Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-07-17

that never dies, and shiver along the limbs
of Brown told but too plainly that he hae
stepped bis soul in blood. The fumes O
debauch arose like a mist upon his brai!
end he slept again. His wife now paie
her patient another visit, and finding all
working as it should, retired to her desc
late couch. Morning came, and the So
bercd farmer arose from his pillow of re-
morse. His face was haggard, his eyes
blood.shot, and his hair, like that of furies
seemed changed into serpcnts.
He said but little, and went out imme.
tiately after breakfast. His wife saw
him go up the hill side. She knew that
he lad gone to bury the dead body, and
she rejoiced to think that he would labor
in vain. Noon and night, and morning
came, but no husband approached the farm
house. Weeks rolled on, and John Brown
was seen no more on the hill side or in
his homely dwelling. His whistle was
hushed on the moor, and his football
awoke not the echoes of the forest way.
The stranger, in the meantime, recover.
ed; a justice Of the peace was sent for,
and affidavit was made of the facts in the
case. The murderous wretch was de-
scribed with fearful correctness, all-a!l
but the face. That was concealed by a
slouched hat, and could not be described.
The wife breathed again. With q wo-
mars wit she spoke but little of her hus-
bands absence, and when she alluded to
it, she spoke of it as an absence of short
duration, with her advice and consent.
The stranger, who proved to be a no.
blcman of wealth, endeavcred to cheer
the gloomy shades of the deserted wo-
mans heart, but it was a vain attempt.
There is no cure for blighted love, no
peace for rihed heart. God alone can
gladden. the widows's trial.
"You shall never want, Meg" said the
nobleman, as he sat by the farmers wife
few evenings after he was able to walk.
ID must go to London; business of im-
portance urges me there. When you are
in distress, one hint of the fact to me will
produce instant relief"
A carriage, with an Earl's coronent,
now drove up to the cottage door. The
wife. said nothing; she seemed to be lost
ia unfathoniable mystery
CIVIL you not accompany me my faith.
ful nurse!" said the strange, as he pre-
pared to depart from the dwelling Of char
liable love"
"Nay, SIR" said the wife, 81 cannot
suddenly leave the spot OF my early hope.
Here, sir was born; here | was mar
ried; on yonder green hillock danced
away the sorrows of childhood; in yon-
der little church, whose spire now CLEANS
in the dying sunlight, gave my guilty
spirit up to God. On yonde: plain sleep
my children; beside that old oak rest
father and mother, the first born and the
last upon the catalogue of life. Here, sir,
have smiled in JOY, and wept in sorrow,
and here will die"
Entreaties were in vain. She withstood
every kindness of her guest, and finally
accepted only a reasonable charge for his
board. As the Earl was about to take a
seat in the carriage, the deserted wife APP
preached him.
"Stranger guest" said she, with much
feeling, 81 have done you good service.
"You have" said lie, while tear OF
gratitude stole down his check.
"Will you do me one favor in returnF'
said she.
"Most certainly will I" said the Earl
"Then write upon this piece of vellum
what I shall dictate" said she with hur.
ried voice.
He took the pen and wrote as follows
circumstances have convinced ne
that an attempt to murder me on the night
OF the 10th of December, lS-, on Stone
Hill. Lincolnshire, would have been sue.
cessful had it not been for the kind inter.
ference OF John Brown and his wife, Of
Hopedale.
aThis paper is left as slight memorial
Of an event which time can never efiace
from my mind"
"JouN, EARL Or"
She read it over after he had signed it
"It will do said She "Now farewell"
The grateful Earl sprang into his seat
He threw his purse into her bosom.
Farewell" said he, in a husky voice
and away ratified his carriage with the
swiftness of the wind. The coronet flash
ed in the sunbeam, and the vehicle wa:
lost in the winding forest way.