Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-10-31

with hnggard yisage, and with iowpcast eve
She paced the lonely, dark and dreary hail.
ana talked Of vengeance t-drcamt Of bold desirps
asd asd like the hsena, ihi,sted for the blood,
vi her'-he vile dsPoIer Of Jomesic peace"
Rosss Yiefsm.
On dark and cherries night, in the month
OF December, 1912, the sparse DO 2ulation. of
the county Of EdgccomS, who reside some ten
or twelve miles distance from the beautiful
village of Tarborough, North Carolina, were
alarmed by the appearance OF an unusual light,
which reflected upon the windows ofther hum
bio habitations, and apprchcnding that through
the carelessness Of the hunters, the wide
spreading pine forests had been fired-an oc-
currencc by no means unusual-thcy fastened
from their beds, TO repair TO the scene of con-
| hagration, TO stay possible, the marches of
the devourng element. Tbny had scarcely
merged from their beds, however, before they
were satisfied that their fears were groundless.
and approaching the spot, from whence the
main column Of flame proceeded, they discov-
ored the dwelling of woman of questionable
! reputation, fast crumbling into ashes, bcfore
J the burning brand Of conha grafton. The dom
cil, was not yet PROSTATE with the earth, and
when they reached the yet remaining ruins,
horror-stricken, amazed. and appalled,, they
bchcld the lifeless bodies Of the occupant of
the cottage, and those Of her three offspring,
laying in the centre of tho house, with their
heads severed from their body, food for the
fiames,and crisp ng before the ragin. volumes Of
the destructive element. To whom the deed
was to be attributed, they knew not, nor could
they suppose, that the hope Of gain could have
moved any one 10 the commission of a crimo
SO dreadful, for it was known to all, that the
occupant of the dwelling, was wretchedly poor.
and depended entirely upon her own labor, fot
whatever support she gained from the world.
The flames were extnguished with rs little
delay as possible; and whilst the group Of dis
gusted spectators removed from the ashes wbot
remained of the lifcless carcasses. and mcd;-
tated on the appalling deed. woman, who
hved adjacent TO the scene Of ruin, made hor
appearance, and in the midst of q convulsed
and demoniac laugh, which seemed to shake
her very soul, exclaimed. "pausc not 10
ponder over this dced-wondcr not who COM
mitted it, for know that i, even l, am its au-
|
: for vengeance are appeasedv'
The amazed and confounded spectators.
gazed with terror on the demoniac appearance
OF the woman, and believing her incapabl Of
the act, attributed her conduct to the impulses
OF momcntary alienation Of mind, and would
have compelled her to leave scene SO repul.
s've to female delicacy. With smile of ex-
ultation, the woman noticed their incredibly.
and said to them, Z" perceive that you do not
believe that have committed deed SO foul.
but shall prove that you are in error, and
that none other than myself is guilty of this
bloody crime;'-And then. with the utmost
deliberation, she displayed her bloody habil-
men's;-the axe yet reeking in the blood
OF It's victims. and the blood-stained knife,
whose guilty blade and bloody haft told but
too WE'LL the guilty purposes. to which il had
been applied.
" In me,' continued the woman, "you bo-
hold the happy avcngcr Of her wrongs, and in
those lIieless bodies, do you behold the VIC
Tins of my vengeance, the dcstroyers of my
happiness. They were born to consummato
my ruin, to fill the last cup Of bitterness, and
of woe, and now have destroyed them-I
| have cut them off from exstonce,-I have
forever erased them from the earth, and heav-
en- be praisod' that am happy! am ready
for you, we ministers Of Justice! come lead ne
to my dungeon, show me 10 my straw, and let
the last drop Of blood, that c.rculates through
my arteries, pay for what have done! From
thee vidcnces that were produced, no doubt Of
the guilt Of the woman remained on the minds
Of the spectators; and that she might be led
to the bar Of insulicd justice, they seized upon
her, and carried her to her place Of residence;
determined to hold her there in confinement
till the next morning, when the proper and
legal steps were 10 be taken. to bring her be-
lore the bar Of justice, and the outraged laws
of her country.
Without hesitation, she consented 10 be sc-
companicd by the spectators, and when arrived
at her homc she gave TO them a full and mi
| mute detail Of the whole transa ction, and
| plorcd in the crime she had committed.
She stated that she had long meditated tho
act, and that not till the present moment had
an opportunity offered for its consummaiion;
and that finding all things acceptable TO her
purposes, she repaired 10 the dwelling Of her
victims, and having, with one blow Of an axe
severed the head Of the mother from her body.
she next murdered the children. and revoled
amid their last agonsing groans. and cries for
mercy. The reasons she assigned for the conf
| 1T. r a.. .I,,J ,xcrc that tho "a orr an had