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! I'KW1S M, CHRIST, Propri^TJ ^niifpfntifnt jramilg ^ttosgaptr: iarTbe foomatiim iffht yifad. Sttral. ^gricixltaral Hub tomtrrial jntosts of % South- jTERMS~$2.5Q A YEAB, IX ADYASCE. VOL- 2S- YOEIvYILLE, S. C., THljESDAY, APRIL 6, 1882. . ^ 3STO. 14' ^ ? 1 I l it ?J Wkilainoirls mv ofnrft r llftard ibc Jdtmr ?dlcr. JOHN If ARLEY'S MARRIAGE^ CHAPTER I. It was blowing a strong southeaster one November morning in 185-, as I landed at Long Wharf, San Francisco, from the store ship, lying out in the stream, of which I then had charge. I had not proceeded many steps toward Montgomery street, the principal business thoroughfare of the city, when a heavy I hand was laid on my shoulder, and I recognized the cheery voice of John Harley, the most intimate friend I had made since my arrival in California, some sixteen months before. "The very man, Ingram, that I wanted to see! I only arrived from Stockton, half an hour ago, and was just coming off to your old tub to bring you on shore ; for I want your advice and assistance, and that immediately. The bark Albert Allen is to be sold at auction to-day at one o'clock, and as I hear she is a fine vessel, I wish you to come and look at her , and if you think well of it I will hid up to a reasonable figure, more particularly if you take command or ner, and take ac*1" ^ ^ie l. _1. _ i. 1 _ ? V ? ? ? I nigu sens insieauui uuryiug yuurseii 111 aatuic ship." "You buy a ship, Hurley! Surely, with your mining claims and city lots, you must have quite enough 011 your hands," said I, in some surprise. "I have nothing of the sort; for I have sold out everything but the Caboose and lot in Happy Valley, which, in consideration of the sum of one dollar to ine in hand paid, I shall bargain, sell and convey to Mrs. Sullivan, who nursed me so well some months ago. Her husband, you know, was shot in a gambling house; and she is left with three children; though, by the way, I think she is better without him, the reckless, drunken fellow! Come. I want some breakfast; and then we will go and look at the vessel, and I'll tell you all my plans." John Harley was an Englishman of indepen- ] dent means. His father being a wealthy man, who had no other child, had, on his coming of ] age, settled a liberal fortune upon him. While ; making a tour in the United States, curiosity and a love of new scenes and adventures, had ] drawn Ilarley to the Far West El Dorado, ( without any notion then of gain. Catching, , however, the universal fever of enterprise ra- < ging around him, he had pecuniarily interested < himself in several undertakings. ( Harley had made the acquaintance of HenVan Dusen, a Dutch merchant from Batavia, < (the chief town of the island of Java), who j had come thence in a vessel of his own. He 1 was accompanied by his niece, the daughter of 1 his deceased brother and partner, a sea voyage ] having been recommended for her by her med- ] ical advisers. Two months of their society had proved sufficient to settle the matter, so ] far as John Harley was concerned, and the j 1 * ? - "? - -L J? 1 1 1 young iaay, on ner aepamire ior nome, nau taken John Hurley's daguerreotype and a piece of his hair enclosed in a gold locket, as a souvenir of her English lover. The uncle would hear of 110 engagement without her mother's consent ; but Harley had promised, as soon as he could wind up his California interests, to follow them to Batavia and endeavor to obtain that consent. All of this he related to me at breakfast, and a great deal more, which is not worth repeating, lovers' rhapsodies being really interesting only to themselves. I learned, however, from him that Miss Van Dusen's mother was an Emglich. woman, whose husband having retired from the command of one of the famous Dutch East Indiamanv-ij. become a jnerchant in Batavia, and had theredied, leaving a widow and this one daughter. At the time of which I write, English ships in California were sold very frequently at extremely low prices. Deserted by their crews, and not unfrequently by their captains also, the ships were sacrificed often for less than one-fourth of their value, when sold at sheriff's sale, to defray the indebtedness incurred since 1 their arrival. Availing himself of these circumstances, Harley desired to make something out of his trip to Batavia, the more so as there was no other way of getting thither without tedious and trying delay. After our insjiec- . tion, therefore, he purchased the ship at the auction for a sum equivalent to about one 1 thousand pounds. Of our passage, as being without any noteworthy incident, it is enough to say that, with remarkably fine weather, it was pleasant till almost the last day ; that it was rapid, from favorable winds and a fast vessel in excellent sailing trim, and that 011 the thirty-ninth day we anchored in Singapore Roads. Within two days of our arrival at Singapore a tolerably good charter was obtained for the Albert Allen to proceed to Java, and return, 'which would probably take about two months. Our charterer, a shrewd Portuguese trader there, put a supercargo on board to look after his interests ; and as he was urgent for our departure, and as Harley was not less so, on the s.xth day from our dropping our anchor we again weighed and sailed for Batavia. where, after a somewhat prolonged passage, we safely arrived. The anchor had hardly reached the bottom ere Harley would have shoved off in a shore l>oat for the landing, but that I had to check him till the usual port regulations had been complied with, a breach of which would have involved him in great trouble and expense. A full hour and a half was he fuming and fretting, all the forms having been gone through, he left us, waving his hat, and urging the boatman to renewed exertions, in his haste to get to Mr. Van Dusen's offices. Everything seemed so far to favor Harley's hopes. Mr. Van Dusen took him home with him some miles from the town ; and the same evening he was made acquainted with Miss Susette Van Dusen's mother. This was on the Monday ; and on the Thursday I was to sail for Surabaya in the Albert Allen, to get her cargo, and would touch at Batavia on my return voyage to Singapore. In view of my sj>eedy departure, the next morning I received an invitation to dine with Mr. Van Dusen on the following day, together with an apology for the consequent shortness of the invitation, which was of course sent out of compliment to Ilarley, who had mentioned me as a most intimate friend. At Mr. Van Dusen's I met his sister-in-law, Mrs. Van Dusen, and her daughter ; and certainly a more charming girl it had seldom been my lot to see. Ilarley informed me that the letters and references as to his standing and character, which had been forwarded to him by his father to Singapore, together with introductory letters to gentlemen in Batavia, had been perfectly satisfactory to both Miss Dusen's uncle and mother ; that the consent | of the latter had been given, and the marriage j he hoped would take place in about a month. ! On the 12th day of March I returned from Surabaya to Batavia, with a full cargo for Singapore, and as Ilarley was to be married the next morning I would be able to attend as best man to my friend, and sail the same evening for inv destination. Very beautiful looked Susette in her bridal 1-. 