again. ‘Help me to my room, dear
l °T am stronger than you,’ said the waiter to W al
ter, when he saw how much the sudden attack had
shaken him. , • i c*.
•Thank vou, my cousin can manage, said
erford and he ascended the si airs leaning upon the
arm of Walter, who felt that under the circum
stances, he could not refuse his assistance
Somerford’s chamber reached, he sank immedi
ately upon a chair.
‘Are you all right now ?’ inquired Walter.
‘Yes,'thank you,’ replied his cousin. You can
leave me now. Bi eathe not a word of this to anj
one and your forbearance shall have its reward.
He seized Walter’s hand and pressed it ferven-
lv: and then Water, seeing that lie was better,
le ^What an' escape he murmured as he pressed
his hand upon his forehead. ’Had the boy kept the
secret to himself, nothing coujd have saved me.
He dragged himself to his feet, and.quitting the
room, descended the stairs with tottering steps and
D4ss u d out of the house. . , .
P In a few minutes tie had dropped the vial down
the gully-bole. He procured at a eh-misl s shop an
eniet c, and then returned to the hotel.
He did not leave his chamber until the following
P In a few minutes he saw the youth enter the
eV ‘Is Master E'lington in the house ?’ he inquired
of the waiter, as he descended tne stairs.
‘Master Ellington has gone out, sir, with Mr.
Chatfield, towards Rotting.lean, replbed the watter.
‘I heard a man name that place to »hem, and Mr.
Chat field said, “We will go there.
‘Who was the man ?’ inquired Somerford.
The description which the wait-T gave of the
man corresponded so remarkably with the personal
an'tearanee and attire of Ralph Cranston, that he
felt irresistibly impelled to follow.
Calling a cnb, he stepped into the vehicle, and
desired to t>e driven qu.ckly to Rottmgdean. He
kept a sharp look-out all the way, and when .he
cab hail proceeded some distance, stopped to ra-
ouire of a wayfarer whether l e had met such per
sons as he described his cousin and Chatfield to lie
•1 seed ’em turn up a by-road as I passed vm
was the replv. ‘You see where them cons be
grazin’? Well, a bit fur.ier, there s a lane, and
that is where I seed ’em turn up.’
•Drive on !’ cried Somerford. Faster
The end of the by-road was soon reached, and he
there jumped out. and gave the driver his fare
No one was in s ght, and Somerford walked on
as fast as ho could. , .
In a little while, he saw a figure before him
which resembled Walter, but almost at the same
moment the figure disappeared. . .
On reaching the spot where he had seen iC he
saw a gap in a aide neglected hedge, and looked
through it into an equally neglected f’ftn yard
Dilapidated farm buildings surrounded it on two
sides, and oil the third was a broken and moss cov
ered stone wall, separat ng it from a garden, the
gravelled paths of which were covered with grass
Some' ford noted these features of the neglected
farm as he crept through the gap in the hedge, and
looked around for the figure which he had seen dis-
appear at ttai** spot. i i # m
At that moment, the figure ros - slowly from be
ll nd a heap of manure, and peeped over the wal..
It was that of Walter Ellington
Evening was drawing a veil over the landscape,
hut he could not well be mistaken.
Creeping into an out-home unobserved by his
cons nVLrlord concealed himself m a position
whence he could watch his movements without he-
He^bad * scarce I y done so, when the door of the
xie an <>1<1 woman appeared.
b °^ e hrHn P von want there ?’ she cried in a loud,
W nat y . an . you skulking behind that
w a aH h for? You* had better take yourself off, or I
behind the wall as the old wo
naiver l-..—i, the door, hut on finding
HI a it*w llimuiicra « r
farm yard, and steal along the wall town.
outbuildings farthest from the lemc .
One of these he ewered, bur presently emet ged
frem it again, u> d returned to his po-t <>r oo-eiva
tion between the garden wall and he heap of ma
“T murderous thought now crossed tie mind of
Somerford. and he drew from a pocket of h s coat
a small revolver and cocked it. .
