The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-12-02
WHOLE NO. 1857.

! "Why? Mr.. Ellis"
!" Am obliged to give reason for every
thing say or do ?" answered he sternlv.
Certainly not" replied the shrinking
woman; II am content that it be as vol,
desire.' you
Two days after, some boys angling for
! trout IN the mountain stream, found the
DEAD bodies OF man and horse, at the foot
OF preclpice, near the top of which the
path, we have mentioned, passed. II was
at first supposed that the horse, frightened
IN the night, had plunged over the precipice
and that both horse and rider had been
Killed by the fall. Traces were, however.
discovered which induced many, if not all.
| to bellevethat he had been murdered. The
frequent recurrence of crime had not then
rendered public feeling callous to its perpe-
tratlon, and the whole community was rous-
ed as II by an electric shock. An inquest
was held, and verdict of murder, by some
person or persons unknown; was returned.
From his papers the name of the individual
was learned, but the money, principally
gold, which was in his possession when he
left Albany, was no where to be found.
The conduct and appearance of Ellis now
underwent change; a change perceptibIe
to all, but particularly SO to his affectionate
Marcia. Still, such was the favorable opin-
ION universally entertained of him, that but
one person had the slightest suspicion of
the real cause. He would remain whole
days llstless and gloomy. He needed nei-
ther the pressing urgency of his business
nor the kind attentions of his wife. A rap
at the door during these reveries, would
make him start from his chair, with every
symptom of agitation and alarm in his fea-
lures, and the hours which had been for
meIly devoted to rest, were now far from
being such to Ellis and his wife. The most
terrific visions appeared to haunt his imag-
nations, waking or sleeping. The wretch
ed Marcia dared not allow her thoughts to
dwell on what her heart too truly told her
was the cause of these fearful imaginings,
Her husband murderer! She recoilcd at
the idea. The thought was madness: vet
how was she to avoid the dreadful conclu-
sion:
"They are coming they are coming. ~
he would exclalm in tones Of terror, when,
wearied with tossing on bis bed, he sunk
into a half waking slumber: 81 thew are
coming and, good God, the blood, the red
blood, is still Oh my hands Marcia kill
ed him, killed him but will you see your
Ellis hung up between the heavens and the
earth, murderer spectacle for fools to
point the finger at? o bring some wa
ter and wash off this blood. O.! this blood.
shall never wash it away?"
The large drops of sweat would cluster
on his forehead; and the trembling of his
limbs, and the frightful rolling of his eyes.
even after he had been awaked by his wife.
and convinced that what had passed was a
dream, showed the mental agony he en-
dufed.
stake away that gold!' at other times
he would cry out" take it away Twas
coined in hell. 1t was the price of blood.
1t is row the price Of my perdtion p
To the gentle-hearted Marcia these
things were overwhelming. To her hus-
band she had not breathed hint of her
suspicious, or mentioned the fearful words
he uttered but in her countenance and
her tears, the unhappy Ellis read the damn
ing fact, that his loving and faithful wife
believed that she was linked with MUIR
derer! He saw her sinking, as the spot
less lily sinks under the rude footstep,
crushed and whitening and Ellis, deeply
dipped in crime as he was, would have
wept over the ruin he had caused, had not
the burning consciousness of guilt dried
the very sources of his tears.
Marcia was soon confined to her room,
and it was evident to all, that her hold ON
life was rapidly giving away. 1t was a
mild May morning. The window of her
room had been thrown open. The fra
GRANGE of the sweet wild rose which clus-
tered over it and half obstructed the en-
trance, came delightfully."- reviving through
it; and Marcia was slumberng, when the
young woman who attended upon her left
the room for few minutes. When she re-
turned, she gently opened the door, and, to
her surprise, saw Ellis kneelng by the bed
side of his wife. Her hand was clasped in
his, and her look was fixed upon him With
intense interest,"
"Marcia," he said in voice husky with
emotion, 81 would give my life to restore
you to happiness. But it cannot be,-and
it is that have destroyed myself and MUIR
dered YOU"
"Do not, my deaf husband, use such fear
ful languarge now" said the pale Marcia,
in voice scarcely audible. "May heaven
forgive you us freely as all is forgiven by
me.n
"Heaven will hear you, Marcia but for
ME, oh, there is no forgiveness there"
"There is, there is = she exclaimed ear
! nestly limit not the mercy of heaven"
Her eyes met those Of the stern man, and
tears were in them. "You, Marcia, will
| forgive me-" he said, as CLEAN of hope
passed over his features. But Marcia re-
piled not. Her lips were moving, as if in
prayer; and while Ellis held her hand she
died-so gently, that he was insensihle that
she had gone, until he saw the pale fixed
| ness of death setting upon her countenance.
Chastened by adversely, the beautiful and
faithful Marcia had long looked to another
world for her quiet rest, and her purified
spirit welcomed the summons 10 ascend to
the bosom of her God.
Ellis, when he stood by the grave and
saw his comedy Marcia lowered into it, felt
that indeed he was alone in the world
wretched in the present, and hopeless OF
the future. His friends feared that his rea-
| son. which for months had seemed 10 toiter