Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-01-22
The Fatal secret.


An aged man, without an enemy in the
world, in his own houses, and his own bed is
made the victim of butcherly murderer, for
mere pay. Deep sleep has fallen on the des-
tined victim, and on all beneath the roof. A
healthful old nan 10 whom sleep was sweet
the first sound slumbers of the night held
him in their soft but strong embrace. The
assassin enters, through the window already
prepared, into an unoccuped apartment
With noiselcss foot he PAGES the lonely hall,
halflighted by the moon; he winds up the as
cent of the stairs, and reaches the door of
the chamber. Of this, he moves the lock, by
soft and continued pressure, till it turns on
its hinges without noise; and he enters and
beholds his victim before him. The room
was uncommonly open TO the admission of
light. The face the innocent sleeper was
turned from the murderer, and the beams of
the moon, resting on the gray locks of his
aged temple, showed him where to strike.-
The fatal blow is given! and the victim pass
es, without a struggle or motion, from the
ropose of sleep to the repose of DEATH 1t is
the assassins purpose TO make sure work; and
he yet plies the dagger, though IT was OBJ
vous that life had been destroyed by the
budgeon. lie even raised the aged arm,
that be may not fail in his aim at the heart,
and replaces it again over the wounds ofthe
ponardl TO finish the picture, he explores
the wrist for the pulse! He feels for it, and
ascertains that it beats no longer! II is ae-
c1mpshed. The deed is done He retreats,
retraces his steps 10 the window, passes out
through it as he came in, and escapes He
has done the murder--no eye has seen him,
40 ear has heard him. The secret is his own
and il is safe!
All! gentlemen, that was a dreadful ms
take. Such secret can be safe DO where
The whole creation of god has neither nook
nor corner, where the guilty can bestpw it,
and say il is safe. Not to speak of that eye
which giances through all DISCUSSES, and be-
hold everything, as in the spiendor of noon,
such secrets IL guilt are never safe from de-
tcrtion even by men. True il is, generally
speaking, that murder without True it is,
that Providence hath so ordained, and doth
so govern things, That those who break the
great law of heaven, by shedding mans blood,
seldom succeed in avoiding discovery rs
pecially, IN case exciting so much attention
as this, discovery must come andwill come,
sooner or later. a thousand eyes turned at
once to explore every man, every thing, eve
ry circumstance, connected with the time
aud place; a thousand ears catch every whs-
per; a thousand excited minds intensely dwell
on the scene, e,sheddinga all their highland read,
to kindle the slightest circumstance into a
blaze of discovery. Meantime, the guilty
soul Cannot keep its own secret 1t is false
to itself 1t labors under lis guilty possess
ion, and knows not what to do with il. rhe
humun heart was not made for the residence
of such uu iuhabitant. Ii finds it~elf preyed
OF by torment which it daros not acknowl.
cdtc 10 God or man. A vulture is devouring
it, ulid 10 can osC no sympathy or assistance,
either i-om Acnycn or cafth. The secret
which tte murderer possesses soon comes TO
POSSESS him; and, Ike tne evil spirits OF which
we read it overc3mes him. aud leads him
wAeiesoayor it viii. lie fcelsit beating al
his heart rising 10 his throat, and demandmg
Disclosure. lie thinks tic whole world sees
It in his face, reads it in bis eyes, and almost
hears It's workings in tie very silence Of his
thoughts. 1t has become his master. 1t be-
trays his discretion, it breaks down lis cour-
age, II conquers his prudence. When sus-
picion from without, begin to embarruss him,
the fatal secret struggles with still greater
violence 10 burst forth. 1t must be confessed,
a. t0Ht be confessed: there is no refuge from
confession but suicide, and suicide is confes
sion = Daniel Webster.