Passing through the gap in the hedge in o the
pasture, he looked through theai>erture in the .mck
° f The head ofVVaher Ellington was Tis^ble above
the heap of manure as he again ^
wall. Midway between the outhouse and the gar
a, „ wall there was a cart. 1 timed upon the tail
board, wiih its ho’tern oward the h * ‘I,!’ “Iford to
to the right of a straight line from Somerford to
th. revolv.r
and pulled tt» trigger. Them ”““T , bo
puff of while smoke, and a sharp report, ana tne
murderer fled p.etfpitotely. without waiting to as
certain the effect of his shot. A. fimir.
At the moment the trigg- r was nulled, the figu
of a man inte.po-ed f r an instant ‘jr"**™* 1al “£
and the object of his aim, and then fell, wi h a ciy
At tha't P 'ry h" sfmultaneous report of a P=s-
tok Walter turned quickly round.and h«heWIUlph
Cranston lying upon the ground, and
wh te smoke issuing from the outhouse, and curl
% S elp ! ly MuX d !’he exclaimed, as he bounded
toward the wounded man; and at the same n <>-
ment Chnlfield rushe from the outhou-pon^he
larthe- side of the yard which homerford had seen
Waiter enter a few minutes before.
<1 Ilv'tt.I ’ 1 I HO — _
Ts that the doc or ?’ said he, opening tue door ot
the room, and peering into the passage.
There was a stout, white whi- keied gentleman m
conversation with the old woman. . .
‘No,’ th© latter replied, and he withdrew into the
^Presently the door was closed, and in a few mo-
mentr the cab was driven away.
The cond tion of Black Ralph was most precari
ous He had lost a great deal of blood, and the
faintness thus produced made his anxious friend
apprehensive that he would die b fore the arrival
of a surgeon.
CHAPTER XXIII.
-.he
... i.e po
lite have been
tired from “the pasture.
As he quitted the outhouse he observed footmarks
to and from the build ng and the gup in the hedge,
which hail evidently been rua e by the boots of a
man who did not wear the heavy hobnailed boots
of the rustics.
The impressions of the soles were smooth, and
those of the heels small and deep. As they were
turned both ways, the inference which he drew
from them was, that the murderer had fired from
the outhouse. On passing through the gap in the
hedge into the road, he found similar impressions
at the spot where Somerford had entered the pas
ture.
. | This discovery rendered hint doubtful of the
PreseflT however, the sound of wheels was '■ soundness of his first conclusion, but as the foot-
1 resell iy. t . limned anxiously as prints at this spot all tinned towards the pasture,
?hev n ,'ara" ’nearer The vehicle stopp' d, hastily he concluded that the murderer had fled in that di-
the> (atne ne_ oath and the i rection after perpetrating the crime,
foots*eps sounded upo a ■- P . , This he soon found to he the case, but the ground
b The’old r won^sn o^ifed the dmr, and Walter en- j was not soft enough for the tuaiks to he traced any
te The h S'on ’eStaEdttl Tonndef man, and * 3 He therefore took a piece of paper from his pook-
then he proceeded to give dinotions for his nurs- j et.andjOut it into the exact s.ze and shape of the
iD ? Vou need not toll mV said the old woman, ‘he j . This done, he proceeded to Brighton, and gave
\ ou neea noi i > ra t]w an will take information of the crime to the police, in whose
is nothing to me, and these gmtleman w,u taka , ^ the piece of l>aper> at the same
hl ‘He Xmder your roof, and! shall hold you riw- time mentioning the suspicion entenained by Ralph
rs ■ *Jd£ Sin»«,; no?'.. i a ..«»i-
H he wew the consequences night be fatal, and, • Frank,’said ne, to one of the waiters, as he and
If he were, tn J, . ; Ilm()V j n ., [ um would the detective sat down in the coffee-room, what
insassu“B8..™,^«».^^.■
vou nre his friends.’ he added,mrnmg to CHatfield ‘About nine o clock, sir. was the renlv.
arid Halter, ‘take care that my instruot:ons are
obeyed He is all right for tfe present, I think,
and in the morning I will see y u again.’
Chatfield followed him into he passage, closing
the door of the apartment as h«went out.
‘What do you think of him’ said he. Rill he
live, do vou think » ,
‘H ; s recovery is just possible replied the doctor,
‘but the injury to the lung mses it scarcely to he
exDectod He will probald] pull through the
expec ^ ,,f cnnVincr this time to- No, Sir.
