The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-04-12

hear ms-uow ] will recount to you The
plan have decided upon after monshs Of
thought
The night had passed, aud the rays o.
tho sun were streaming Ii The widow
when every particular Of the plan wss de-
veloped 10 the listener, and approved al By
him. The compact wss closed, and every
detail entered into, thoroughly discussed
and agreed upon. Merton received Ave
hundred dollars ~ preliminary to wis,
He was To receive after The evening"
bloody deed had been psrpetraicd.
Having arranged every thing TO their mu-
tual satisfaction, James took his departure.
He gained the street, and stood for some
time on the pavement gazing lis,lcasly a.
round, and thinking where he should 20 in
order 10 pass off the day in Tho most pleas.
urable manner ill the evening should ar.
rive. As he stood there whisiling popu.
lat !stave. his mind tnn over the Incidents
Of the previous evening. and thence upon
the extreme urgency with which bis broth
er Charles had solicited him 10 accompany
him home. Il believe I will walk down to
the house, and zee how the old woman is
getting: might as we'll pass Of the time
this way ~ any othcr.' And saying these
words, he slowly saun.ered down tho Bow
cry. As he walked along he met several
acdnaintances. With ono he mnde an
agreement, 10 play ofbilinrds that evening
o, nine o'clock. knowing we'll tha, he could
not do il, hut this he did to allay all suspi-
cion, should any attach itself 10 him % the
perpetra,or ii the murder which he had
hound himseIfto coaimi, tina, night. With
another acquaintance b. agreed 10 visit
the horse rnce on tho Monday following
and another, who WINS more of a voluptuarv
than a gnmcster. he promised to accompa-
nv that evening 10 I,anse Of ill.fame.
Thus visiting acquaintance; and entering
into some agreement with cach,--which he
did not intend I" ful6l--he saun,ered along
till he entered Norfolk street, and reached
his home. Wi,houi tarrying ct the door.
he entered. The room was darkened, and
all was silent in the house. He stond CT
several minutes with his hack ncnr the win.
dow; and linking around tho little apart
'ncnt wondering whnt il all meant: when
turning suddenly around, he beheld the
pale face Of his mother turned upward from
her coffin, just beneath hi. gaze. lie start.
cd MT, but folding his srms in silence, be
calmly looked upon tho pale features. Com
posed in death thew were. with the benign
exprcssion which he had lonked upon from
his infancy, still fixed in death: and the
eys-was closed forever. For several
minutes 10 s,ood fixed and marble.like, "a.
zing upon the fea,ures Of his parent, and
then his breast heavcd, and be burst into
tenrs.
Reader, the rest of our recital,-for il il
trne and cannot bs termed iale-is soou
told. That very day Charles Merton might
be seen hurr,ing up the s,eps in froni ii =
fins hoose in Waverly Place. lie rang
tho hell, and was ushered into the presence
ri the gamesseS with whom his brother
James bud that mornng formed the bl0odv
compsct. We will not record what was
done by the parties, suffice i, 10 say that
Charles returned him the Eve hundred dol.
lars which his broihcr had received, shd
then iook his departure.
II YOU wish 10 SEQ these two brothers,
you will find tho reformed James every
Sunday morning in the pulpit of large
church q the North end Of New York city.
larry By MI means till your hcart nellie
With the influence Of his vigorous, burning
elnQuence.
The excellent, tho Godlike, Charles Mer.
ton, il officiating in the same holy capacity
NJ Albany, New York. lie il still noted
for the chld.like simplicity ii his charsc.
ter, and Tor his true christian piety. II
ever God in his infinite mercy made no
BILE and good man, he did il when be form.
ed Charles Merton; and We are thankful
that he numbers ~ among bic friends
Thus clMes our sketch.
MoRRow, Ohio, Jan., l640.
N