Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-05-26

blood, from her hands and feet in the pool
beside her, and weht on TO her daily labor
in the field. On her return home at night
she displayed her prize 10 her friends, sim
ply remarking that she had been lucky
enough to find the body of Blue in her
way-an explanation quite satisfactory at
a moment when chances were frequent in
a country filled with commotion.
On tina, same evening, however, The
body Of the unfortunate soldier was found
and recognized by his family. Several
circumstances conjoined 10 throw Suspicion
on the girl. and ere many days had elaps-
ed, no doubt remained of her guilt. The
murdered marine was a conscript-one of
that numerous class Of young men who
were compelled in those days 10 endure an
opinion along with uniform, and TO wear
the cockade of q governing party might
happen TO be. A native Of Brittany, he
had been forcibly enrolled a, Brest, and
when his regiment was sent into the nte-
rior Of the country, he was necessarily
compelled to combat on his own native soil
and against his own people. This peculiar
position was well understood by the peas
ants, for it had been the fate Of their chill
dren, and the death of the youth was la
mented therefore like that Of friend.
This sympathy for the victim was Of
course accompanied by the deepest indg>
nation against the murderess. There SEEM
ed such double dyed wickedness in the
deed, that every hear, was revolted by it,
He had fallen by the hand Of woman,
while he was appealing TO womanly ten
derness, and the meanness of the motive
seemed to add deeper gui!i TO the henious
crime. AS il always happens in those gen
erous reactions OF feeling, when party
spirit is suddenly queled for a moment by
the voice of equity, the people seemed as
II they could scarcely express their indig-
nation with sufficient force. As the laws
either could not nor would not punish the
criminal, public opinion took upon itself
the task. The girl was driven GU, of the
community, and avoided by all, as If the
faint OF leprosy was upon her No farmer
would employ her to labor in his fields; no
proprietor would rent her cabin on his
domain. Her only refuge was the church
porch, where she crouehed like an accurs-
ed thing al the door of the sanctuary she
dared not enter. Every one shrank aside
as her shadow fell upon them in her aim
less wanderings. If she approached the
fountain, whence the village drew its sup
ply Of water, the woman usually assembled
there would instantly hush their idle gossip
snatch up their hall-ilied pitchers, land hur-
ry away, exclaiming, SNAKE room for the
murderessi"
To set the final seal 10 her public rebro,
baton, a ballad was composed, setting
forth her horrid crime in all the coarse bu:
graphic language of popular poetry
Wherever the unhappycreature appeared,
she heard the tones OF this vengefu song.
Her punishment was now no longer the or
binary penalty of crime, having its lim. Of
time and place, and demanding Only the
liberty or The life Of the offender. Her
guilt, by this new species of reiribution,
had become public properly, is punish
ment was Identified with the most durable
memorials of public morals ard manners.
1t was not recorded in the dusty volumes
of the law, but it was sent abroad on the
wings of music and poetry, to reach every
ear, and to turn from her every heart
The mark Of Cain was upon her brow; her
fellow beings were her tormentors Withhold
ing their hands from life, yet inilictng a
daily death upon her by !heir loa,hngs and
scorn. In vain she sought TO fly from the
sceEe Of her guilt Her crime seemed
borne on the very winds Of Heaven, and
wherever the voice Of the shepherd broke
the stiffness Of nature, there resounded the
frightful burden of that ayenging song
Once, as she wandered away from hu-
man scorn, she behed in a meadow at
some distance from Array, q child at play
among the daisies. A sudden yearnng
filled her ear; she approached the merry
boy and seated herself beside him. For
more than year the desolate creature had
not touched human hand, or listened to a
kindly human voice, aud she now found "a
moment of inexpressible happiness in lie
innocent caresses Of The happy child.
Too joyous 10 know any thing of fear,
he nestled beside her, glad 10 find com
panion in his sports, while she, pressing
him to her bosom, amused him, after the
manner Of a tender mother by tales and
songs The child had listened with de-
light; but when she had finished, he looked
in her face, and as if, in his simplicity. he
sough; 10 repay her kindness, he said
"My father taught me preilier song
than yours" and he began 10 sing,
80 listen Christian neighbors, 10 crime
of deepest hue.
Maria Marker with her sickle has k He'd
the wounded Blue
AT these terrible words the unhappy
girl uttered a wild cry, and droppin the
unconscious chilli from her knee, fled like
a hunted wild beast 10 the wood. 1t was
the final blow the unseen avenger, her
punishment was greater than she could
bear, and from that hour Maria became a
hopeless maniac.
When | first saw her, she had been
some years in this State, and shall never
forgot that singular appearance. She was
a large robust girl of twety-four, with a
remarkable squareness Of outline, ard a
certain ridgtv Of motion. that resemblcd
the awkward movements of some ill-lont-
ed wooden figure. There was no play OF
muscles visible, no tracery Of veins discoV-
cred beneath her tanned and swarlhy skin.
She reminded me of those stone images oil