‘Then bring me one of the hoots he wore last
night ’
Tiie boot was brought by the wondering waiter
and found :o correspond exactly with the pattern
taken by Balter Adher.ng to the h-el was some
of the mixed day and manure constituting the soil
of t he farm yard.
‘You should have been a detective, sir,’ observed
theconsial>ie, with a .mile, as Walter drew hisat-
w. , j tention t»> h. ‘Do you know who drove Mr. Som-
The'flight® passed wearily.md it was a relief to J erford last night ?’ he inquired of the waiter.
'hers to sea the gray jht of early morning | ‘Jem Mas. >n,’ was the reply, ‘I asked him where
the wa cners ' * y he drove »he gentleman to, and he said that, he
* t ^Another dav*’ -ai l R Iph.navoice little above j drove him part, of Lite way to Rottingdean, and put
a whisfer as he ra-sed Ins o* towards the win- j him down a;, the end of the lane lead.ng to the old
“ i . . a.1 . Uii rtn/ia nmra
‘Just so, Mr. Somerford,’ repli d the detec'ive.
‘Your presence i- required at t lie police station,
where our mspector will hegiii l to hear such t x-
planation as you may choose to gi^ e of your move
ments yesterday evening.’
‘You are a derective, then ?’said lie, regarding
the man intently.
‘Just so,’ was the rejoiiuhr. ‘Information has
been given this morning of an attempt, to murder
which was made last, night in then ighli-n liood.’
‘Have you a warrant for my apprehension ?’ in
quired Somei fi Til.
‘There has been t:o time for that,’ replied the de
tective; ‘bur I shall assume the respons.bihty of
taking you into custody on suqncion.’
Upon a moment’s reflection S lie-tfor.l judged it
wou'ii lie the most pruden r course to aecomp my
the detective qiretlv to the station house; and he
accordingly linked his arm in the otner’s, and .Ie-
scendcd the s ails as it' nothing unusual was the
matter.
Baiter Ellington stood at the door of the coffee-
room as he went down.
Somerford started so violent’}* on seemg h'm
that he would have fallen, if the detect, ve, who was
unaw are of the cause of his erm tion, and con
strued the movement as an attempt to escape, had
not, grasped his arm firmly, and thus supported
him.
‘Good morning, Walter,’ said he, recovering his
self'possession by a powerlul effort. ‘You are
down early, and yet you look as it you had not
slept well
‘I have not slept at all, Mr. Somerford,’ rejoined
Walter, coldly.
‘Lie down a; ain, dear boy,’ said his cousin, as he
turned to leave the hotel. *\Vhoiiid you say hail
been shot ?’ he inquired of the detective, win n ti.ey
were in the street.
‘I did not v-ay anv one had been shot,’ refilled the
detective; ‘how came you to jump at that conclu
sion ?
Somerford compressed his lips ns lie became
aware of the slip he had made, an i did not reply i
but the detective felt his arm tremble
The thou .ht that passed through his mind as he
saw his cousin s anding unhurt at t ic door of the
coffee room was, ‘had he shot a stra gei i
‘This is Mr - Somerford,’ -a d the detective to the
inspector, on their arrival at the s a on hou-e.
The inspector glanced at S. me torn ami then
ovfmeiiovi „ f, iV x- moments aside with toe detect, ve.
•lou are aware of the object with which \ our
presence here has been requested X he tlieu said,
' .f ri V,;g'Jr i ,‘ri's'.ver , ''v.y l
1 Am charged with, and have ou opportunity of
consulting with my solicitor.’
‘Then it is my duty to chatge you, upon 'informa
tion which I have received this morning, wish shoot
ing at Ralph Cranston with intent to murd. r him,’
replied the inspector, ‘Upon that charge you will
he taken before the mag strata-at two o’clock, iill
which time you will lie held in custody.’
Somerford started when he heard who it was that
had fallen by the shot intended for Walter; but he
made no reply, and was then conducted to the cell.
expected lie ww pieiiw.’i; —
nieht hut his chances of suriving this time to
morrow evening are very smit indeed.’
orrow eycuuifk v \ J , . , .
