The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-10-21
MtsrsIld ITO.
THE SQUATTER.
C0NTlN U E d.
ATALE OF ILLINOIS.

I, was at the twilight hour of lovely day, that
moor John Thornton was seen walking along with
Nm unsteady gaic towards Williams secluded resi-
dencc. Since his return from sea- he had several
times obtrudcd himself in the society OF Eleanor,
previous 10 her marriage, and had born hlSnSelf
with such unbecoming behaviour, that Il, length her
parent was Obliged TO exclude him from his house.
This circumstance had occasoncd much talk i'll the
little village, Gas indeed, in country town, what
circumstance of private nature does not y and
some OF those parasites, every where to he found,
who coured the company Of John because he had
II plenty of money! insiigaGd him TO revenge the
insult A, least, melted by the loud vaunllngs Of
his associates, who were free to say what they
would have done, (by the way have always no.
ticed that those who are first TO boast how they
would have acted in the situation OF some other
nggrioved person, are by no means the readlest to
nvenGe their own inurcs,) melted by these, say,
and innamcd with that deplorabie cause of meal
culabe evil, drink, John took solemn oath that
if his cousin William married Eleanor, he would
make him deeply regret his successful rivalry
The marriage as the reader has been Informed, did
take place, however,; and the threat of John, after
having been talked Of for few days, had almost
passed from memory as the vain bluserngs Of an
intoxicated bully.
William, who, previous to his marriage, had
received some inlimnon of his cousins hostile in
te,ions now resolved as he saw him approaching,
10 receive him with such kindness as might serve
10 dsarm his wrath, and bring back the sollening
recollection of their school-boy days and early
companionship into his mind. But the morose-
ness and nn,mctable nveleracy Of his relative,
frustrated this design.
Twill not dwell on the particulars Of this inter-
view as they afterwards came to light during the
minute investigations, of legal tribunal. Let it
suffice to say that the conduct of John was Of the
most abusive and irritating nature, until he finally
went so far as TO cast an insult upon Eleanor which
the patience of man could not brook. AT this I'M
happy climax of his cousins folly, Williams color
mounted to his very temples, and springng to-
wards the delinquent, he seized him by the neck,
and ordered him 10 leave his house. A struggle
ensured; bnt Williams form was athletic by ma
ture, and ndurated by exercise, and he easily sue
ceeded in thrusng his antagonist to the door. The
latter, imp, rceved had taken n knife from his
pocket, and Just as William, BY great effort of
strength, raised him from the floor, and was in the
act of throwing hun beyond the Threshold, he re.
ceived from the Infatuated man stab in his side.
But he accomplished his Object and his feelings
were too highly wrought for him to be Immediate
Nv sensible of his wound. Ashamed of having
suffered himself to be so excited by the despcrndn
he how left the apartment by another door, with
the intention Cat least it was so stated on the trial
which ensucd) Of calming his agitation during
solitary walk. He had not been long gone when
the report of musket broke the stiffness Of the
night, and its loud reverheraons were repeated
from rock TO rock, till at length the sound died
away, like the far Off mullerings Of thunder.
The report startled Eleanor, the ruilcl state of
whose mind rendered her easily susceptible OF fear
A.. IL II, -au,1 IF a
passed like cloud, over her soul, and caused her
10 lrembe in every limb. She had started from
her chair, and ius reached the door BY which her
husband left the apartment, when it was thrown
suddenly open, and the object Of her anxiety.
smeared with blood, and pale rs statue, stood
before her.
ale IS murdered" cried he, ms he sunk into a
hair,and covered his face with his crimson hands.
"Nlurdered!" calculated Eleanor, her throbing
heart telling her at once who was the victim, aud
her eye, with an apprehensive glance, seeking that
of her husband.
eyes, Eleanor, I was walking with a rapid step
through the grove in the path which we have so
often trodden together, when the report Of mus.
ket aroused me from my unpleasant meditaions.
The unusual occurrence, and at such an unusual
time, impressed me with strange forbodings.
rushed to the spot whence the sound proceeded,
and there, stretched out in the broad light Of the
moon, and in the last agony of dissolution, be-
held the unhappy Thornton. He recognized n 9
as approached him, and in voice which yet
sounds in my ear, family cried-"W oodville,
forgive you have deserved this at yonr hands
! tore my neckcloh from my throat, and endeav-
ored TO saunch his blood; but while was vet
busy in this effort he brea,hed a scarcely audible
grone and stitfened out before M, with his eyes
fixed on mine, left me bending there over an ur-
conscious corpse"
''Was there no trace BY which the perpe,rator
Of The horried deed NAV be discovered" asked
Eleanor