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

hN iolNA eAlliplubhnll NNNi Aagf hea n 7~Afa~.
Of plaie, drove a coach aud four. and attended
very regularly at church. Those who pretend
ed to know most of him however thought. though
they could not exactly tell Why, that there was
something odd or particular ubout him, they
could not exactly tell what, but supposed it origi'
mated in his being bachelor, with no one TO
control him md rich enough 10 do as he pleased.
All however pronounced him happy man, for
he had wherewilhal To buy everything he want
ed, and all wished themselves in his place
The only disscntienI was q sage old lady Of the
village, who would take pinch Of snuff, look
wise, shake her head and excIaim:-
"Well, don't know. see him every Sun.
day ut church, but somehow he looks 10 me Us If
he didn'I like TO hear the ten commandments
read; and noiiced-lor he sits right opposite
me-ihat he never makes any response 10 that
which saws Thou shalt do no murder"
This excited strange suspicious among her Ru'
diiors, who thereupun watched the rich gentle
man at church and sure enough II was as the old
woman said. There is a magnetic telegraph IN
every country village, pulsation Of news which
at the same instant seems TO pervade the entire
body polite. and from this time the eyes Of the
whole congregation were fixed on the gentleman,
lublcuu VI AllG llhloOus w OtiC NNNN9'S' wv l'
tor chose this commandment as his text, aud
dwell with eloquent lervor on the enormi'y Of
the crime as well as the guilty horror OF The per-
petralor. In ;he course Of his sermon he hap
pened to fix his eye on the gentleman and was
struck with the paeness OF his countenance,
which al the same Time exhibited an expression
of the deepest emotion. He attempted TO rise
as if TO leave the church, but sat down again,
leaned his head on his hands against the pew,
aud did not look up again till The service was
concluded. Being simple, kind-heared, be.
nevoent man, as became his calling, no shadow
of suspicion crossed his mind, and when next
day he heard that the gentleman had been seized
with sudden ndisposItion at church, he thought
no more Of The matter.
Our traveller, who had seen so much Of the
world and its inhabitants that he was not anxious
10 extend his acquaintance, neither sought nor
was sought by the owner of the splendid mansion
on the hill. Ii was some time before they met
and then accidentally. He had, without exactly
knowing why or wherefore. sci him down IN his
own mind as PurSe.proud, ostenaIous uPslarl,
but found 10 his surprise, and II may be added 10
his modification, that his conversation was agree
able and unaffected, and his department that ol
humility rather than pride. By degrees an n''
macy took place between them and they were
much together, insomuch that something approa'
ching to friendship gradually grew up between
them. At first the traveller saw nothing parlcu-
! lar in the conduct or department OF his new ac'
quain,ance, but as their intimacy increased he
came al length 10 noticethalh he would sometimes
nav often in the midst of a conversation on ordi'
nary subjects, give sudden start, gaze with a
! look of deep apprehension on vacancy and ap.
pear greatly uguated. Ii he saw himself obser.
we'd, he would ascrlbe il TO nervous affection
which sometimes came over him suddenly and
was the consequence Of fright in his youth.
The intimacy continued aud the friendly feel
! ing increased, when one day it so happened that
the traveller called at the splendid mansion and
entering, as was now his custom, without cere-
mony, found the gentleman was not in his usual
sting.room. Supposng he would soon return
he took up newspaper and falling on the Gala
| logue of accidents, crimes and wonders, with
which it is customary 10 regaIe the amateur, his
attention was arrested by lhe details OF The dis
covery of murder perperaIed many years age
and now brought 10 light by chain oi eXIraor
dinary circumstances. Some of these details
once more recalled 10 his recollection the nigh
scene AT the old fishlng-house, 10 which they bore
striking resemblance in more Than one parIlcu
lar, and he sat with the paper in his hand ponder
ing on the subject, when the gentleman came in
looking much disturbed and giving sudden star
as he saw him thus employed.
After the usual salulalions, the traveller took
occasion TO refer 10 The article in the newspaper
he held in his hand, and TO state its singular coin
cidence with an adventure which had happened
10 him MANY ears ago, Of which he related The
particulars, omitling, among other things he hat
forgotten, his warning exclamation As ne pro
ceeded the gentleman became greatly agated
and ere he had concluded, alter succession o
Iinetiectuol efforts to control his emouons, lei
J back in his chair, exclaiming In agony. "lher'
was another witness besides The AII-Seeing Eye
and that witness has comc!" The euaveller shud
/ dered with newly awakened conviction, ant
ringing for servant took his departure, amos
as much agitated as his friend. All that day am
almost all the succeeding night he pondered oil
the subject, tossed with conflicting feelings ant
doubling as to the course it became him TO pur
, sue toward a man whom he had cherished as
: friend, but who he was now convinced was stain
3 ed with deep, long concealed crime. lie coult
+ not doubt for a moment that this wretched man
the envy of all his neighbors, was the guilty &C
tor of the mysterious scene at the old fishing
house; and that, judging from the uncontroIIa
BILE emotions he had exhibited on the relation o
. the story, if publicly charged with his crime h
!. would render all other testimony unnecessary b.
!, betraying himself. If, however, he should b
e mistaken in this anticipation, he would be place.
}. in position equally painful and degrading, il
d coming forward with an accusation he could no
Il substanllale.
The next morning he learned that the gentle
n man had been suddenly taken i'll of return
G the nervous disorder TO which his servants nov
said he had been long subjected; that at times h
N exhibited symptoms of mental arrangement an
r. occasionally uttered strange exclamatlons, whIc
ohod,, could comprehend, but which seemed |