1 lit! dress; ana supremely uupp> "uncj <u they stood before the clergyman and were joined in the bonds of matrimony. A most tasteful dejeuner was laid out at Mrs. Van Dusen's pretty country residence ; and at two o'clock [ took my leave, having some ship's business ^ to transact before sailing. The newly married pair were to leave in the cool of the evening for another house of Mrs. Van Dusen's on a plantation fourteen miles distant, there to pass the tirst few days of the honeymoon. It was nearly sunset before I had concluded all the ship's business and returned on board. Everything was in readiness for sailing, so that as soon as I got on board I gave orders to get under-weigh. Justus the windlass was manned a note from Hurley was brought off in a shore boat. I opened it, and was completely astounded at its contents : "Don't trip your anchor till I come. I am going with you. Take my traps on hoard. ' J. S. Haiu.F.Y." The scrawl was hardly legible, but it was still unquestionably Ilarley's handwriting. For an instant the wild idea Hashed across me that it was possibly a practice! joke. But then I knew he was not the man o play any such ; and even if he were, a few hours after marriage would hardly be the ti ne even the most | practical joker would choose to indulge in such j a propensity. I looked into the boat; and there were trunks, bags and desks in the greatest disor! der, evidently hurried off without packing or i care. The man in charge only knew that they | came down in a wagon and were sent off in j his boat, and that I was to grant a receipt for them. I For some little time I racked my brain in | a vain attempt to guess at some clue to this extraordinary circumstance. I then took the [ spyglass, and looking toward the shore, saw Harley coming off to the ship in another boat. In a few minutes more he sprang over the side, looking like a man bereft of "his senses. Throwing a number of small coins into the boat, he just looked at me wildly for an instant, saying: '-Get under weigh as soon as i you can, Ingramand hurried down the ] companion stairway. I followed, to tell him to go into my cabin, 1 as the one he had occupied was filled with i cargo; but he had already gone into mine and < bolted the door; and in answer to my knock 1 only replied: "Come down after you have J got a good oiling.'T - * As soon as I had got tb? ship well outside, i ( jK down t again; and after knocking two or three times, I Harley unbolted the door. He was pacing up j t nn<l liiof 4-Vwnn O - oonll WO \f TTitl I I cvuu uuun juou imcc oicpo tavu h . a&iu *.?*w i was deathly pale, with an occasional flushing | i over for a minute or so, as he clenched his j 1 hands and seemed almost in a convulsion. I | ) did not speak. I knew not what to say. I i took his hand for an instant and pressed it. I He drew his hand away hastily, and contin- i ued his walk to and fro. Then he spoke. "They tell us there is a God. How could he t in mercy allow this V" He struck his fore- l head, and sank on the little sofa. d Again I took his hand. "Calm yourself, n Harlev. VI hatever may have happened, bear it like a man?like the man I know vou to 3 be." C "Ingram," he said, "I came out of the v house with you to see you off to-day, when n you left Mrs. Van Dusen ; and if yon remem- v ber, after you bid Susette good bye, she went e up stairs. I have not seen her since. I shall a never see her again?I never can see her n Eigain !" I He paused; and it flashed across me that he " had made some discovery as to his wife's con- h iluct or character which had at once made him c fetermine to leave her. Possibly the expres- g don of my tell-tale countenance indicated h something of this, for he looked up at me sud- v ienly. h "Poor, poor Susette! how can she bear this! s She will think me a scoundrel; and oh ! that s is hard to bear. But better even that, than o that she should know what I know; that e which her mother dare not, cannot tell her? a Ingrain !" said he, starting up: "I have married my own sister?my own mother's child !" h "Good heavens! Harley: do not say that. 1< It cannot be. Some misconception of some- h ihing you have heard." 1< "There is no misconception. I made the d liscovery ten minutes after you quitted Mrs. o Van Dusen's. I am her son ; though she 1 tnew it not, till I showed her a miniature of v ny father when he was young." f; "Thank God for his mercy, Harley, that d you were not later in making the discovery." e He paused for some seconds, and then re- d died: "That is true. It was wicked to doubt His mercy." tl He seemed calmer now; and gradually I C gathered from him all the attendant cir- r< ;uinstances. Intimate as I had been with I Harley, I merely knew from him that he did si lot remember his mother, as she had died 2t when ho u'uu muinfant; and that he had been a S on ws ieen somewhat reticent. "I had a letter from d ny father," or "I must write to my father t jy this mail," was generally all the reference ii le made to the subject of Ins belongings; so i; that I was as totally unprepared for the in- a formation he gave me now of his antecedents o is I had been for that connected with the o unhappy, miserable events of the day. t r CHAPTER II. Immediately after I had left Mrs. Van * Onsen's the ^est of the company had also de- s parted, with the exception of one or two bos- a om-friends of Susette's, who intended remaining with her till the newly married pair start- J ed in the evening. Harley was then in the 1 room alone with Mrs. Van Onsen, and turn- ? ing over the contents of a desk which he had ( forgotten in his hurry in leaving the ship, and j which I sent on shore after him, he took out . a miniature of his father, taken some twenty- ^ five years before. This he handed to Mrs. . Van Dusen, saying: "There is my father at ' the age of twenty." "Why, this is a likeness of Charles Smith, 1 not of your father! Where did you get it V" c exclaimed Mrs. Van Dusen excitedly. 1 "I got it from my father himself. lie was 1 Charles Smith when it was painted ; but some * three or four years afterward he unexpectedly 5' inherited a large estate, and with it took the \ name of Harley. But how strange all this is ! . Did you know him that you recognize the miniature V" "Oh! do not ask me," cried Mrs. Van Du- * sen, with much agitation; "I can hardly bear t the thought of it. But si>eak?speak truly, t Have you always been called John Harley V" I "No. Till I was nearly ten years old I was i called Johnny Harrison." "Fasten the door! Call nobody. Water, 5 water !" gasped Mrs. Van Dusen, in a hoarse ( whisper, as she dropped on to the sofa close to 1 which she was standing. In a few minutes 1 she burst into sobs; and as he was pressing 1 the tumbler of water to her lips, she clasped ( him round the neck, crying: "My boy! my ' boy! My son ! my son !" ! "Yes, dear mother, your son now; and 1 hope to be a loving one. But why does the ' fact of your having known my father excite 1 you so terribly ?" replied Harley gently, as he J returned her caress. "My son?my own son. I tell you ! And I am indeed and truly your mother. Your 1 father's father wrote to me that you had died : when six months old ; and some months before 1 that your father?my husband?had died in 1 India of sunstroke. 