Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-06-15

ed and on listening, the sound Of cautious
footsteps reached his car. In few moments
the door of the room opened, and two fig
ures, those of the landlord and son, stood
on the threshold.
Keep the lamp back p mutterod the ia
Their in a low voice.
What have we to fear 7 said the Young
man eve are two against one besides. he
has only a small knife with him, and he is
sleeping soundy hear him snore.'
Do what tell YOU" said the father an
grily; do you wish TO awaken him would
you have him alarm the neighborhood i"
I The horse dealer, mortified with the spec
tace, remained motionlcss under the bed
scarcely daring TO breathe. The son shut
the door after him and the wrctches APP
preached the bed on tiptoe.
An instant aitcrward the bed was shook
BY convulsivc motion, and stihed cry OF
pain confirmed the foreboding that the I'M
happy man in the bed had had his throat
cut After short pause of most awful ST.
encc, the landlord said
" 1t is all over Look for the money"
81 have found it under the pillow" ex-
claimed the SON. it is is lcathern belt and
pockct-book."
The murderers disappeared
Everything being now quiet, the travel
Ter crept from under the bed, jumped out
of the window, and then fastened to the
adjoining town to inform the authorities
what had happened.
The mayor Immediately assembled the
military, and in less than three quarters OF
an hour the inn was surrounded by soldiers
who had been summoned to arrest the MUIR
derers The whole house seemed buried in
profound silence; but on approaching the
stables they heard noise. The door was
Immediately broken in, and the landlord
and his son were seen busily engaged in dig
ging pit. AS soon as the murdercrs saw
the horse dealer they both uttered a loud
cry of horror, covered their faces with their
hands and fell to the ground.
This was neither from repentance, nor
the fear of punishment, but they thought
they saw before them the ghost of the muir
dered man, notwithstanding they heard him
speak There was some trouble in convin-
cling them to the contrary. They were then
bound and led to the clubhouse where the
horrible deed was committed anxious to see
HOW tllc enigma WOulu DC SOIVeu.
The prisoners appeared tolerably colec-
ted, at least calm and suilen, but when, or
entering the room, they perceived the body
which lay on the bed, the son fell to the
floor and the father threw himself on it
with loud lamentations, clasped the bloody
corpse, and exclaimed desparingly--
My son my son J, thy father, am thy
murderer"
The murdered man was the youngest son
of the host. Drunkenness was the only
fault this young man had and this night
instead of being as his father and brother
supposed, in his own bed, he had gone ou
secretly and been carousing with some o
his companions at the ale-housc. Soon be
coming sufficiently inebriatcd aud icarin;
his fathers anger, if he appeared before
him in that state, he intended 10 pass tn,
night in the detached clubhouse as he hac
often done before His companions haC
accompanied him thither, and helped hin
to climb up to the window-thc rest require
no further explanation.
Nor do we need to add that the murde
rcrs cXpiated their crime with their lives
and that the horse dealer, although saved
and again in possession of his plunderec
property, still shuddcrs at the recollection
of that fearful night