The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-05-16


IItheir children, and The death Of the youl
: was lamenled therefore like that Of frient
This sympathy for the victim was
course accompanied by The deepest indIe
lnalion against the murderess There seem
ed such double dyed wickedness in the dee
that every heart was revOlled by Il. II
had fallen by the hand Of a woman, Will
he was appealing to womanly tenderness
and the mSsnnoss OF the motive seemed Il
add deeper guilt to The helnous crime. Al
1t always happen, in those generous re'ac
tons Of feeling, when party spirit is sud
1enIy quelled for moment BY the voice o
equity, the people seemed as if they coul'
scarcely express their indignation W wi'h sui
licien, force. ifs the laws either could no
~ would no, punish The crimnal public o.
pinion took upon itself the task. The cir
vas driven ou, OF ,he community, and a.
voided by all, as if the lanl Of eprosy was
upon her. No farmer would employ her ic
abour in his fields, no proprietor would rem
Iher cabin on his domain. Her only
refuge was the church porch. where she
crouched like an sccursed thing al The door
of the sanctuary she dared not enter. Eve
nv one shrank aside as her shadow fell up.
On them in her aimIess wanderings. If she
approached the fountain, whence ihs village
drew is supply Of water, The women usual.
y assembled there would instantly hush
their idle gossip, snatch up 'holt half filled
pitchers, and hurry away .exclaimlng, Make
rnnm for the murdpressn
10 set he i0aI seal to her public repro
baton, ballad was composed, setting forth
her horrd crime IN coarse, bu. graphic Ian
guage Of popular poetry. Wherever the
unhappy creature venluled 10 appear, she
heard the tones OF This venge(ul song. Her
punsbmen, was now no longer the ordina
ry penalty of crime, having its limit of time
and place. and demanding only The !lberN
or the life of The offender. Her guilt, BY
this new species Of relrbuton, had becomt
public property, lis punishment vas lden'1'
fled with the most durable memorials ol pub.
lie morals and manners. II was n record
ed in the dusty volumes of the law, but
was sent abroad on the wings OF music AM
poetry, 10 reach every ear, and 10 turn from
her every heart. The mark Of Cam wa
upon her brow, her fellow beings were her
lotmenlors, Withholding their hands FROM
life, yet nfcting daily death upon her BY
lheir Ioalhings and scorn, In vain sh"
sought TO fly from The scene Of her guilt.
Her crime seemed BONE on the very winds
If heaven, and where ever the voice Of the
sheperd broke The stiffness OF nature, there
resounded the frighdul burden Of that aveng-
ing song.
Once, rs she wandered away from hu
man scorn she behe!d in meadow al sOmtI
distance from Auray, child al play among
The daisies. A sudden yearnipg filed her
heart, she approached The merry boy, and
seated herself beside him. For more than
a wear The deso ate creature had no, touched
a human hand, or listened to the sound of a
kindly human voice, and she now found al
moment of inexpressible happiness in the
innocent Carresses of the happy child.
Too Joyous to know anything Of fear Ae
nestled beside her, glad 10 find companion
in his sports, while she pressing him 10 her
bosom, amused him, after ;he manner o. =
lender mo'her by tales and songs. The
child had listened with delight, but when
,he had finished he looked in her face, and
as if, in his simplicity he sought 10 repay
ner kindlness, he said
My father taught me preIIer song thanI
vcurs;' and he began to sing
0 listen, Christian neighbors, 10 crime of
deepest hue,
Marie Marker with her sickle has killed ihel
wounded Bl0e.'
A, these terrible words the unhappy girl
uttered a wild y,and dropping The uncou-
cious child from her knee, fed like hunt
ed wild beast into the woods. 1t was the
final blow o. the unseen avenger; her pun.
lshmenI was greater than she could bear, e.,
from that hour Marie became a hopeless
maniac
When | first saw her She had been some
wears in this state, and | shall never forget