0 wicked, wicked, wicked, thus to deceive me, as he must have de- I ceived your father." It was Harley now, according to the poor fellow's piteous narrative, that was the most overcome. Hestoodover his mother in speechless amazement, while the horror of his position gradually unfolded itself to him. At this moment Susette came to the door ; and finding it bolted, knocked and called him by name. Ilarley could not speak. But now Mrs. Van Dusen showed for a time the stronger nerve of the two. Controlling her feelings wonderfully, she rose, went to the door and calmly said : "John and I, dear, have some business to arrange connected with your mar; riage. Leave us an hour or two, for we have much to do. Now, do go when I ask you, for our time is hut short." Answered, but far from satisfied, the young hvifio wpnf rplnctantlv from the door: and | v* ..v.- ^ , Mrs. Van Dusen returned to the sofa, and ! asked Ilarley to give an account of his early ' youth. He told her that his first recollection was | when, about five years old, he was at the seu! side with a lady, a Mrs. Jones, with whom he | remained till out to a boarding-school. She was very kirn to him and loved liiui exceed| ingly, and of m spoke to him of her own little i boy, who was dead, and would appear vexed ' that he did not remember him, which he could I not say he did. At seven years of age he was | sent to a day school ; and two years later a ! gentleman w o had often come to see him took ! him away ar i put him to another school, at i the same tim telling him that he was his faI ther, and ' iat his proper name was John Smith Ilarley. j Further explanations between Mrs. Van I)u! sen and Harley only served to confirm the asj founding intelligence that he was her son, whom she had hitherto believed to have died S in infancy, ilarley had also been informed ! that his mother had died when he was quite j young. "And your father?my husband," asked I Mrs. Van Dusen, "is he still alive V" I* Harley answered in the affirmative. "Oh, what a wretched woman I am," she 1 cried ; "to have my first husband living, and 1 yet to have been the wife, and now the widow, 1 of another !" Her distress of mind was truly painful to I witness, and in the sight of it Harley almost s forgot his own bewildering position. How at 1 once to separate from Susette was now the momentous question. li "She must be told everything, and I will go o to her now," said Mrs. Van Dusen, as she rose v and went tremblingly toward the door. v But the generous heart of Harley refused to n subject her to so sudden a trial. In an instant ii he decided how to act. Gently drawing her n back to the sofa and kissing her tenderly, he, si by a strong effort, spoke quietly and calmly: ei "Dear mother, I must not?cannot be the vl means of causing you the further trial of communicating these circumstances to Susette. b It would only add, and I think needlessly, to o: the bitterness of our inevitable parting. The ti knowledge of the unfortunate events of your I jarly life would only be a source of sad reflec- id ;ion, which we can, for the present, surely re >pare her; and after she has somewhat recov- s? ired from the shock of our separation, you can w ;bmmnn''f>ateMthnn.fe , H-I hat sudden and unforeseen news of great im- t<i >ortance compels me to leave for Singapore, in m he Albert Allen, immediately?that i cannot u; )ear the trial of a parting scene, but that I m vill write to her as soon as I arrive there, at ["hough she will suffer much, yet I think she m vill do so less this way than any other. Try- b( ng to save both her and you as much as possi- fe >le, will, perhaps, extenuate the deception put lo ipon her." m Harley having persuaded Mrs. Van Dusen f? o consent to his plan and having written the de etter to be delivered to Susette soon after his 01 leparture, took an affectionate leave of his he mhappy mother, and left the house unseen. hi The explanations which had passed between lo frs. Van Dusen and llarley were these. Mr. c'1 /liarles Smith, his grandfather, had, by a Se vealthy marriage, been enabled to move in a &i; ttuch higher sphere in society than that in w rhich he had been born ; and, like many oth- th is similarly situated, formed the most extrav- *lc gant ideas as to the future of his son Charles, amed after him, and of his twin-sister Ellen, en '"or the first of these he got a commission in a co 'crack" regiment; and on the final return of H11 is daughter from school, he engaged for her a ompanion, Miss Harrison, a sweet amiable of irl, and an orphan. Between Charles and he er, a warm attachment was soon formed, in rhich ripened into love. Charles persuaded SI: er, on some pretence, to visit Loudon for a ch hort time, where she stayed with her old H choolmistress. During this time the banns nii f marriage were published in the two church- re s of the respective parishes they stayed in, ce fter which they were united. pi' "When Charles' father came to learn what ed ad taken place, he gave way to the most vio- y? jnt passion, and vowed that the woman who ac ad thus entrapped his son would never be al- w< iwed to bear his name. He went up to Lon- be on, and compelled Charles to exchange at di nee into a cavalry regiment serving in India, 'he youth pleaded to be allowed to take his ha rife with him, or to remain at home. But his 30 ither was inexorable ; and Charles being un er age, and entirely dependent upon his fath- ae r for support, was unable to resist the man- on ate. . II: Thus after but a few weeks of married life, liey were torn from each other ; and the most sh 'harles could obtain from his unrelenting pa- be silt was a promise that his wife?or Miss bo [arrison, as his father chose still to call her? th liould be well cared for. To do him justice, su Ir. Smith faithfully performed this, but it was sei fter exacting a promise from the poor girl h it rhn irniilrl nmrpiii rrinlrn '' ; bC ge with ins son. She was indeed well provi- W ed for ; and a son, who was afterward Dorn ? o her, was taken from the mother and given of 11 charge of Mrs. Jones, the widow of a curate itely deceased, and in poor circumstances, sp ud who had been left with an infant of her wn ; Mr. Smith paying liberally for her care f the boy. * After the young mother's recovery she oh- P*( ained, through Mr. Smith's influence, indi- Pr ectly applied, a situation as a governess in j11 Amsterdam. She had received several letters na rom Charles, in which he told her that, as ^ 0011 as he was of age, he would come home ,nd make their marriage public ; and he had lso written to his father to the same effect. \ )etermined, however, to break off the connec ion, Mr. Smith as soon as he obtained the at ituation for the poor young wife in Amster- sn lam, wrote to his son that she had died of ty- J1* ihoid fever ; and at the same time he wrote 1:11 o her that his son had died in India very sud- m lenly. This she fully believed, but came to w England once to see her child. Fearful that f this visit weye frequently repeated she wonld t0 bid out the deception he had practiced as to ra lis son's death, Mr. Smith further again de- ac :eived her by sending her intelligence