Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-09-24
VOLUME l3--NUMBER 50.


inlo wayeless mirror, unruhled by a single
zephyr, though not mOloness, US appeared from
tho trembling Of ihe mOonbeams as they spored
on the surface.
As the traveller thus stood in a state Of luxuri-
Gus abstraction, forgetting himself, his hunge",
aud his pressing euand which called for his Ut
most exerIiOnOi speed, his attention was acciden.
lally attracted by boat which shot oul suddenly
from behind high projecting point on The oppo-
site shore, liule higher up the river, whose dark
brow, covered with hemIocks and pines, conIras.
ted gloomily with the shining river. As he
watched the lille white boat, which passed noise
lessy yet rapidly toward The middle Of the river,
he could perceive that il contained only two per-
sons, one plying pair Of oars, the olher sitting
al the stern. All on a sudden it stopped. The
man in the sieru-loT he could see II was a man
rose and approached him al the oars-,he lrav'
ellcr heard single wild, shrill shriek-a single
dull, heavy plunge, aud all was slill on earlh, 10
the waters beneath and the heavens above. The
boalInan al the instant resumed his oars, and the
boat, now carrying but one person, darled rapid
ly behind the high wooded bluff and disappear.
ed but not before the traveller had involunlarlly
cried out The All.seeng Eye is upon you"
All was again quiet and still, and the scene was
as lovely as ever But the traveller reished it
no more, and all his visions ned before the stern
reality which had just passed before him. lie did
not doubt for a moment that some horrible crime
had been thus perpetrated in the silence OF night,
Of which he alone was witness, and his first
determination was 10 stay his journey, cross the
river in the morning and enter on an inyesliga.
ton of this mysterious midnight Outrage. Wait
ing inpaIiently for the dawn, he mounted his
horse and proceeded onward as speedily as the
hungry, jaded animal could travel.
He had not ridden more than three miles at far
thesl before he came TO a rustic inn, al which he
was glad TO put up for the purpose of resting and
refreshing man aud beast. Here. while awaiting
breakfast, he reflected deeply on the scene he had
beheld the preceding night and the course ii best
became him 10 pursue. lie reCollecied that he
was a stranger aud with neither lime to loiler on
his way, nor money 10 expend in the punishment
of the guilty. He had not been able TO diStln-
guish The air or features Of The person who row.
cd the boat; he only knew it was Il man and was
sensible he never could identify him. 1t was
possible that by patient inquiry and investigation
u chain of circumstances might lead 10 the detec-
lion Of the criminal, but this would be a work Of
lime, aud his time was precious, for he was has.
tcniug TO the bedside Of "a dying parent. Accord
ingly, afier refreshing himself and his horse, and
making some inquiries of the landlord respect.
ing The occupant Of the fine house he had seen
The evening before on the opposite side Of The
river, he proceeded on his Journey, without de-
failing 10 the landlord or any one Of his family
hceyens Of the preceding night est itmghI cause
detention, leaving the supposed murderer TO the
vengeance of Heaven. If under these circum.
stances our traveller requires any Justification, it
may be here stated that he settled il finally in his
mind, whenever circumstances would permit, 10
return TO this part Of the country, and il possible
ferret out the secret murder. But Of all things
in this life man is the least master of the future.
He imagnes himself the sole director of his own
conducl, though nine times in ten his lateis the
mercy Of events which he can neither ioresee
nor control; and nothing is more common in The
experience Of mankind Than success which even
lually leads 10 misery and ruin, or dlsappolnt-
ments which conduct TO happiness in the end.
The traveller after long, tedious journey, ar
rived ut its end only 10 see his father die, and to
find himself the heir Ct one who left nothing
bahnd him but debts which his estate was Insult
fcian to pay. He had gone the way, will moi
say Of all hash, but OF thousands. yea, hundreds
of thousands, Of his sangune counlrymen, who
greedy of gain without being mi5erS, so often
play double or quits, and in attempting 10 grow
suddenly rich lose all at a single throw. lie was
utterly ruined by improving his estate with the
money and labor of olher people instead OF bis
own, and the traveller, finding The case desperate
having declined the heirship of debls which he
could not pay, the entire properly was sold TO the
highest bidder. He had to begin the world a
new with no other capital than his own eXerIionS
position which carries with it this advantage
that q man has nothing 10 lose and everything tc
gain. How he buffeted with the strong sea o
life, alternately rising and sinking; how he labor
I'd and struggled in distant lands for that which i
considered lhe great, if not the sole end of hu
man existence, it is not our purpose to relate
Suffice it TO say that he returned home aller al
exile of many years, with full purse and shat
tered constitution, purchased his patrlmonial pro
peny and SGT himself down TO enjoy the fruits o
his sacrifices and exertions, on the spot Of his ma
tivity, among the surviving friends of his youth
lmmured in the cares and urmoils Of activ
life and at distance from all his former associa
tons, he had long since forgotten the advenlur
of the old fishing-house, or il he ever recalled
, to mind, il was more as dim, distant vislor
than as an actual occurrence. He no longe
cherished the determination TO investigate tn
mysterious midnight murder, but contented him
self with following his own pursuits and occa
sionaIly meddIing with those of his neighbor'
> among whom his opinions carried great weigh
f for he was a rich man, and had seen much of tn
world, in countries so entirely different in all re
a spects from his own, that his experience abroa
+, could have no practical application whatever
!. home.
8 Among the changes which had taken place
y this topsy.turvy New World of ours, during II
j. absence Of The traveller, was the appearance of
S very splendid mansion placed in a fine situate
n about half mile from the village, which it owe
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