The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-10-05

With this view l removed the cloth from
the corpse, but what was my surprise, when
/ discovered in it the features of nle young
man whose execution ] had that evening
witnessed. There was the same air OF Sc
renity aud composurc in the countenance
which had struck me so much, and except
that the lips were slightly convulsed, it did
not seem that death had produced upon
him any change. The clothing had been al
most totally stripped off, but part OF the fatal
cord still remained twisted around the neck.
had prepared my knife, but when looked
upon the calm and beautiful countenance OF
the young man, and recollected the words ne
had spoken on the scaffold, hesltated TO
use it. I felt as ifit was living body winch
was lying before me, and shudderea as
laid the edge of the knife on the young mar, S
bosom. But this was only the feeling OF a
moment, / smiled at myself for my folly, and
trimming my tapers, and placing them SO
as to give the best light, addressed myself
seriously to my work. And now must tell
what have resolved to tell-the. horrible
truth, which Ihave never yet disclosed to any
human being. but which have thought OF,
and dreamed Of in my secret soul, every
morning and every night, for almost 4oyears
and the recollection of which has every day
b
to be borne. ! beseech you, reader to judge
as gently as you can while you read i'll
had set the edge of the knife, have said, to
the young mans bosom, and was prepar-
ing to make the first cut, when my hand ac-
cidentally passed over the region of the
heart, and to my great astonishment, felt
that the pulsaton of the arteries was, going
on still. I had before remarked that the bo-
dy was flexible, and still retained con-
siderable degree of heat, but this had not
surprised me, for these appearances often
remain for many hours after the last spark
of life has been extinquished; but the beat
ing of the heart seemed to indicate life, and
knew not what to think l laid my hand "a
gain upon the spot, and the pulsations were
now strong and regular. l cannot tell what
was passing in my mind at this time, for
was agitated and alarmed, but knew-yes
! knew, and remember clearly what dM.
held my hand over the young mans heart
and pressed it DOWN. leant upon it heavily;
and with my whole weight:--the throbbing
was strong for a moment, but it gradually
became fainter and fainter, and at length di-
ed wholly away. knew not why | did this.
II only know that did it and that there
by took away the life ofa fellow mortal.
Would to God that had now the power,
though at the expense of every thing dear to
me, of undoing what was then done but
it is idle to talk thus.-A sharp euivering
ran through the body, when the last faint
beating had ceased, and with horror | saw
the eyes open, and stare wildly upon me for
moment The hand-the weather-beaten
and embrowned hand, and the pale, pale
arm, rose up as if pointing at me, and in
stantly fell down, dead and motionless
stood for some minutes stupifed and irreso-
Lutte; at length ! put my hand again upon his
heart, and found that it remained still and
lifeless then resumed my knife, and re-
member said to myself, think may now
proceed. But on the instant dreadful re-
Election occurred to me, and something
within me said, almost audibly, sit is mur.
der" ! endeavored to repress the thought
and for a moment busted myself with a case
of instruments which was lying upon the ta-
Bile. But the terrible reflection again came
over me like fit of sickness, and cried cut,
"Oh, God! what have done!" In an instant
the instruments we're dashed upon the floor,
and was endeavouring, by rubbing the bo-
dy with my hands, to recall the banshed life.
There was no one near to assist me, but
with great exertion contrived to drag the
body towards the fire, and setting it up in
such position that the heat might fall up
on the chest, continued the friction with
my hands for long time without intermis-
sion: it was in vain; the pulsations of the
heart had ceased forever. few to my Ian
Gets, and.laid open vein, but the blood was
cold and CONCEALED, and not drop would
How. cannot describe the distraction
which now took hold of me; / threw myself
upon the corpse, and bathed it with flood
oftears, wringing my hands, and uttering the
most despairing exclamations. The wind
howled drearily in the old chimney Of the a
partment, and the rain battered with vio-
lence against the easements, and every
sound seemed to reproach me with what !
had done.
AT length Luback and his servant return
ed, and every exertion was again made to
restore life; but it was all hopeless; the face
OF the corpse had now assumed the sharp
and ghastly appearance of death, and the
limbs we're become as cold and stiff as mar
BILE. l did not tell Luback what share Ihad
token in the young mans death; and this, |
have often thought, is proof Of the great
ness of my guilt; but was distracted at the
time, and knew not what l did. I4sbacS
saw that | was i'll, and insisted on my return.
ing to my lodgings,-and got home, knew
not how. l passed sleepless and dread
ful night; and next morning, without seeing
Luback or any of my friends, left Paris,
and returned, in state of mind bordering
on frenzy, to my native country.