of the n' leath of the child itself a few months later. ill connection between them was thus termi- . lated ; and some years later, in entire ignor- Y} nice or suspicion of the deception that had )een practiced upon her, she married Captain J< yan Dusen, the commander of a Dutch East [ndiaman. When Charles Harley, in India, received the alse intelligence of his wife's death he wrote pi :o his father begging him to see that every- 0f ihing possible should be done for the child's C1] lealth and welfare ; and this Mr. Smith faith- tl fully did. tl On his father's death two years after, Charles pj ;old his commission, and came home from In- sc lia, when, succeeding to large estates from tc lis maternal grand-uncle, lie assumed the al name of Harley. Thereupon he formally acsnowledged John as his son ; and pensioning )ff Mrs. Jones, put the lad to school, and after p, :ie came of age settled on him a most liberal allowance. oi It was very fortunate that we had an un- sr usually quick passage to Singapore, for the j-j next morning after sailing from Batavia, on C1 going into the cabin where Harley was, I 0j Found him in a raging fever and quite delirious. I did the best I could to allay his suf- Sl Ferings ; but up to our arrival at Singapore he 0] remained in the same state, and was carried a] ii.^ i?4- ? on shore to tne notei, wnere ui? uesu iucuiwu n [issistance was procured. It was more tlian a ]1( fortnight before lie was considered out of dan- j., ger, though still terribly prostrated by weak- tl ness. Of, course, he had been unable to write to Susette as he had purposed, and was still ]., incapable of doing so ; but he requested me to ;i] pen a few lines to Mrs. Van Dusen, intima- e] ting that he had been very ill, and though now r< recovering was too weak to write. This I did ; p and two days more passed, the symptoms con- u tinning favorable. it Then came a letter by a steamer from Bata- si via, from Mrs. Van Dusen, full of anxiety, our arrival at Singapore being reported there, o With it came some English letters, which had o gone to Batavia from Singapore, and were now ? returned by Mrs. Van Dusen. One of these, I o could not help observing, was a somewhat 1< bulky packet, edged with black. I did not, n however, choose to notice the circumstances t when I handed Harley the letters, but left him ii for a while to read them. I lounged about for some time 011 the veranda, until a Chinese t waiter came to say that Mr. Harley wanted c irie immediately. As I entered his room I saw that he had raised himself up in the bed. Ilis h face was Hushed and he was clearly in a state a of great excitement. "Joy and sorrow, In- n grain," he cried ; "joy and sorrow ; I scarcely u know whether I should laugh or weep. Here, take this letter and read for yourself and lie fell back 011 the pillow with the packet I had ^ before observed grasped in nis nanu. ] I took it from him, and was just conimencing to examine it when he again stopped me. (1 "Does not the government steamer sail to-day e for Batavia." e "Yes; at 12 o'clock," said I : "and it is ^ now past 11." c "(Jo off and get some money, and take pas- ., sage to Batavia. Take the letter?read it? ^ and give to Mrs. Van Dusen. Come back with the steamer, or I shall go mad with ex- *s pectation." j I feared his delirium was returning. j lie guessed my thought. "I'm all right, Ingram," lie said. "I shall soon be well. The letter will explain all. But be off or you c shall miss the steamer." 1 I saw it was much past eleven, shook him 1 yy the hand, and wit a "God bless you!" eft the room abruptly, r I saw that was the >est course. / v In half an bour I wajon board, just as the * mddles commenced tqfrevolve; and then I at down to read the jecer which till then I ( lad not had rime to lou. at. It was a letter from he fathily solicitor at lome, announcing in tie first'place the death f Harley's father, wl ;h had occurred some- < I'hat suddenly and of hich more particulars j fere to be sent by the; llowing mail. In the , meantime the writer ? ated that he hastened, i accordance with a ] romise which he had ( lade to the dying mai, to send Harley the ealed packet enclosed, which was to be open- ] i by him only. I give the part of it ' 'liich had so excited Harley. i "Poor Mrs. Jones isdead; and on her death- , ed she sent for me, and made a confession , f a most singular kind; to me a most diseasing revelation. You are not my son, as j have so long fondly supposed, iou are , [rs. Jones' son. To me this is a great sor- . iw; for though I love you, dear John, the ime as .ever, still the faet remains that I, , hp. Was SO t^rud-? f ; r hrty, uxrv/'hiMlona. T? r?l IV T 1fyu.J>'V?n iking charge of my son. When I heard of , y father's death I wrote to her from'India . lat, as the boy was growing older, I would i ake it one hundred and fifty pounds. Soon j ter this she went with her own child and ine to Broadstairs for a week or two. There j >th children were taken ill with the scarlet j ver. My boy died?you lived. As she sat ; oking at him after he was laid out, she re- j embered that with him her income died too; ] r what little money she had at her husband's j :ath was all gone. Then the idea of giving ? it that her own child had died occurred to sr. She was a stranger there, where none ] lew her. At this moment the landlady ( oked in and asked her the full name of the < lild, saying kindly that her husband would j t the certificate of death from the surgeon, j id call with it at the registrar's office, which 3 Duld save her trouble. On the impulse of e moment she replied : ''John William \ >nes." The landlady wrote it down; and ] lien she had gone Mrs. Jones would havegiv- j worlds to recall her words. But she had mmitted herself to the false representation, j id it was too late. I "The child was buried; and then the fear \ discovery preventing her from returning ^ ime, she was determined to go and settle i some place where she was entirely unknown, t te had previously lived in Cheshire, and j oosing a distant point, she removed to j listings, writing to her friends that I had ade her residence there a condition of her t taining charge of my child. There was a t rtain similarity both in feature and in com- j 2xion between my boy and you, which favor- ( the deception. I had never seen either of u ; and after a year or two, if any of her t quaintances?whom in the mean time she j )uld avoid?should see you, there would t but little chance of their discovering the ( fference. "My dear John, notwithstanding what has f ppened, I feel that you are still mine?my i n in all but the name; and to enable you to ep your surname legally I have executed a ( ed making you a gift of the Perton estate, condition that you retain the name of arley." "I have been aware of this changed relation- * ip for a few months; and as I could not * ar the thought of severing the ties that had 1 unci us together as father and son, came to c e resolution?a weak one, perhaps, but yet ch as you will readily pardon?to keep this 4 eret from you till after my death, which I * tew from the state of my health, could not 1 .far distant, and would probably be sudden. 4 hen_ you receive; ffiis therefore, it will be me, I hope, a's one who, if not your"father, t ter the flesh, has been a father to you in 4 irit, in act, and in affection. Charles S. Harley." 