Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-12-22
THE SOLDIERS WIFE.


Like halo shall circle his well earned fame.
THE SOLDIERS WIFE.
One Of the most striking cases of presence of
mind, and selfpossession ever recorded, came to
light in trial which took place some time since
in Ireland. A woman travelling along road to
ion her husband who was soldier, and quar-
tered at Athlone, was joined by peddler, who
was going the same way. They entered into
conversation during walk ofsome hours-but
as the day began to wane, they agreed that they
should stop for the night at some house Of en-
tertainment-and pursue their pedestrian jour
ney the next day. They reached an humble inn
situated in lonely spot by the road side-and
fatigued after long days walk, they were glad
to find themselves under the shelter of roof.
Having refreshed themselves with the sub
stantial supper before them, they expressed a
wish silently to retire. They were shown into
the travellers room, and went to rest in their
respective beds. The pedder, before retiring,
had called the landlord aside, and given into
his keeping the pack which he had unstrapped
from his back, till morning, telling him that it
contained n considerable amount of money, and
much vauble property. They were not long
in before the peddler fell into sound sleep but
the poor woman, perhaps from over fatigue or
from thoughts of seeing her husband next day,
10y awake.
A couple of hours might have passed, when
she saw the door slowly opened, and a person
slowly entered, holding light, which he screen
ed with his hand. She instantly recognized in
him one of the young men she had seen below
son to the landlord. He advanced with a
steathy step to the bed side of the peddler, and
watched him for few seconds. He then went
out and entered with his brother, and father,
who held in his hand a large pewter basin.-
They went on tp-toe to the bed side, where the
pedlar lay in deep sleep.
One of the young men drew out knife, and,
while the father held the basin so as to receive
the blood, he cut the poor victim from ear to
ear. A slight, half audible groan, and all was
still, save the cautious movements of the party
engaged in the fatal deed They had brought
in with them large sack, into which they
thrust the unresisting body The poor woman
lay silently in her bed, fearing her turn would
come next. She heard low mutterings among
the men, from which she soon gathered that
they were debating whether they should MUIR
der her too, as they feared that she might have
it in her power to betray them.
One of them said that he was sure she was fast
asleep and there was no occasion to trouble
themselves more-but to make sure of this be-
ing the case, one came to her bedside, with the
candle in his hand, and the other with his knife
She kept such perfect command over herself, as
not to betray in her countenance any sign that
she was conscious of what was going on. The
candle was passed close to her eyes-the knife
was drawn across, close to her throat-she new
er winched, or showed by any movement of fea.
ture or of the limb, that she apprehended dan.
ger. So the men whispered that she was sound.
ly asleep, that nothing was to be feared from
her, and went out of the room, removing the
sack which contained the murdered man.
How long must this night of horror have
seemed to that poor lone woman? How fright.
fu was its stiffness and darkness? The pres.
ence of mind which had 50 astonishngly ena.
bled her to act part to which she owed her
life, sustained her all through the trying scenes
which she had yet to pass. She did not hurry
from her room at an unusual early hour but
waited till she had heard all the family astir fol
some time. She then went down, and said she
believed she had oversight herself, in conse
quencc of being greatly tired. She asked
where the peddler was, and was told that he wa:
in too great hurry to wait for her, but that he
had left a sixpence to pay for her breakfast.
She sat down copposedly TO that meal, ant
forced herself to partake with apparent appetite