Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-11-19
From, BlackrccFs Naga.ine for Octo6e
ZION.
TcoxrINuED FROM YESTERDAY.

A tall 6gure came forward from the porch. and
all was silence, when the congregation beheld The
Father Of the suspected criminal! lie stood still
A. a tree in calm day. trunk, limbs, moved not.
and his grey head was uncovered lie then
stretched out his arm, not in an impioing, but
in a commanding attitude. and essaycd 10 speak;
but his white lips quivered, and his tongue refused
its office. At last, almost hercelv, he uttered,
;.Who dares denOunce my SOM" aud Ike the
growing thunder, the crowd cried. " Ali--ali-
he is the murderer" Same SAID that the Oh
man smiled; bat il could have been but a conVui-
sim of the features-outrased natures wrung
out and writhipg expression ~ disdain. 20 showhow
a fathers love brooks the cruelty OF foolish false
hood and injustice.
Men. women. and children-all whom grief
and horror had not made helpless-moved away
towards the Moor-the woman who had seen the
>j.ntleadinp the way-for now her whole strength
had returned to her. and she was drawn and drl-
ven by an irresistible passion to look again al
what had almost DESTROYED her Judgment. Now
rhev were miles from the kirk, and over some
brnshwood, at the edge of morass some distance
from the common fnotpath. crows were seen div
mo and carcering in the air, and raven fiapping
,uddenlv out of the covert, sailed with savage
croak alone a range of cliffs. The whole multi
;u,l, stood stock still at that carron-sound. The
guide said shudierlngly. IN low hurried voice.
- See see--thati is her mantle, and there IN
deed Margaret lay, all in heap. manned, man
oIed. murdered, with q hundred gashes. The
corpsc seemed as if it had been baked In frost,
and was embedded in coasulated blood. Shreds
and matches of her dress. torn away from her b0S-
som. bestrewet the bushes-fnr many yards round
abou,. there had been the r.mplins of feet. and
long lock of hair that had been from her tem-
niles. with the dew vet unmelted on it, was lying
unon a plant of broom little way from the
corosc The first to liit the body from the horrld
hid MAS Gilbert Adamson. lie had been long
familiar with death in all its ghastness. and all
had now looked 70 him-iorgettins Tor the mo
ment dat he was the father of the murderer-to
nerf,rm the task from which they recuiled IN hor-
FOR. Resting on one knee, he placed the corpse
IN the othcr-apd who could have believed, that
even the most violent and cruel death could have
wrought sach change on face once so Deauti-
ful! Ali Was disOrtion-and terrible II was 10
SEE the dim glazed eyes. hxedly open, ana the
orbs insensibic 20 the strong sun that smote her
face White as snow among the streaks as II lett
nv bloody fingers! Her throat was all discolor-
ed-and silk handkerchief twisted into cord.
ib,i had ,oanife,tiy been used in the murder, was
n = re,I,crhu dian when 1t had yelled her breast
Ma one knows what horror his eyes are able TO
jo,k On. nh they are tried. A circle ut stnplhed
oazers was drawn by a horrid fascination closer
aud closer round the COrpse--and women sto"d
here holding children BY the hands. and tainted
NOT. hut observed the sight, and shuddered WIN
ont shriekipg aud stood there as dumb IS Sh"sS.
Bot the body was now b0rae along by many
b,nds-,t first none knew in what direction III
many voices muttered. .'to Moorslde-to Moore
sile'-S in an hour ii was laid on the bed m which
Margaret Burnside had so often slept Sitii her
beloved little Aun in her bosom.
The hand of some one had thrown cloth over
,ba corpsr The room was filled with people
but all their power aud capacity OF horror had
been exhausted-and the silence was now almost
Ike that which attends natural death, "hen all
the ncishbors are assembled Tor the inneral.-
Alice. with little Ann beside her, kneeieu at the
bed. nor feared to lean her head close to the GOV.
cred corpse-sobbing out syllab'es that shewea
how passionately she prayed-and That she ana
her little uiece-and, oh for that unhappy father
we're delivering themselves up INTO the hands
If God. That father knelt nnt--nciher d'd ne
=, Lovn-nor moye-nor grOan--but stood at
tL. foot Of the bed. with arms folded almost stern
lv-and with his ewes fixed on the sheet, In which
,b.re seemed to be neither ruth nor dread-but
np,v an austerr compoSure, which, were II indeed
MT RESIGNATION to that dismal decree OF ProSl-
dcnrc had becu most subime--but who can see
into the heart of a man either righteous or wicked;
and know what may be passing there, breathed
from the gates of heaven or hell!
Soon as the body had been found, shepherds
and herdsmen, fleet of foot as the deer. had set
of to scour the country tar and wide, hill and
Glen. mountain and morass, moor and wood. tor
the murderer. Ii he be on the face OF the earth,
and not selfplungcd IN despa'ring suicide INTO
some auagmire, he will be lcund.-tor all the
population of many districts are now atoot, and
precipices are clumb ill now brushed but by the
falcons. A figure. like that of a man. is seen by
some Of the hunters from bill top lying among m.
tbe stones bv the side of solitary ioch. They
s"n,r,te. and descend upon him. aud then gath
sYIns in. they behold the man whom they seek,
LnJoy,c Alamson. the murderer.
His face is pale and haSeardyet flushed sa. as
if bv fever conferred IN his near .na IA. n
fool;ng. and giving tn the ewes that search an
assurance Of guilt. He starts to his feet, as they