The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-02-11

tanned so great a mastery over him as 10
persuade him 10 commit the forgery for
which they were both subsequently, tried
and acquitted. After this she was, o.
course, homeless and charac,erless, her
gull; had been too evident to admit Of any
doubt, and it was very we'll known .ha,
her life had only been saved by some flaw
in the Indictment; no wonder, then, she
found it impossible to obtain any situation
In this position she thought OF her broth.
or, She knew that he was most merciful
and forgiving, and though that if she could
only persuade him OF her innocence OF
the crime for which she had been tried. he
might receive her again. This after a
time he consented to do, on condition that
she changed her name, so tina, she might
not be recognized as the heroine OF the
celebrated forgery cass. This proviso.
however, reasonable as it was. angered her
greatly, but she affected to be grateful, and
after her brother broke up his comfortable
house in Yorkshire and went to Worchss-
ter, she followed him in the capacity Of
houss-keeper. Two years afterwards an
anonymous letter, informing him of hi,
sister Fanny's dangerous illness, reached
the kind surgeon. Without saying any
thing to Martha. no went to the place to
which he was directed. just in time to see
his dear sister before she died, and to un.
dertake the charge Of her infant. He
learned then for the first time, that her hus-
band was dead, and that his family had
refused to receive her. After the funeral,
Mr.. Steele entrusted the child 10 the care
of the woman who had nursed her mother.
and some weeks after he received the in
fant from her in his own surgery; while to
battle the suspicious of Martha, (now cal.
led Alice Sharpe to whom he had said
nothing of Fanny's illness and death, and
TO whom he dared not intrust the secret,
he deposited tho baby, the bank note and
the letter at his door.
But Martha was not long deceived
The likeness to her sister was so strong in
the child's infant features. that her suspi.
cions wsrs soon awakened, and her broth
er's tenderness to his protege, although
carefully concealed, speedily confirmed
them. She was, however, too wary to sui.
fer her knowledge of his secret to be dis
covered by the surgeon, and she revenged
herself for the silence she was obliged to
maintain, and her previous disappoint.
msnt, by harshness to tho unoifen nding
Miriam. But after time new fear
sprang up in her mind, and she dreaded
lest Mr.. Steele, whose health had already
begun to fail, should at his death bequath
all his property TO the poor, forloru little
child. This fear she communicated to-
her cousin George, who had followed her
TO Worcester. and, by aid of false refer.
cncs, obtained employment in lawyers
office; and then commenced the diabolical
system of slow poisoning. which wore her
brothers. life away atom by atom, and
finally ended by destroying it.
Previous to his death, however, she in.
troduced George into his room as a strsn-
ger, and prevailed upon the dying man TO
make a will in her favor, which he willing
ly did, having another form, ready prepar-
ed for his signature, which gave everything
to his niece This he contrived to exc.
cute during Marhs's absence, the night
before his death, in the presence of stone
masons who were working in the yard,
and it was this which he inclossd in let.
ter to Miriam, explaining her parentage.
and which after his death was stolen from
her by Martha Of the fire, also, the mis-
cradle man gave full account. II had
been planned and executed by Martha,
partly from revenge and jealousy Of her
husbands admiration of Miriam, and part
ly that she might. by her conviction. get
rid of her forever.
All this, and much more, George Steele
confessed upon his death.bed; and ss. but
for his sudden cowardice, which had caus.
ed so great diversion in her favor, that
poor girl must have been found guilty upon
the strong circumstantial evidence brought
against her. have ever looked with fear
and suspicion upon any verdict sentencing
to death upon testimony so liable to inter.
polation, misconstruction, and falsehood