4 I read the letter with strange feelings, in ) liich I scarcely knewr whether surprise or 1 easure was predominant. I could also now 4 iderstand John's agitation ; for if he had ' st lost one who had been to him a father, he * id been at the same time delivered from a 1 rrow which would have been lifelong in its ( fects both on him and the woman he loved. 4 On my arrival at Batavia I hastened to Mrs. 4 an Dusen's and asked to see her alone. She ' as, as the reader may imagine quite overcome 1 my unexpected intelligence. I found that { e had confessed the whole circumstances to ;r daughter. "My conscience told me it was 4 e right course to pursue, though dear John s eant kindly ; but I could not be contented ' hile deceiving my child." In a day or two the steamer was to return ( ' Singapore, and brief as the time for prepa tion was, both Susette and Mrs. Van Dusen 1 :companied me in her. With their care and irsing Harley soon recovered health and ; rength ; and then, after again going to Ba,via to settle Mrs. Van Dusen's affairs, re- ! ous to her bidding a final farewell tt .. .va, 1 ley all three sailed for England.?Chambers'1 J ntrnal. ? SMALL INFLUENCES OF LIFE. \ Many of the influences of life tend to de- i ess and dishearten us, but a thousand words ' cheer may softly be spoken for one word of ; mtion or discouragement. We all know that i le better life is one of perpetual growth, and i le best growth, whether it be in the plant or . an ter, progresses slowly but surely. If we 1 em to turn over the same old leaf, from year < i year, perhaps by imperceptible degrees, we e growing wiser and better by that slight fnrt nlnnp. So few of us can ever hope to do great deeds, it all can do little things well if we choose. The most perfect life I ever knew was that ! a woman who did not despise the doing of nail things, self-supporting in early life; she tiew, as every woman should knoAV, the difliilty of earning money, and the great value [ indei>endence. Whatever her hands found to i, she did with a thoroughness that insured iccess ; she practised always the strictest econmy in the least as well as the greater things, ad saved hundreds that she might bestow ; lousands. Her line intellect never betrayed L*r, and she was as serene in addressing a irge audience as she was in her own parlor ; le champion of the opperessed and needy; le helper of all good works ; the mother of a irge family; the centre and fountain-head of n immense circle of friends; her very presace was a benediction, when she passed to ist she left behind the memory of a life comlete in all respects; and she never wasted a loment, and she gave to her work whatever ; might be, the very best and highest service lie was capable of. Let us then resolve to "look out and not in," ut on all humanity and its needs, not in our wn selfish hearts and pleasures ; let us look l> to all that is high and noble, and not down n what is useless and unprofitable; let us 10k forward and not backicard ; no effort can lend the past, but many possibilities lie in lie future ; and above all, let us lend a helpng hand. The Chinese have a proverb, "Make happy hose who are near, and those who are far will onie." It behooves us then to be as cheerful and appy and as busy as possible, and since life is 11 too short at "the very, best, to accomplish iiucli, we cannotafford to waste asingleliour, nucli less the little moments. Russian Convicts.?There are from ten to welve thousand exiles sent to Siberia annualy, and of this number about one-half of one ier cent, are political offenders. The rest are rdinary felons. Only eight per cent, of the xiles are sentenced to hard labor. On an avrage 400 women and children accompany each housand exiles, and 1,000 of the convicts es:ape yearly to Eurojiean Russia. The exiles ire not nowadays driven in miserable gangs 0 a waste region, but carried comfortably to 1 comparatively fertile country. The highest lentence is twenty years at hard labor, which s the penalty for murder; the lowest is four ears of banishment. 6iT "Nonchallant" means that peculiarly inlillerent look which is put on by men "who lever pay" when dunned for money. It should >e written, none abell ov(. (tat#* jfeians. CIRCUIT COURT OF YORK COUNTY. CONTINUATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF TEE COURT OF SES8IONS. The Circuit Court of York county, which jonvened on Monday, 27th ultimo, waa occupied with Sessions business during all of last week, and for a part of last Monday, the case )fthe State vs. Sutton and Hay worth, charged with the murder of N. T. Gibson, at Fort Mill, on the 9th of November last, consuming Thursday and Fi day. Oijr report commen3es with the proceedings of Wednesday, 29th, on which day the-following cases were disposed of : State vs. Annie Briant, alias Annie Brian, and Bob Ward, both colored ; arson. Prosecutor?David L. Black. Robert Ward pleaded omiit.v of the second count in the indictment, which charged him with being accessory to the crime after the act, by harboring the perpetrator, Annip ftrtoin. The otfterjMspdagt, Anreturned a verdict of guilty with recommendation to mercy. This caw will be remembered as an attempt by a colored girl, indentured to the prosecutor, to destroy his barn by setting fire to it on the night of the 4th ultimo. She is only about 13 or 14 years old, and while her guilt was clearly established, yet on account of her age and sex, and other circumstances connected with the case, the jury was prompted to make the recommendation to mercy, which met the approval of the Solicitor, and which his Honor announced should have the due consideration of the Court. Mr. Solicitor Gaston appeared for the State. Messrs. Hart,:& Hart for the defence. An indictment charging the same defendant, Annie Brian, with grand larceny, viz. : the stealing of forty dollars from David L. Black, was, on motion of the Solicitor, 71 ol prossed after the foregoing verdict was ; rendered. < State vs. John Stevenson, Sr., John Steven- i son, Jr., Hugh Stevenson, Ilenry Lowrv and Vfassa Lowry; malicious trespass, and enter- | ng on lands after notice. Prosecutor? T. N. iToungblood. The alleged trespass consisted \ n the using of a road by defendants on the < irosecutorfo land, the defendants claiming that 1 t had been used as a public road for twenty I fears. Yerdict, guilty on the second count of < ndictment, charging the defendants with en- ] ;ering upon the lands of another. Mr. Solic- i tor Gaston for the State ; Messrs. Hart & ( [Iart for the defence. 1 In this case the sentence of the court was < ;hat the defendant, John Stevenson, Sr., pay ] ;he costs of the prosecution, or in default of ( jaying the costs, all the defendants be impris- ] nied for three months. State vs. Charles P. Jackson ; grand larce- i ly?stealing a watch valued at forty dollars. \ Prosecutor?"VV. B. Smith. Mr. Bell was re- j ained for the defence; but on calling up the :ase, the defendant pleaded guilty. I State vs. Walter Nelson, colored ; larceny rom field. Prosecutor?Anderson Hall, Jr. ] ferdict. cruiltv. The grand jury was discharged on Wednes- , lay, after making the following < presentment. To his Honor J. S. Cothran, Presiding 1 Tudge: We the grand jury for York county, ! 