Th© sureeon gone, the old winan wont uu stairs,
grumbling at having her hous turned into a hos
pital and Chatfield returned o the parlor where
he and Walter determined to ass the night
•Is she here ? Have you seeior heard anything ?’
was Walter’s eager inquiry. .
‘Nothing,’ replied Chatfiel But this affair
will give us an opportunity o making discoveries,
if she is here.’
lii.o v*.v. ..... .. ....... - ...„j night
‘About nine o’clock, sir,’ was the reply.
‘Do you know where he went V
‘He "took a cab, and went towards Rottingdean,’
was the reoiy. ‘By t lie-bye. he was asking where
you were gone, and I told him you had gone tiiat
wav.’
‘Did you mention the man who asked for Mr.
Cbatfieid X
‘I did, sir; I hope it was not wrong, sir V
‘1s Mr. Somerford up, yet V inquired the detec
tive.
Black Ralph was strolling down toe 1 l »" e “
which stood the old farm house descri^d m^the
nrecediite chapter, where he beard a g'rl sn
humm'ng a »cmg which he had often heard Nelly
Ch LoEg W towards the farm house, caught a
glimpse of a girl’s face at an open window, but
disappeared almost imtned ately. i__ RO
Tbesong contii ued. however, end the ^ome so
much resembled Nelly’s, that he paused his
walk, and leaned over the gar en wall to hsten
Almost as he did so tne song eess-d, ana tne
window was suddenly and violently ch»ed
were^staving^and Communicated to the former dow
locality in wh ch this seeming clue to NeUys ma
* - - olved to
watch the house closely. move-
f to hv e BlacrRTlph cSed hfm torsive
ment made by BiaiK rwip . rr v death to
^•l^'a, I'KitXl ZXon the right side, no one else likelj to ao it, » » ^ j ““eftonk voi’^'d toVdeto^ ‘I wdi trouble
fracturing a rib, wounding the lung, and passing ton cou id heuve?’ inquired Chat- ; you to show me Mr. Somerford’s room.’
I a i. a h-nri. in i s exit. , 1 „ ,, . sunrise ! Preceded by the w aiter, he ascend' d the stairs,
° Coalfield and Ralt. r were immediately by his i 8 * s silent for a 'fe'minutes, and a strug- and, on the oour of Somerford’s chamber being in
^ aln - 1 — raised trom the I Kalpn was . . . dicated to him. he gave a sharp tap thereat.
w. I shall see the sun shti once more !’
Many times, I hope, oldellow, replied Chat-
field, in a cheerful tone. . . ._
‘The last 1’ said Ralph, 'tli a s'gh I am a
murdered man 1 Have theyiken him <’ he added,
afier a minute’s s lence.
‘BTio ?’ inqu.red Chatfield
Somerford,’ he replied.
fai ni house that they said whs haunted.
‘Tuat was a strange place to set a London gen
tleman down a . if he was not to wait for him,’ ob
served the detective.
‘Why, you see. Mr. Somerford wanted to see this
gentleman, it seems,’ returned the waiter. ‘He
I ^ptiiticiunu, iu iciiui iu/ia me vvaiiYi. lit
asked where he had gone before he wen>. out, fol
*«s merford ’ he replied. | lowed in lus wake, and on the way meets a man
•ri d voii see him *’ exdaild Walter, anxiously, tramping along the road, stops the cab, makes in-
‘i s»w noiiodv ’ replied R»h. ‘But there was quiries whether such persons as this gentleman and
„ * “ likeu to doit, a he tried it once be- his friend h d been met, and then drives on again.’
no oi.e else Ilk } ‘Thank vou. sa d the detective. ‘I w,"
SSA * w
a '‘bSI mef what was that ?’ excla med the old
as the
wounded man ^as ^orne m|o .he gari beg
itiSoalv : thou“’h do not see why I should have
ltatingly, tnougn hnR1 ,i la i. but if you will
rUUUli WttB.miwv . . . '
gle seemed to he going ou His mind.
•I know some of his scets,’ he replied at
length. ‘If bis guilt can bffoved before I die, I
will tell vou more.’ ... .. .. .
•This nms- be seen to,’ saB r alter, rising. ‘It is
light now, and I shall be .ck before ihe doctor
comes.’ . i. , Chatfield saw
dicated to him, he gave a sharp tap thereat.
