Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-08-04
From the Ladies Companion.
An ESCAPE FROM THE ENECUrIoNER,
BY JOHN c. A'cABE, IL. D.

BY JOHN {. N CABE, d. d.
"A sumhoring thought Is capable of years.
And curdles long LIE inlO Que hour.-BrKoS.
MURDER! The deep forest and the
far oil nils sent back the horrid cry
Thrice | essSyed TO call, AM the agony
OF nay soul Termed itself into sound, aud
the shrek was "MurdsTin
What was 10 be doLel ] had deprived
a human being, Il fellow mortal OF that
which could not restore, and felt like
the lratricidc Cain, when he stood over
the stilfenel corpse OF his brother.
There lay the body Of my friend, as
cold and calmly us the dead warrior,
"wiih his martial cloak around him ~
My FRIENp!-add,-oh, God! had xii
led him wantonly, eXuIiingiy, premcli
tatedly! The moon shone down upon
his smooth forehead aud fair checks, II
sweetly rs though he was slice ping only
for an hour bGueath the hallowcI light;
aad the cool winds that came carcering
through the foliage, lifted up his light,
long treSSes, and played amid the pro iu
sion Of his beautiful curIs!
We had been friends together from
early chIldhood-had thumbed our sulled
primers together in Old Ebenezer Bir.h's
log school house; entered upon the high
branches Of education Simultaneous y,
and receiving our PERMITS 10 60 forth il,
the one to ski aud make alive," the o.
theI 70 discourse eloqucntly upon those
npochryphal but important characters,
John Doe and Richard Roe-our face
tious friends had long since named US
''the Siamese twins" from the fact oil
our being constantly together.
Our leisure hours, OF an evening, were
spent in visiting the few families IN our
neighborhood, and it was not long after,
That chance or Providence threw me in
the company Of Mary Vaudeville, the
belle of the village, aud one Of the love
lest of her sex. 10 say ;ha, LOVED
Mary, would be but feeble description
Of the refined and lofty passion enter.
tanned for her, She became the inspira
ton of every thought Of good, anu fan
cy OF perhaps too eXtravagant an order,
had often nude me think Mary Mander.
vile one of those gifted intclligences,
sent from brighter and better lani, 10
WOO the erring spirit Of man from the
devious pathways offs wandering $, back
10 the skies.
Edward Harley, Qbe name Of my
frlend,) knew of my attachment 10 the
beautiful girl, and was indeed my conf
dent in relation TO my plans for the fu-
Iure, with regard to my union with her.
She had promised TO be my bride, aud
on the wings of gratiiiei feeling, flew
TO Harley 10 acqualnt him with my good
fortune, aud was congratulated by him
on the seemingly fair position occu
pied.
Ii was after the usual opportunities 20
name the happy day, that the frst Tues
day IN October was decided upon as that
upon which our nuptiuls should take
place. Splendid preparations were male
Tor the occasion, and tardily few the
hours as the time drew near for the con
summation of my felicity. | had paid
the last visit to Mary previous TO the one
that was 10 make her mine, aud on the
wings Of happiness flew to my room to
ask Harley's adYice relative to some tri
hing articles to be worn Oh the occasion
AS he was not IN when entered threw
myself Oh the bed TO await his return.
had not been long on the bed, when
Harley entered, and threw hinsel: into
chair by the little table near the fire
place. thought observed confusion
IN his looks when spoke 10 BIN, and
hastily crumbling a letter which he
held, he attempted 10 put il in his coat
pocket, but unperceiyed by himself, il
leIl on the floor under The table.
AT any other time this would have
passed unnotced, but at a mo :nent when
all my thoughts were running upon Ma.
Ty, any thing ola suspicious character
attaching itself TO my friends, iHyolun.
iarIly associated itself with her in my
mind.
Though aware ofthe meanness which
prompted the desire, determined 10 OBJ
lain possession Of the letter, and make
myself master Of the contents. Assn.
ming as cheerful an aspect as possible,
| requested him TO step out and purchase
some segaTs, 40 | was too much Catigued
10 60 out any more, and it was too early
10 think Of retiring.
lie agreed, left the room for the pur.
pose, and | was in an instant in posses.
sion Of the letter. lost not momen /
IN acquaintlng myself with its contents.
II was from Mary Man dervIIle, my FAN.
itED angel, to Edward Harley, my pro.
fessed lriendl
Had paralysis seized me, or the with
erlng frost Of four score years settled
suddenly upon my brow. and chilled the
warm current Of my young hearts feel
ings, they could not have produced
more awful blight than that caused by
the damning confirmation which that
letter c0uvnyad IN NV mind Of 81 ali