'or the year 1882, beg leave to make the fol- ; owing report of matters which came up for 1 >ur consideration at the March term. We have examined tire Clerk's office and ! ind his books very neatly and accurately kept. 1 ilso, that proper care is taken of the county ' ecords. We examined the Sheriff's office and j lis books were found to be correctly kept. J Che books of the Probate Judge were fcranu w) ~ he Auditor was examined, and his books were 1 ound to be very nicely kept. The books of he Treasurer were found to be correct and 1 veil kept. Also, things pertaining to his office n proper condition. The examination of ' ;he School Commissioner's office was satis- 1 actory. The books of the County Coinmis- 1 doners' office were examined and found to >e very well kept. All of these officers afford;d us every facility towards a proper examina;ion of their respective offices, and many of diem s?em to take a commendable pride in seeping strictly nice books ; and we think they ire to be commended for the faithful performmce of their duties. We inspected the county jail, and found ;wenty-two prisoners incarcerated therein? iix white and sixteen colored. We found, on careful examination, that the premises are sept clean; and that the prisoners are well jared for, and their comfort properly considered, and that all necessary precautions are taken for their safety. The poor House was examined by a committee of the grand jury, consisting of three men. There are now twenty-two inmates of the Mime?thirteen white, and nine colored. The premises were found to be properly kept and the comfort of the inmates duly considered. The stock consists of four mules, in good coalition ; two hogs, and two cows. Two wagons, mid the necessary fanning implements, are an hand and in good order, and the necessary steps towards planting a crop have been taken. In addition to this examination the grand jury held a conference with Mr. J. C. Gwin, the superintendent, and freely discussed several matters bearing on the interests of the Poor lt/n.,?a wklnk /^aom iinnnoocuarv tn tllpll JLIUUOC^ WIJIOUL HO UOUUi UUUVUVUUUt j vvr m*v? tion in this report, but which may possibly come up hereafter. The books of six Trial Justices were sent up for examination, to-wit: T. G. Culp, J. S. Lewis, W. D. Camp, S. L. Davidson, W. P. Good and G. C. Leech. With the exception of tl?e last named, these books were found to be properly kept; in fact, some of them very neatly kept. In general, the charges were correct, and all of them gave evidence of a correction of the irregularities considered in the special report of the committee appointed by the last grand jury. The book of Trial Justice G. C. Leech contained some irregularities, to-wit: 1. The proper order of dates not observed. 2. One and the same offence under several different names entered on the books four times, aggregating a cost of twenty dollars and twenty cents, the highest cost in any one of these instances being six dollars and eighty cents, which would leave an overcharge of thirteen dollars and forty cents?a very important item, when we consider the amount involved in a book of that sort. A nol. pros, is entered twice in this case; no disposition, once; and at last committed for Court. 3. No disposition of two cases entered on the book We have reason to believe that the intentions of this Trial Justice are good; but we are not prepared to pass good intentions for bad book keeping. Trial Justice W. J. White and R. T. Gillespie reported no entries on thier books since the last report. Trial Justice S. M. Fewell sent up sufficient excuse for not presenting his book. Trial Justices A. L. Nunnery, D. M. Wallace and E. F. Bell did not present their books for examination. The last-named has been acting only for a few days, which we deem sufficient excuse. Twenty-one indictments were placed in our hands. True bills found, twenty; no bill, one; the criminal docket being unusually large. But even this has its redeeming trait, in the fact that very few of these cases were acts of ' 1 - ? 1 5 i-U.in f hn l'mnvvirurr violence, or iiuu men uu^m m ?uo use of intoxicating liquor. Peace and good order generally prevail throughout the county. It has been reported to the grand jury that William Harten, (white) and Elvira Colcock, alias Elvira Camp, (colored,) are living in fornication, and that R. L. A. Smith, Robert McGilfillen, alias Robert Gilfilleti, John Ramsey, Lydda Ilarten and Rose Hunt, are the witnesses to prove the fact. We cannot close this report, your Honor, without expressing to the Court our sincere thanks for the clear and pointed instructions received at its hands, which aided us so much in the discharge of our duties ; and to express also our gratification for the kind consideration shown the grand jury and especially to its foreman personally. Respectfully submitted. J. A. Watson, Foreman. Tiiuiisday, March 30. State vs. James Sutton and William Hay worth ; murder of Nathaniel T< GiDson, at i Fort Mill. <ilbe9th of November, 1861. In 1 this ease the State was represented by Mr. So- 1 licitor Gaston, and the defence was conducted J by Messrs. Wilson & Wilson and C. E. Spen- < eer, Esq. The prisoners were arraigned and pleaded ' Not guilty. * The jury was obtained from the regular pan- i el, and was constituted as follows: Andrew 1 Jackson, foreman. A. J. Walker, Bobert W. J Whitesides, John Hammell, D. J. Glenn, Sr., i D. A. Gordon, P. R. Currence, Samuel S. > Smith, D. R. S. Blake, J. W. Good, W. M. i Kennedy, Rufus M. Allison. A. W. Ingold was appointed by the Court, and qualified as official reporter of the testi- i mony. testimony for the state. < J. H. Saye, sworn. I know the prisoner at 1 the bar. I also knew N. T. Gibson. He is dead. A difficulty occurred between Gibson and Sutton, on the 9th of November last, in this county?at Fort Mill. The difficulty occurred at the postoffice in Fort Mill. My attention was first attracted to the affair by loud talking at the Rortojfre.., I lookedI orace. Alter nnng, ne came away irurn wnere i he ptood, remarking that he allowed no man to hack him out. Hayworth come up to where ( Sutton was and advised him to leave?on ad- ! vising him the second or third time to leave, Sutton started to run oft. Some five minutes after the firing, I saw Gibson lying in the post ! office, dead. Gross examined. I did not see Gibson when . Sutton fired. I was some thirty or forty steps ' away, on the same side of the street as the post office, and between the post office and the , depot, ten or fifteen yards from Belk's store, , below the store, nearer on towards the depot. J Belk's store is not very far from the post office; I do not know the exact distance. I saw Sut- , ton fire at some one in the post office. Sutton was standing on the side walk near the door? a little to the side of the door. He was not . on the step when he first fired, but was close . to the step. I did not see Gibson. After Sut ton fired, I beard a shot come from inside the . post office. I also saw the smoke of the pistol. Heard other shots, in rapid succession, after , the second report. Heard some inside the post office. I saw Sutton shoot more after