The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1845-05-31

| Dorothy," SAID lchabod, pale and
trembling, to his wife, "Dorolhy, have
IA secret; and if | thought you would keep
it involabe, would not hesitate 10 re-
veal it to you; but oil, Dorothy, wo~
man''-
"Why, lchabod, i. must certainly be a
secret Of grea, importance, for you are in
a wonderful agitation, You know, hus-
band, you can place implicit confidence
in your wife. Have | ever given you
any occasion to doubt my fidelily2"
"Never, never, Dorothy; but the secret
| have to communicate is one that re-
quires more than ordinary Iaithlulness
and prudence to prevent you from divu-
ging 1t. Oh, dear shudder when think
Un'L"
"Why, husband, do you know how
your lips lremble, and your eyes rolI?-
VIVA! is the matter1 Ichabod! you sure
ly cannot mstrust the confidence of one
who vowed at the altar to be faithful to
you. Come, unbosom yourself"
"May rely OH your fdeily?"
"lchabod, you know you may"
"Well, lhen,-we are both ruined,-
undonc!-I have committed murder"
"Nurdcr!''
eyes, murder'--and have buried him
at the foot Of tree in the orcharL!n
"Oh, awful! lChabnd. Committed MUIR
der. Then indeed we are ruined, and
our children with u.s."
lchabod left the room, and Dorothy
hurried off to a neighbours. Mrs. Prattle
observed great change in Dorothy's
counlenance, and in her general appear
ance, so great as TO induce her to inquire
into the cause Of it.
"Oh! Mrs. PratIe,'' said Dorothy, 81
am most miserable of woman! ! am
ruined forever!
"Mercy! Dorothy, how gloomy and
distressed you look. What has turned
up to make you appear SO detected? Why
how you sigh, woman. Fell me the
cause"
81 wish might, Mrs. Prattle; but the
occasion of my unhappiness is a secret
which am not permitted to divulge"
"Oh! you may tell me, Dorolhy-l shall
never speak Of it again"
"Wlll YOU promise never to reveal it to
any person livisg?"
You know, Dorothy, never tell Sc
crets.'
"Wcll. Mrs. Prattle-I scarcely dare
say tiny husband has committed muir
der, aid buried him at the foot of tree
in the orCbard!-he told me of it himself.
For heavens sake don't name it to any
one"
"Murder!" Your husband committed
murder! Indeed, indeed, Dorothy, you
have reason to think yourself ruined.-
Poor thing, pity you from my heart"
Dorothy went home weeping and
wringing her hands; and Mrs. Pral,le,
leaving her dough half kneaded, and her
infant crying in the cradle FASTENED to
hold tele>a-te,e with Mrs. Tellall.-
Soon after this last conlab was ended, the
report of Ichabod's having committed
murder became general, and the disclosure
of the fact was traced to his wife Dorothy.
Process was Immediately issued against
him by magistrate, before whom, and
in the presence of multitude of anxious
spectators, he gave the following explana-
ton, and plead guilty to the charge of
murder. "My object" said Iclabod, sin
the course have pursued, was TO test
my wife's capablily of keeping a secret
! have committed murder in as much as
killed toad, and buried it at the foot OF
tree in my own orchard. How far my
wife is capable Of keeping secret, has
been sufficiently proved; AMI with res pecl
TO the murder, those who feel an inter.
es! in it, are as liberty to inspect the
body"