‘Who is t here V inquired Somerford, who had
not yet risen.
‘Al gentleman desires to speak with you, sir,’ re
plied the watier.
•Who is he i What is his name ?’ inquired Som
erford.
IUIU.
‘He would not give his name, sir,’ replied the
surgeon, Chatfield ex»m
plien such remedies as
More than an hour
turn.
CHAPTER XXV.
Walter and the doctor arrived at the old farm
house together. Ralph was apparently better, but
the doctor shook his head when Chatfield privately
expressed tnat opinion.
‘He may linger i til to-morrow,’sa d he, but his
recovery s hop.-ies.. Th- lung is injured so severe
ly that recovery would lie a miracle.’
When the surgeon h id depart'd, Walter related
what had tak- n place at the hotel during his ab
sence The accumuiati n of >-v ; d. nee against Som
erford w ar greater than had beo-n antic pat. d, and
Ralph expressed an anxious wish for ; fie m lendanee
of a m.-igistrate. it was arranged, tiierefoi>, tuat
Chatfield, who would give the sao e evideuri as
Balter witfi regard to the cr me of 'll previous
evening, snouti intend the polic* court, and that
Balter, who could be more u-efui in the watch for
Nelly sbutiid remain at the old farm ln use.
'Could you not hold the old ■-< oman while I find
Nelly, and let her out ?’ said fV. ltei, with .he nat
ural ardor a. tl impaiionce of vouth.
‘I daresay I could,’ replied Chatfield, smiling.
‘But we do not know who else may be in the house
or within call, and I should not I ke t.o fail; p*-i haps
find that the g.i'i up stairs is not Nelly, and be locked
up for a>saul'ing tne old woman, while Ralph lies
here. Go the other h aid, there is nothing to be lost
by wading. So it s b si. ;o be patie .t ’
wal-er acquiesc-d, and threw himself into an
arm-chair, in which position he fell into a profound
slumber. He was aroused in the mi -die ot the day
by Chatfield, t ho was about to pn -ceed to Brighton,
and found he had slept several hours.
‘I shall be back iu an hour or two,’ said he, ‘and
tho magistrate win probably not be In g after me.
In the meantime keep n sharp lookout for Nelly.’
'Do not fea r ,’ rejo ned wal er. ‘Do not be sur
prised if you find her in this room wh- a you return.’
‘That would be a sight that would gladden my
eyes,’ said Chatfirid, as he opened the door. ‘But
tie ear ful, Mas er Ellington—be very careful, or
you will spoil all.’
with these words he qu tted i he house.
Rilph seemed oft.de-.'. I’he old woman brought in
Walter’s dinner, and some barley water for Raipb,
and went ou again.
when she citno in for the tray, wal er had re
sumed his seat in the old arm-ciia'r. and seemed pre-
par.ng for a nap. He did not close ms e>es how
ever, but sat for lia'f an hour pondering over tho
star ling events of tne la.-t few days—th- partial
disclosures of wil-ord J nes, the a temnt made by
Somerford to poison him, and the shoot.ng of Black
Rilph.
Then he tose, and, quietly opening the window,
stepped out into the garden, and looked up at the
windows. They were all closed and the blinds
drawn down. He closed the window g» nrly, an l
passed through a lutie gate a the s ite of the house
io the rear. He had not s- en or heard any dogs
since he had bee i in the house, and believed 'he old
woman's threat of leuing them loose to be an idle
one. The old woman might be about, however,
and he moved cuutiousiy, aud wiih st- altuy steps,
to the back of the house.
There the blinds had b- en drawn up. but, there
was notning else to indicate that the upper rooms
were occupied. Through the ktteher window he
could seethe old woman sitting in an old arm-chair,
ev dentty last asleep.
He crept back to the garden as stealthily as he
had moved t: ihe rear of tue house, and, rai-ong the
sash again, dropped lightly and noisel*s ly into -lie
room. Iu another moment he had closed the win
dow and removed his boots. Then ne quietly op- li
ed * he floor ot the room and ran up stalls.
He stood a monte ton the ianfl.ng, and listened.
All was stdl Tin-n lie tried one of ihe d «-rs, and
found that it was not locked. He opened it \ery
(Continued on Sth page.)