he fired ] the first time. When he fired the second shot ' lie was about the step. I saw him fire other 1 shots. He fired three or four shots. I could ] npt se^ Gibson. I heard a shot from inside ' the post office, and saw the smoke. Sutton clid not fire it. I also heard other shots from 1 the post office. I don't think Sutton went in- j side the post office. I saw Sutton fire three or 1 four shots outside. My attention was first ? sailed to the affair by the loud talking of the 1 parties at the post office. I suppose the reason 1 why Sutton was leaving, was, that he wanted j to get away. Fort Mill is an incorporated ' town. This shooting occurred between 3 and j 3 o'clock in the afternoon. P. K. Mull, sworn. I know the prisoners, ] but am not acquainted with them. I knew N". T. Gibson. Between 3 and 4 o'clock on s that day Gibson had been at our store. I was some distance from the post office waiting 1 for the mail to open. While thus waiting, saw Gibson go to the post office. He and 1 Hayworth met near the post office. When ? they met. Hayworth asked Gibson when that J jale was to come off. This led to angry words, * ind Hayworth called Gibson "a lousy s? b?." ? rj.U?nti rpnliofl "Tf T am one von are one ? too." Sutton, when he went towards the steps, said he was afraid of no man, or set of men. At this time, Gibson said: "Men, ion't crowd me." The crowd was gathering uound the steps of the post office. I saw Sutton raise his pistol and fire. Two pistols ncic ured,- ther reports close together. Can't ^vJ5$lch fired first. I could have counted four head hanging 'flo w u Hayworth go and commence the quarrel with Gibson, and Sutton then came up. I did not jee inside the post office. I saw Sutton fall back from the door when the pistol inside fired. Sutton was near the door when Gibson jaid : "Don't crowd me." Gibson seemed to me to be inside the door, but I do not know how near to the door he was. Cross examined. My store is diagonally from the postoffice, on the opposite side of the street. 1 was near the drug store when the fuss commenced. The drug store is one hundred feet from the post office. I was more in front of the drug store, rather between my store and ; it. Sutton was on the ground, nearly in front of the post office door?in front of the steps. There are two or three steps from the post office door to the ground y probably three. I 1 saw Sutton fire at Gibson, who was in the i door. I can't say who fired first. The second 1 shot was from inside the postoffice. I heard | two distinct fires, but can't say who fired i first. After the first firing, I saw smoke come ' from the post office. I saw Sutton with his I hand down, and could have counted four or five before he raised it. I did not see him j draw his pistol from his pocket. Before the < firinc commenced. I heard Gibson say: "Men, \. don't crowd me." My attention was first attracted to the parties by seeing Hayworth , come up. I was somewhat surprised at seeing i him, having heard that he had left the country. < j I remarked his presence .to some of the boys in 1 the store, being.surprised at seeing him back. , As he was coming up the street, some one else, ] f disreinember who, was with him. I saw < Sutton go into the post office ; saw him fire about twice before he went in. After he went 1 in, I heard the report of a pistol. He then j got out of my sight. jRecalled. Hayworth asked Gibson, "when ( was that property to be sold." Gibson replied: j "Look on the post office door and read the ad- , vertisement." Gibson was a constable for , Trial Justice Culp. He referred to the adver tisement of the sale, when he said look on the , post office door. To the Court. I think six or seven shots i were fired. I heard four or five; the first when Sutton was on the ground. I don't know I whether one man flred both of the two first, 1 or whether one was fired inside. Don't know who fired first, the shots being close together. S. L. Smith, sworn. I know Sutton and Hayworth ; also knew Gibson when I saw him. I saw a part of this disturbance. I was twenty or thirty feet distant. Hayworth and Sutton came up, and met Gibson at the post office. Hayworth commenced the talk. Both were talking. I did not hear what Gibson had said when Sutton asked if it was meant for him. To this question Gibson replied that it was for any d?d man that would take it. Gibson was then on the door-steps. Several persons were near. The quarrel was continuous between Hayworth and Gibson, until Sutton asked, "Does that mean me ?" Then Sutton Htarted toward Gibson. I don't know who fired or who drew first. Cross examined. Sutton was standing near the post oflice window. The window is near the end of the step, on tfie side towards the railroad. The post office has two or three steps. When I saw Sutton he was near the steps. I was on the sidewalk, near the first store above the post office. Several men were between me and the post office. When Sutton asked Gibson if lie was alluding to him, I do not know whether or not Sutton was looking at Gibson. Don't know who fired first, nor how many shots were fired. Redirect. Sutton and Hay worth are brothers-in-law. Dr. J. E. Massey, swoni. I know the prisoners at the bar. They are brothers-inlaw. I was at my drug store, on the step, when the shooting occurred. I saw Hayworth and Gibson meet about the middle of the street. Hayworth asked Gibson when that sale was to be. Gibson replied: See that notice on the post office door. It referred to the sale of Hay worth's property. tMDSon was a cunaiwuic. A. "VV. Parks had been acting as a deputy constable for Gibson during Gibson's attendance at Court. Hayworth applied a taunting epithet to Gibson, and Gibson replied that he was no more such than Hayworth. Gibson then went to the post office, Hayworth "repeating the epithet. Gibson said he was tired of being imposed upon. About this time Sutton came up, and asked Gibson if some remark was meant for him. Gibson replied that it was meant for any one who would take it up. Sutton fired first. When he fired, I went inside my store for the keys of the guard bouse, being a town officer, for the purpose of attest aig uic ciuvru. ?t lino uioiuv m*w*? ? :wo more shots fired. When I returned to she door of my store I saw Sutton coming out from the post office. I was called in the post office by Mr. Truesdale, who said that Gibson sv38 hit, and I went in to see him. I afterwards followed Suttou and asked him to stop. Hay worth followed after us. I examined Gibson. He was shot in the side. I returned to the postoflice the second time, after following after Sutton, Was away from the post office about a minute, when I returned the second time, and found Gibson dead. He had been shot below the fifth rib. His death was caused by primary hemorrhage from a pistol wound. Cross examined. My store is on the opposite side from the post offiee, in oblique direction, 130 odd feet distant. I was 130 odd feet off. When I saw Sutton fire he was below the steps, a little in front of the door. The door is double, and one side was closed. Gibson was on the step of the post office, I think on the top step, when Sutton fired. Several persons were standing around the post office. My observations were made while I was standing