Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-11-04


the attention Of enc who carefully regarda
them. The chain upoa which they WEI
strung was Of gold, and the end we,sE.
nected by curiously const lei 1ssfi
which was much larger than ~ feoiI Ifsi :
lock them together. There M sy. l,eE
in the under side, and the jeVell held
little key that just fitted this II lis. hand
It was an elegant and expensive ofnamen,
for the neck Of the one fer whom is itidesivp.
ed-Miss Watson, the betrothed Bride q
Lerd DeleFan, and the same lady who had
rejected the suit Of the jewelsr, Nr. Wilton.
To lock upsn it, il Appealed as harmless
as any ornament made BY Jose If his pre.
fession, but nevertheless, it was 1. ie6Sd Z
aterribls instrument Of death and vengeance.
Aye, An &instrumento Of desth, and all TOD
soon did that simple string sfbeads prove as
fatal IN its power as the guillotine
IA hap laughed the maker Of it as he
held it up to the light; Lord Delevan was
really fortunate in engaging me to manufac.
ture bis wife's wedding gifts-his gifts t.
her, Of which this is part They are to be
married tomorrow evening, and probably
look forward to years of happiness with each
other but, unless this bauble bellies nv
skill and for the purpose for which it was
MADE, IN less than twenty four hours from
that time she viii be corpse trust /
shall be able to escape, after the deed is
done l shall be present at the wedding,
and hepe to have the satisfaction of seeing
those beads upon her neck
he paused in his soliloquy, and placing
the jewels IN caskst with few others in,
tended for Lord Delevan, he rose and moved
to the door, as if to depart, muttering-
- de-msrrow night-ts-morrew .night ?
Inc following night arrived and at the
appointed hsur of nine.a large party were
assem- bled in the drawing-room Of Watsep's
mansion, situated in Berkeley Square. Lon.
den-ts witness the marriage Of his only
daughter to Lord Delevan.
The Jeweller was there, accompanied by a
friend, and strange was the CLEAN IN his
eye as he saw the bride enter, wearing the
fatal beads. She was attended by the one
she had loved fondly and we'll
we need net pause to detail the events
u the hour in which hands were united
snere love had united hearts, as they can
readily be imagined
70 you observe these beads p asked the
eweller of his friend, as the friends Of tho
lappy couple crowded around them at the
lose OF the ceremony
The ether nodded affirmatiyely.
They will render her cold and stiff in
cath ere the merning sun shines upon
london I continued Wilton, with peculiar
mphasls. and o smile Of Internal triumph
leuded his face.
The other was too much surprised to no.
y, and he'went On
ling tsp IS prepared for my flight, aad,--rss
ian an hour u shall be withops the limits :
the city. :
But what power does that bauble pes :
So p
! Lock in the morning papers and yeu
Ill probably find your answer under the
lad Of errid murder I" This is all the
formation l have to impart at present.
ust hasten away.
With these words the heartless william
lied the hand Of his friend, and the next
cement was gone
The hours rolled on.
The guests had departed, the family had
stirred to rest, and the newly welded hus-
and and wife were asleepA locked in each
theirs arms upon a magnificent couch
Beautiful, oh how beautiful did that young
ride appear az she lay there in the sweet
leep Of innocence and love. Her rich, dark
lair was disheyeled in pleasing disorder 2,
,ound her delicate outlined shoulders ana
bosom, as white as winters mantle OF snow
her head was pillowed confidently upon ms
,rms. while her wsrm sweet lips we're still
PRESSED upon his cheek, and smile Of hap
piuess and love rested upon every llneament
Of her lovely countenanee.
She was dreaming, and more than once
did she nurmur the name Of her husband,
in tones of inefable affection.
A quick, sharp, eminious click, IN the IN
terror of tho heart that connected the string
Of beads around her neck, suddenly disturb
ed the silence that reigned ever the scene,
but it did net awaken the fair sleeper whose
life was now in such imminent peril.
A moment passed, and then the sound,
which seemed like that produced BY the
hurried movement Of the wheels Of clock,
was repeated.
At the self.same instant 3 cry Of anguish
and pain partly escaped the lips Of the young
wife, but it sson died away in an indistinct
murmur
The deed ofYengeance had begun. A Sc
ries Of wheels inside the heart were set 10
motion by curious spring, and these swift
" revolved winding up the chain upon
which the beads were placed, and Tightening
| it around the victims neck
1t was an internal contriyance, and fatal
was its effects, fer round and round went
these small but powerful wheels, tighter yet
became the pressure Of the fatal chain until
the maiden could net speak or breathe.
We will not dwell upon the painful scene
4 In ten minutes from the moment the
wheels began to move, the bride lay dead
beside her husband, stranglsd BY the rata
| gift 49,,
The nurderous jeweller was betrayes
pursued and arrested upon the fslieWini
q day. and seen atoned for his crime upon tn
4 scaffsld Such was the last act IN the TRACE
II Of the jewellers revenge.
~>-@~--o-~~~~-
II nfA woman has her husbands forum
in her power, because she may, Or she ma
net, IS she pleases, conform t. his circu1
stances. This is her first duty, and It Ougi
to Be her pride. Ne passion for luxury
/ display ought Tor moment to tempt ner
) deyiate in the least degree frem tins lne