, 1840-09-05
From the Louisriic Literary Messenser.
The FOREST MURDER.
A TALE OF

The incidents which | I'M about TO relate
are not drawn from Imagination, but fact
The form an act of the never ending drama
Of human villany.
"Tnis is indeed a wild night" said Charlie:
Gray to his wife, as they sat before The bla
zing hearth of an Indian log cabin-whils1
the winds walled around the roof and wenl
sounding through the forest.
"Wilder than l ever knew" observed the
wife, "and Charles, how thankful we should
be to our Maker that he has given us this fire
and close cabin to protect us from the rude
elements"
"Thankful!' and Charles Gray's brow as.
sumed a scowl, which of itself spoke the de.
mon in his heart. Thankful, wife! You mock
mel What is this cabin to the luxurious COM
forts of the town folks whom We used to see
in New York, rolling through the streets in
their cushioned carriages, or reclining on silk
sofas. and laughing at the ragged beggars that
claimed their charity? Thankful"
Mary did not reply. She feared him when
in these moods, and was too iudicious to irri-
tate him even by words which she intended
to be soothing. For what are words, though
breathed from a seraph's lutte, or sylIabled by
an angels lips, to one whose soul has become
absorbed in the unrequired love of wealth..
Charles Gray was a native of New York,
and had been left "A handsome fortune; but
prompted by a~varice, and too imp ,tient To
continue in the SAFE business in which he be-
gan. joined others of an equally rapacIous dis
sposi'ion in IA S. eculati,n which at first proved
promising: but entirely failed and left MANY
an ardent dreamer a ruined man. Charles in
this mld afIir had embarked his al. He
wasleit without house or frends-for friends
are oftea.bound by golden chains alone He
determined. with his wife, tn emigrate TO In
diana. tor whose fertile soil, broad streams,
genial climate, and noble forests so much was
said.
With a better spirit he babe arewell to his
home, and with a small amount of money.
raised by the sale of his wife's Jewels. sought
the almost untrodden wilds Of the Forest
With this small amount of cash he purchased
q lew acres of ground, a few miles from the
spot on the Ohio river, where the splendid
and beautiful town of-is now standing.
For a short period he labored assiduousIy at
his small farm, and cheered BY the smiles of
a lovely and devoted wife. seemed to forget
his misfortunes. A short time before our mar
ratlve opened, Charleshad visited L--as
a hand on a fiat boat, the only species of wa
ger craft then used to convey goods and pro.
duce down the river! Whilst he was there
ne met several of those who had failed in the
same speculation which ruined himself. But
while ne had remained poor, they by some
means had revived their fortunes and settled
on the Ohio, where they were carving on a
brisk business. Charles returned nome again
an altered man. For whole days he would
sit idle end discontinued. His sleep was dis.
turbed by dreams of gold; and in vain did
that beautiful, accomplishing wife endeavorto
brighten the fend from his bosom. 1t was
like one solitary star trying to dissipate the
darkness of a storm-tossed ocean.
Wilder yet roared the storm through the