The Arkansas banner., 1846-04-29
From Frasier's Magazine THE WOUNDED SPIRIT.
 CHAPTER. KY. "He is dead and gone, lady He is dead and gone; At his head grassy-green turf, Al his heals a stone. ."-HAMLEr
From Frasier's Magazlne.

Ere the morning had far advanced, loud knocking awoke me, and, starting up in agi- tation, heard some one at my parlour door, l called out, ssWho is there;'' Thomas, entering with sorrow and anxiety in his looks, answered-HAh, sir, Mir. Curtis has shot himself, his body has been found this morning.
 sWhen, 'where?'' exclaimed with trepi- dation, ''how did it happen? that is dismal busincss.n
 q don't know, sir,n answered Thomas, She was found by woodman carly this morning, quite dead. His gun was lying be- side him; the whole charge of both barrels had gone through his breast. His black bitch Jess, which you see here, was sitting beside him, and have got her from the men to take care of May be we may have her for kind of keepsake?"
 As the dog looked up at me, thrill pass ed through every vein. Horrible thought l to myself. Dogs have detected edmurderers be- fore now "Thomas,o said aloud, ssyoa had as well walk over with the dog. You ought not to have broughtsit here.- Haste after the man, and give il him in charge to take home.'
 Scarcely had l got dressed, which was done in tardy yet hurried manner, when a vehicle stopped at the gate, and l heard the murmur of many different voices. Thomas came running up the avenue, and seeing me at the window stood still before it. threw up the sash, and asked him what he wanted. "Here is the body, SIT, on sledge. Such a sight never saw. It is an awful spectacle. Hadn't we better take 1t in, till word IS car ried forward to his friends; but to be sure they must have heard of it by this time at any rate. Hadn't we, sir"
 This was another dagger-''N O, no, Tho mas, answered l, with some irritation. "What makes you so onicious? it had much better proceed"
 ''Shall not make thalt then, sir, till you come down, and have look at it?''
 "No-no-no,n returned l again more bit terly, throwing down the sash as spoke, Il have nothing to do with it-I don't wish to see it.o
 A dread foreboding of detection hung over me, had a dreadful struggle within my self, whether should deliver myself up to stand trial, or persevere in my endeavours to avoid the scrutiny of the law. By the latter mode of procedure might escape unhurt, so far as reputation with the world was con- cerned; by the former, foresaw that, como what might, my good name was filched away for ever; and that every !'puny whiPster, all the vile and the vulgar, could throw atterme the horrible epithets of murderer or homicide. That had been at least the latter was unde- nable, and the multitude seldom give them selves the trouble of inquiring into the circum- stances of a case, satisfying themselt with the bare result.
 And Anne Austen-the happy, smiling beau tiful Anne Austeni now the question was set tied and sealed and l determined to keep the whole matter on my healt. How often, how many thousand times have wished from my soul lAat my resolutions had been otherwlsei What load of misery, how many sleepless nights and Responding days should have spared myself
 Surprise, and panic, and sudden remorse had made my situation much more dark and desperate than it really was:-but time clap sed, and weeks passed over that could not be recalled felt that suspicion must have ever attached to one, who had concealed and kept to himself circumstance, whose eluciGation by his own statement, was such as to preclude hazard by legal investigation. The opportu- nity had escaped, before my conduct appeared to me in it's genuine light The whole coun- try had been agltated about this mysterious circumstance Most people insisted that Cur tis must have destroyed himself, as his own piece was found by his side, dirty and dis charged, with the dogheadin the pan: while some few argued against the possibility of the arms being extended so far as to pull the trigger of a long-barelled musket, with the muzzle pointed against the breast. Agaln he was not robbed, his watch, rings, and mo- nev, were all untouched, and the idea of his having fallen victim to robbers seemed ut terlv improbable. Doubt and mystery con- sequenty hung over tbe matter; but the cor oner. after the examination of some domes- tics, thought the case so plain, as without much hesitation, to bring in verdict of ssDied by his own hand in fit of insanity"
 On the day of the burial leigned sickness, and did not attend am certain that, had done so, my agitation must have detected me; but on the day following, ventured on ride to Austen Park The whole of my own people imputed my abstraction and melan- choly to grief for the fate of Curtis-alas' too justly.
 The Austens were invisible, and leii my card. Isit possible thought 1, that they have a suspicion of the truth. yet remain quiet out of respect for our former intimacy? trem- bIed as the thought passed through my heart yet determined to put 1t to the ordeal.
 Abont month after this period chanced one day, in visiting at Austen Park, to find Miss Austen alone. l was struck with the sudden alteration in her appearance. The flow of her spirits was gone, and the eye' which so lately floated in the light oi joy, was now quenched in it's lustre. Some days before had signified my intention of leaving England for the continent, as my native coun- try had How become to me only scene ct melancholy recollectlons. thought oi my mother torn from her orphans in their child hood-of Anna Singletons the morning star of this worlds loveliness-of my simple minded, heroic, noble, beautiful sister-of the butchered Curtis-of all the miserles which had belallen all who moved within the sphere of my existence Even the lovely being be- fore me seemed to owe her blight to my presence. Bennet's advances knew she had