American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-05-02
''She has,"

"She haSs''
Gas true as I'm alive--rejected me for YOU,
Luke, Nay, as good as told me that she mere
" tlrted with me to fix your chains the tighter.
Cunning little devil-eh, Luke? Come, you'll
shake hands with me now, know"
"lt could believe you, Mark" said Luke,
the Joy dancing in his very eyes.
81 tell you she acknowledged to me that she
never could love any one but you. Now am
not generous rival, to carry his mistress's
love to another? She requested me to ask you
to call III the morning, if you would have con-
elusive proof OF her sincerity, and you would
then ind that she could nerer use you so again"
But now It's getting late, and as ] have deliv-
cred my message, shall leave you to dream of
Kathleen and happiness Good night-be sure
and see her IN the morning." and they parted.
Soon afterwards Luke missed his clasp knife
with which he had been eating his supper, but
! after slight search, thought no more of the
matter, his very soul glowing with renewed
delight at the thought Of seeing his loved one
| on the morIow-that their differences should
| be made up, and all again be sunshine.
About an hour after, as he was preparing TO
retire tor the night, it suddenly occurred to him
that he would like to take walk towards
hathIeens cottage-peIchance he should see
. her shadow OH the Curtain-he might hear her
sweet Volce-no matter, to gaze upon the home
that contained her would at least be something;
so off he started in that direction, happy feel
ing pervadng his every sense Arrived with
10 sight Of her abode he fanced he heard sti-
fled groan, but his thoughts STEPPED in iov
dwelt not on it. In moment after a distinct
and fearful scream, as Of one in agony, burst on
the stiffness of the night. 1t came from the d.
rccton of kathleen's cottage. Inspired with
horrible fear, he ran wildly iorward-another,
and another terrible scream followed; there was
now no longer doubt-it was the voice of his
Kathleen. With mad desperation, he reached
the place Just in time TO see the ffure of
man, who in the doubtful light he could not
recognize, rush from the door and disappear in
darkness. In breatAless horror Luke entered
Great Heaven! what sight met his eyes. His
beloved Cathleen lay on the blood dabbled floor,
IN the last agony of departing nature, her beat
ing heart pierced with many wounds; she saw
and evidently recognized Luke, for mid the
desperate throes of ebblng life, she clutched his
hand IN hers, esSaying but in vain to articulate
she could but smile; her eye glazed over
her hand relaxed its grasp-and with her gen.
tie head resting on his breast, her spirit passed
away
All this was so sudden and fearfully unex-
pected to Luke, that he scarcely knew twas
reality, until several Of the surrounding neigh
bors, who had been alarmed by the outcry,
came hastily in.
'See'" cried one, "'Tis as thought; mur-
der has been done.n
And here is the fatal instrument with which
1t has been effected, said another, as he picked
up CORY knife from the floor. 1t caught the
eye of Luke. "That knife is mine," said he,
IN the measured tone of one stricken down bv
terrible calamity.
'Yours?" they all exclaimed at once. "Then
you have murdered her?''
Luke only smiled-a ghastly, soul-crushed
smile, most awful to look upon: at such time,
his heart was too full for words. Reason,
which had been dethroned by this unexpected
blow, had scarcely yet returned to its seat, for
all unconsciously he still held the lifeless form
tightly casped in his arms, gazing with sort
OF stoney expression upon the face of her who
had been to him the world.
1t was not until they approached to seize him
Tor killing her, that he seemed to be thoroughly
aware of his position.
'What would you do, frends'" said he
mournfully, as they endeavored to force him
away. "Would you deny me the sad comfort
OF dying in her presence?"
"Have you not murdered her, wretch" cried
one of the by-standers.
"What!-murder her-God in heaven for
bid,'' he exclaimed
us not this your knfe?"
SIT is!'
"And how came it here.-if not used by YOU
in this unknown manner?n
ait was stolen from me by that arch demon
Mark Dermot," said Luke, shudderng to the
very heart as he mentioned that name.
RIO be concluded in our next