in my store door. After I went inside of my store I heard other firing. The parties had M*~>u0uppuucu rrom my sight while I was in my store door. Gibson was on the step, and Sutton was standing outside. I saw two shots fired before I went into my door. Heard others after I went inside. I also heard more firing after I returned from inside my store. [ saw one shot outside the post office and heard Dne inside. I heard others inside after that. Sutton had gone into tlie post office after I had returned from inside my store. While I was in my door I heard two shots ; while inside my store I heard two; and after I came out I tieard two more. I heard Gibsou say that he would not be run over by rascals any longer. Sutton then said, "Do you mean that for me ?" Sribson replied: "Any man that may take it up." Sutton was then near the window towards the railroad. The two first shots were jlose together; very little difference. The top jtep is not over 2$ feet from the ground ; the loor or door sill about 2 feet eight inches from ;he ground. Sutton was on the ground. Durng this time the mail was being opened and ;here was a crowd around the post office. Beclirect. I am a practicing physician. When Gibson said he wouldn't be run ever, he was talking with Hayworth. Gibson and Sutx>n had not spoken to each other until Sutton isked the question, "Do you mean that for ne V Sutton was near tne winaow wnen ne ind Gibson were speaking. Dr. B. J. Truesdale, sworn. On the 9th lay of November last, the day of this shooting, [ was in the post office at Fort Mill. While in ;here, I heard loud talking on the outside, and law Gibson and Hay worth talking. Hay worth was using harsh language. He called Gibson i thief and other names, when Gibson rallied : "1 have never run away yet." Sut;on, who was standing near, asked, "Do you nean that for me ?" to which Gibson replied : 4Any one who takes it up." About that time ;he firing commenced. I don't know which ired first. I did not see the firing. Gibson was killed. I can't say which shot killed Gibion ; but he was shot before he went inside the lost office. Cross examined. I think the fatal shot was eceived while Gibson was on the step. Gibion had his back turned to Sutton when he ired last. I had stepped back some step or ;wo. I saw Sutton when he fired the last ihot. Gibson's back was turned towards him, ibout ten feet from Sutton, and Sutton about tix feet inside the door. I could see both at ;he same time. There was a barrel or two iear where Gibson fell, when Sutton fired his ast shot. Gibson was going towards these iarrel?, pistol in hand, when Sutton fired the ast shot. Immediately after the words, "Don't int your hands on me 1" the shot was fired. Sutton TOant ' i1, "??* ifter I sa^J0ftnand and Mr. Flowers were in ine post office at the tirae.^1 heard Sutton say lothing but "do youjallude to mei" before the iring commenced. V ~ v : Bedirect. The firing comment outside of ;he post office. Gibson stepped inside, and ivas near the back of the room when .Sutton ired. Gibson had walked eighteen or twenty ieet after he turned his back on Sutton, before Sutton fired last. I saw Hayworth quarreling with Gibson. Hayworth held .p knife in his hand. (Showed the manner in which ie held the knife.) Gibson turned his back awards Sutton as soon as he entered the door. Hayworth held his knife during the quarrel with Gibson. The State rested. testimony for the defence. J. R. Haile, sworn. A diagram of locations of buildings was shown to this witness, which he explained to the jury. Also a dia?'? -M Al.- ? --i Tin ooi/1 f ho jram Ul UlC pvsb UUIUC UUimnig. lit omu uuv measurements as indicated in the diagram were correctly made. He assisted in making the diagram. Cross examined. I did not put on the diagram the figures indicating distances. I speak >f these only as they appear on the diagram. Don't remember them. 7b the Court. I did not see the figures put :ra the diagram, except those indicating distance between the well and post office. I did riot see the figures put on the diagram, when transferred from the notes taken during measurements. The day after the measurement I looked at the figures on the diagram, and they corresponded with my recollection of them. Though not able to remember the figures, With them liefore me, I could recall them to my mind. J. R. Staknes, sworn. I was in Fort Mill on the 9th of last November. After dinner, going up the street, near the drug store I passed Gibson. I remained near the drug': stdre a few moments, and while there heard a "fuss at the post office. I went to the door of the drag store and remained a whileJooking up in the direction of the post office. Saw Gibson on the step, Sutton going towards him. I heard, but could not understand what was said. Sutton was standing by window of post office. Gibson fired at Sutton. Sutton then fired at Gibson. Gibson again fired at Sutton, and Sutton at Gibson. Sutton was standing at the steps, towards the depot, when Gibson fired the first shot. I think there were seven shots fired. I am a citizen of Lancaster county. I knew Gibson, but do not remember of ever having seen Sutton before. Before the firing, I saw Gibson turn towards some one inside. Hayworth was moving off, in east direction from the steps. Gibson turned around, as if speaking to some one else, and at this, Sutton seemed to turn round, when Gibson turned around. I am certain Gibson fired first, and Sutton the second shot. Gross examined. I saw Gibson on that morning, at his house in Fort Mill. I saw neither Havwortli or Sutton before that day. Am not related to either of the parties. "VVhen I first saw them quarreling, Gibson was on the steps of the post office. Hayworth had passed by the steps before I noticed him. When f first heard the quarreling, Gibson was standing on the steps of the post office. My attention was not attracted towards the post office by the parties to the quarrel, but by a person who was below the post office, whose actions attracted me at the first. The fuss occurred soon after I first noticed this person's grotesque actions, dancing, &c. It was after this I noticed Gibson standing on the steps and Sutton on the sidewalk, six or seven feet distant, below the steps. Hayworth was above the steps, passing by, in direction from the railroad, which would be going down from the spot. When I first saw the parties, Hayworth was standing opposite the steps, rather near the upper end of them, some three feet from them. He appeared to be passing as if to go up street, but had not passed the steps when I nrst saw mm. rue steps are auuui sia ieet wide. Sutton was distant from Gibson six or seven f??et. But few words seemed to pass. When I first noticed them the quarrel was between Gibson and Hayworth. Afterwards Sutton moved around from the window, and after he turned, Gibson fired. I did not hear what Gibson said to Hayworth. I cannot say where Sutton was standing when I first looked toward the post office. I first saw him at the window, on the lower side, some seven feet from Gibeon, Gibson turned around before I saw Sutton move. Gibson turned his back towards Hayworth. Sutton then moved from the window towards tlie steps, Gibson standing on the steps. Can't say that this move/