Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-05-27
Is To
49, RAVENNA OHIO, MONDAY, MAY e. 1850:

lIh fIlNlN
cousin, on the plea Of hard necessity, T re
stricted bis supplies, and finally limite6hiu
to pittance, which only feeble .regar
!, for the memory Of our indulgent mothe
forced me to grant. 81
Oneiday-I remember, it well-he cam
|, to me with JOY depicted on his countenance
and displayed recent purchase, the fruit
of his forced economy. 1t was fine rifle
and he urged me to see him make trial o
the weapon. / rebuked him for his extray
agance with d sharpness which brough
tears into his,eyes-but I consented to wit
ness that trial His first shot entered th.
target. He loaded again and handed The
liweaPon to me. Ny bullet wa no where e
be found. Norman's second shot Tapped
his first. Mine was again wide from the
mark. Norman laughed thoughtlessly
Amy looked grave, for with woman.
quickness she had guessed at the truth oi
my feelings. I cut the scene short by sum.
moning them to their studies.-That NOR.
ming, Norman whose thoughts were with
his rifle. blundered in his mathematics, and
l rebuked him with more than my usual
asperity.
| Be it understood that my character stood
high with the world. I was distinguished
in public life, and had rare good fortune to
eonciliate both parties. / was a working
man in many charitable and benevolent So
cieties. was member of church, and
looked to as model of piety. AS hus-
band and brother, was held up as an
example. had SO large capital of char
| acter, could deal in crime to an unlimited
amount.
Some days after the occurrence Just re-
lated, I was alone with my brother in his
library.
sCome, Norman" said I, leave these stu
pid books. Surely it is poor business for
a young free heart like yours. Leave books
for old age and rheumatism.
Norman sprang up joyously. @With all
my heart, brother; Pm with you fora gal
lop or a ramble."
@I'm but poor horseman, and an indif-
ferent walker. What do you say to rifle
practice; l should like to try to mend my
luck"
Norman's rifle was in his hand in a mo-
ment, and whistling to bis favorite spaniel,
he sailed forth with me one bright sunshiny
autnmnal day. We hied to hollow in
| the wood where he had set up a target.
He made the first shot-a splendid one
and then reloaded the rifle.
@Take care" said he, chow you handle
the trigger, it an easy one-I am goffg to
have it altered" And be went forward to
FIX the target 6rmer in the ground. as his
shot had shaken it.
He was twenty PAGES off-his back to-
wards me. I lifted the rifle and covered
him with both sights. It was the work of
a moment. My hand touched the trigger.
A sharp report followed-the puff of blue
smoke whirled upward, and my brother fell
headlong to the ground. The bullet had
gone crashing to his skull. He never moved
A revulsion of feeling instantly followed.
All the love of former years-all the ten
der passages Of our beyhood rushed thro'
my brain in an instant. flew to him and
raised him from the earth. At sight of his
pale face beautifying in death, of his warm
bright locks dabbled in warm blood, 1
shrieked in despair. A mother bewailing
her first born could not have felt her loss
more keenly, or bewailed it more wildly
Two or three woodmen rushed to the spot.
They saw as they thought. the story at a
glance. One Of those accidents so common
to the careless use Of fire arms-and was
proverbially unacquainted with their use
had produced the catastrophy. We were
borne home, for had tainted, and was as
cold and lifeless as my victim. What pass
ed during day or two I scarcely remem-
Der. Something of strange people in the
house Of disconnected words of sympathy
-of coffn-a fnneral-a pilgrimage to
+ the woodland cemetery-where my wife
slept. are all the memory records of those
days. - -.
Then resumed the full possession of my
senses. Amy's pale face and shadowy form
were all that were left Of her-my brothers
seat at the table and 6reside were emty.
But his cloths, bis pictures, his riding cap
and spurs, thousand trifes scattered
round, called up his dead image to the frat
ricide. His dog left the house every morn
ing and came not back till evening.-One
day be was found dead in the grave yard
where his master had been laid.
Amy clung to me with despairing love.
She would talk of the lost one. She would
find every day In me some resemblance to
him. Perhaps she would have welded in
me the memory of the departed. But that
thought was too horrible.
Friends came to console with me. Every
word was barbed arrow I could bear it
no longer. Conscience stung me not with
madness, but confession. l repelled all
/ sympathy--I solicited denunciation. told
them twas my brothers murderer. I fore
ed my confession on every one who would
hear it. Then it became rumored- about
. that my fine mind" so they phrased ii
had given way beneath the weight of sor-
row. A physician of my acquaintance
made friendly visit, and shook his head
when he heard my story. One day this
gentleman invited me to ride in his carriage.
He left me here. Society believe me mad
that am not is to me miracle.
Oh, ye wise ones Of the earth-legisla-
tors Of the land would ye avenge the blood
that has been spent by violence, on the ruth
less murderer, would ye indict punishment
upon him, spare and slay him not. Take
down the gallows, and in its place erec'
YOUR prisons douhlv sfronr for there with