Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-10-30
@tarslIamfo us.
A rHRILnrSG sKErcH.

II A THRILLING sK ErcH.
Inc fellowine isiDdsed thrilling ske,ch viii
eut any triekery o. clap4trap 10 excite The READ
=. i is most remarkable instance or rre
tsencs Of mind 10 : woman,
The PEDLAR's WIFE.-f3ne oftbe nos
striking cases Of presence Of mind N,
sell possession Of which have any recol
lection, came 10 light inf ! trial which
took pie asfome years sincein Ireland. -
The story woks hike fiction; butt have
reason to- believe itquite true. A woman
travelling along a road 70 Join her hus
band who was soldier. and quartered al
-aihlone, wasjoined by aipedlar who vas
going the same way. They entered il.
to conversation during 4 walk Of some
hours; but as the daysbegan 10 wane, thew
agreed that they should stop for The night
al house Of entertainment. and pursue
their pedestrian journey The next day.
They reached az humble inn, situated n
lonely spot by The roadside ard, n.
tigued after long days walk, ihev were
glad 10 end themselves under The shelter
o: q roof. Having refreshed themselves
with the substantial suppe / sel|be foretbem
they expressed 1 wish 70 retire. They.
we're shown into the travellers room and
went 10 rest 10 their respective beds. The
pediar, before retiiing. had called The
landlord aside, and RivenIinto his keeping
the pack. which he bad unsttapoed from
bis back, till The morning. telling him thai
il contained considerable sum 81 m on ey
and much valuable property. fney were
not long iI bed befofe the psilar iell In
TO sound sleep !. but the poor woman.
perhaps from over fatigue. OF from
thoughts Of meeting her Husband the
next DAY. lay awake A couple Of bonrs
hand. She Instantly ~recog1iEed I'd mn |
one Of the young men she bad seen be.
low-scn 70 the landlord. He advanced
with. steallby step 10 the bedside of The
pedlar, and watched him for few sec
onds. He then went out, and entered a
gain with bis bfothe. and hisIfathet, who
held in his band large pewter basinI---
They went on tiptoe 10 The bedside. where
the pedlar lay in deep sleep. One OF
the young men drew outta knife, and
while the father held the basin so as 70
receive the blood. he cut the poor VIC;
Tins throat from ear. a slight half-audi.
BILE groan, and all was still save the eau
,ious movements Of the party engaged in
The fatal deed. They had brought with
them large sack, into which they quick
IL thrust the nuresisiing body. The poor
woman lay silently in her bed, fearing that
her turn would come next. She heard
low mutterings among the men, from
which she coon gathered thtt they were
debating whether they should murder her
too, as they feared she might have il 10
her power 10 beiray them. One Of them
said be was sure that she was fast asleep,
and thatihere was no occasion 70 trou
ble themselves more but 10 make sure Of
this being the case, one csne % her bed
side with the candle in bis hand, and The
other with the knife. She kept her eyes
closed a. il 10. sleep, end had 5such com
Eplete command over herself as not to- be.
tray in her couniensnce any lgn that she
was conscious Of what was goingAon.
The candle was passed close 10 her
eyes, The knife was drawn across close 70
her throat; she never WINGED, OF showed
BY any movement Of feature Or limb tina:
Ishe apprbented danger. So the men
whispered that she was 30 soundly asleep
hat nothing was TO be feared from her;
aud thew went out OF The room, removing
lth sack which contained The body Of THE
murdered man. How long must thai
night OF horror have seemed 10 the poor
lone woman. How frightfa was its still;
ness and its darkness. The tpresence o
mind which had so ss,oDishingly enabled
| her 10 act = pari 10 which she owed hel
life. sustained her al through the scenes
which she had yet to pass She did no
+ stir from The room at an nnreasonaofy Yea:
Il " hour, but waited ill she heard all the
family asiir for some time she then ven
down and said she believed she over,iep
| herself. in consequence Of being greatly
Tired. She asked where the pedlsr was
Ina was told that be vas in too great
hurry 10 wait for her. jbuilthai be bad LETT
Z sixpence 10 pay r.her breakfast Sh'
at down composedly 70 the meal. an'
4 forced hefseIflo psftske With spPafent ap
net;,e 81 the food set beio.s bet. WheI
; sbe meal wss ever, she took leave Of tt,
81 f.mify and vent on her Hsy without th
!; 1900 snpe,fsuce or discom posure or mis-
! ,,nst She had proceeded but short dis
,.nre when she was Joined BY Two strap
cloe looking women !; one look was stuff
s;esf % convince her that they were ID
Two yodne men. and. one thought 10 ..
J. snre her that she was 1et 10 their poWel
Z and on the very verge destruction. The
I walked " her side, entered inio eonsel
4 salon asksd her where she was going. toi
: her Thai thsif road lay the same way
questioned Der as 10 where she had lodi
"a the night before. and made The mo
vi minute inquiries about tbe family inhabi
~ The house Of entertainment. Her d