The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1843-02-04
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
From the D emocratic Review.
HARRY BLAKE.

| hhAs"A DI<hhhs
sTonY OF clRcUMsrANTIAL EVIDENCE, FOUNDED
BY THE AUTHOR OF ''LUcv CRAWFORD >
CHAPTER.
On the hight proceeding execution, in
the bar.room Of the Blue Horse, were as.
sembled half dozen men; most of whom
had been there at Blakes quarrel with
! Wickliffe' A dull and melancholy group
they were. II might have been the alb.
sence Of the jolly face and merry voice of
old Garret Quackenboss, who was gone 10
Albany, to lay in stock of subslaLtials, to
keek up the well known gas,ronomc char
acter of the Blue Horse; or il might have
been The great size Of the bar.room, with
lis murky corners, whose darkness was
scarcely relieved by the dim light which
fickered up from dying fire, aided only
by the sickly flame Of single candle; or it
might have been the approaching end Of
one who had SO lately been among them,
that had this chilling effect on their spirits.
But certain it is, that rarely had the bar.
room of the Blue Horse contained 50 dull
party.
Somehow or other, they had gradually
drawn close TO the fire, and, las the nigh, had
closed in, and the wind rallied about the
old house, their conversation had assumed
sombre character. and they whispered in
each others ears, strange stories of robber.
les, murders, midnight assassinaions, and
even of Ghosts, and on this subject one of
them was positive, having had private
ghost in his own family for years---an aunt
m VIC 7rours'r s'Usrop, q rrr nrUrner srau,
who haunted a hen.house on his fathers |
place; and what was remarkably, after her
late visitation. ten eggs, an old game
cock, the patriarch of the barn, were miss
ing; showing that ghosts we,e partial
to eggs, and not particular as 10 the age of
poultry. Another Of them mentioned in
confidential way TO the whole company,
that his grandfather had walked mile in a
dark wood, one very stormy night, in
company with ghost which behaved in
very civil and gen'emanlike manner; so
much so, that the old gentleman up to the
day of his death asserted, that ghosts were
IA very illused class of beings, and that, for
his part, he wished that many people who
pretended TO be their beters only were as
good as they were. From this topic the
conversation gradually wandered off to Har-
ry Blake and his trial, and his approaching
death.
Don't you think they might pardon
hmF inquired Caleb Grayson, who was
one Of The party, and whs had been sitting
among them, without taking any part or
showing any interest in their conversation
until it touched upon the subject of Blake's
execution, but then he seemed keenly alive
to it, and with his features working with
intense anxiety. he repeated his question:
Don't you think they might wish they
would. Do tell me some one, What do
you lhinkl'
Il heard tina. Mary Lincoln's father did
his best for him, but il was of no use,' re-
piled one of those addressed. But you
mus. not grieve about il so. You couldn't
help being witness against him. Even
Harry said so himself.
The old mans face frightened, and
something like smile passed over it, as he
said. Did Harry say so, Well, I'm glad
of that; I'm glad of that, for it makes me
very sad when think that il was | and
Walton who put him where he is-indeed
il does
1T was no fault ofyours, said the man,
and you mustn't let it trouble you. I'm
sure should have done as you did. All!
here comes some one.'
The last words were called forth by the
sound of horse calterng up to the house
Then the loud voice OF man was heard
bawling out for some one TO take his horse,
and in few minutes tall man. unknown
TO them all, entered the room, with shors