Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-11-19

aud gathering Itself up to hight or nv. but A'a"se
enuraiity-a bible is in his hand. And the sheP-
herd Who first seized him, taking the BOOK out
OF his grasp, looks into the page. ana rea"s'M :,
:. Whoever sheddeh mans blood, bY man s.,ai
his blood surely be she'd" On leai IS written
in her own weil-known hand, :" The git OF Mar
earet Burns,te.'' Not word is said by his
captors-they offer no needless vlo'ence-no .li-
dinuities-but answer all enquiries OF surprise
and establishment 10! can one so yOang be 50
hardened in wickedncssn by stern silence ana
upbraiding eyes. that like daggers must STAB MS
heart At last he walks doggedy and su'ieniy
along, and refuses TO speak-yet his trcau IS
Grm-there is no want of cOmposure IN MS race
now that the first passion of fear or anger mas
left it; and now that they have the murderer IN
their clutch. some begin almost to pity him' ana
others to believe, or at least to hope that he may
be innocent. As vet they have said not word
of the crime of which they accuse hlm-out iet
him try to master the expression OF his voice ana
his eyes as he may. guilt IS IN those steai'ny
glances-suilt is in those reckless tones-And
why does he seek to hide his right hand IN his Do
som:-Aud whatever he may affect to say-'hey
ask him not-most certainly that stain on his
shirt collar is blood. But now they are at Moor
side.
There is still great crowd all around about
troubled CRY announces that the criminal has
been taken, and is close at hand. His father
meets him at the sa'c--and kncelins down,
holds up his clasped hands. and says, My son
if thou art guilty. confess, and die" The Grim
inal anyrily waves his father aside, and walks
towards the daor. "Fools! fools. what mean
We bv thiss What crime has been commi''ed:
And how tore We think me The criminal! Am
like murderer" I" We never spoke to him o'
the murdrr-we never spoke to him OF the MUIR
der!'' cried one of the men who held Inn by the
arm: and al assembled then exclaimed ''G"ilfy'
yu,v-that one word will hang him! q. pity,
pity. for his father and poor s'ster-'h's WI
break their hearts! ''Appa'ied, yet firm OF loot
the prisoner forced his wav into the house; ann
turning in his cunfuson, INTO the chamber on inc
left, there he beheld the corpse Of the murdered
on the bed-lor the sheet had been remoNcd--aS
vet not laid out, and disiisurcd and deformed
Just az she had been tnund on the moor, l" the
same misshapen heap of death. One long insane
elare-one shek, as if all his heart strings AZ
once had burst-and then down fell the strong
man on the foor like lead. One trial was past
which no human hardihOod could endure-an-
other. and vet another, awaits hm-hut these he
will bear as the guilty brave have often borne them
and the most searching eye shall not see hini
quail at the bar or on the sCahod
They lifed the stricken wretch from he floor.
placed him in chair. and held him upright. TIL
he should revive from the fit. And he soon dld
revive: for health flowed in all his veins, and he
had the strength of giant. tut when his senses
returned there was none to pity him; Tor the
shock had given an expression OF guilty horror
to all his looks. and like walking IN his
sleep under the temptation Of some dreadful
dream, he moved with fixed eyes towards the
bed. and looking at the corpse. gobbled in hi
deous laughter, and then wepi aud tore his
hair like distracted woman or child. Then he
stopped down as he would kiss the face, but
staggered back, and covering his eyes with
his hands. uttered such a Sroan as Is sometimes
heard rending the sinners breast when the
aveng,ng furles are upon him in his dreams. All
who heard it felt that he was guiltyy-and there
was fierce crv through the room of IKE
him touch the BODY. and if he be the murderer II
will bleed!"-.. Fear not, I.udo,ic. To i"u'h II,
nv boy. said mis- father: bleed alresh it viii
not, for thou art innocent; and savage thonei
now they be. Who once proud to he thy frcnds.
even the, will believe thee guiles, when thr
CORPSE refuses to bear witness against thee-and
not drop leaves its quiet heart" But his son
snake not word. nor did he seem tn know that
his father had spoken. but he suffered himself to
be led passivclv towards the bed. One ct the by
ISLANDERS took his hand and placed it on the naked
breast when out of the corners of the teeth clcnch
ed mouth. and out of the swollen hostrlls, two or
three blood drops visibly oozed-and sort OF
shricking shout declared the sacred faith of all
the crowd in the dreadful ordeal. What body
is this? tits all over blood!" said the prisoner.
looking with an idiot vacancy on the faces thai
surrounded him. But now the sheriff OF the ooun-
" entered the room. along with some Off ers of
jusiice-and he was spared any farther shocks
from that old saving superstition. His wrists
soon after were manacled. Those acre all the
words he had uttered since he recovered from the
ft-and he seemed now in state OF stupor.
Ludovic Adamson, after examination OF wit
nesses who crowded against him from many nn'x-
pec,ed quarters. was committed that very Sab
bath mig int to prison IA charge of murder. On
the Tuesday following, the remains ofMarsal ct
Burnside were Inferred All the parish were at
the funeral. In Scotland II is not customary for
females to join in the last simple ceremonies CT
death. But in this case they did; and all her
scholars. in the same white dresses in which they
used to'walk with her at their head into the Kirk