Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-07-05


of my sisters nature seemed to have passed
into me, and unless he had prevented me
by force, no other means would have had
any effect, he gave way to me at last-an-
grily-and the night came on and found me
sitting by the bedside Of my dear sister.
How beautiful she looked! Her face,
still with the gentle mark of sorrow on il,
that had in lille, looked so grand! She was
SO great, so pure; she was like goddess
sleeping; she IVES no, like mere women
Of this earth. She did no. seem TO be dead;
there was life s6ou. her yet, for there was
still The look Of power, and Of human sym
psthy tha. she used 10 have when alive
The soul was there still and love and
knowledge.
BY degrees a strange feeling Of her living
presence in her room came over me. A.
lone, in the still midnight, with no sound,
person near me, it seemed as if ] had lei.
sure end power 10 pass into the world be-
yond the grave. feI. my sister near me !;
] felt the passing Of her life abou, me, as
when one sleeps, but still is conscious that
another life lie weaving in with ours. 1t
seemed as if her breath felt warm on nv
u
the darkness at me as if | held her hands
in mine, and her long hair foa.ed round
my forehead. And then to shake off these
fsucies, and convince myself that she was
really dead. looked again q, her lying
there . marble corpse, ice cold, with the
lips Sc. and rigid, snd The death band be-
meath her chin. There she was stiff in her
white shroud, the snowy linen pressing so
tightly on her, no life within, no warmth
about her, and ell my iancies were vain
dresms. Then ! buried my face in my
hands, sud wept as if my heart was break
ing. And when ] turned my eyes away
from her; the presence came around me a.
gain. So long as ] watched her j, was no.,
there saw The corpse only; bu! when ]
shut this out from me, i, seemed as if bar
rier had been removed, and that my sister
foaied near me again.
! had been praying, sitting thus in these
alternate feelings Of her spiritual presence
and her bodily death, when raising my
head and looking toward the father corner
Of The room, saw. standing al some little
distance, my slstes Ellen. ! saw her distinct
ly as you may see your red FIRE blaze. Sad.
" and lovingly her dark eyes looked q,
me, sadly her gentle lip smiled, and by look,
and gesture TOO, she showed that she wish
ed to speak to me. Strange, | was no,
frightened. Ii was so natural to see her
there, aud for the momen. forgo, she was
dead, "Elen," said !, "whst is i,:'
The figure smiled. 1t came nearer
Oh saw j. was fancy! saw i. advance;
i, came glidingIy I remember after .hs, i.
did no, walk-but i, came forward-,o The
Iigh. and stood not ten PAGES from me. il
looked ., me still, in the same sad, gentle
way, and somehow ! do no, know with
the hand OF by the turning Of the head
showed me The throat, where were The dis
'inc' marks Of two Powerful hands. And
then j. pointed 10 its heart, and looking, |
saw The broad stain Of blood above it. And
then ] heard her voice, ! swear | was no,
mad heard it, ] say 10 you distinctly :;
whisper softly. "Msry" an! i, said sill
more sudibIy, "Murdered :"
And then the figure vanished, and sud-
denly the whole room was vacant. The
one dread word had sounded as If forced
out by some strong sgony like man re-
vesIing bis l'te's secret when dying. And
when it had been spoken, or rather walled
forth, there was sudden sweep and chilly
rush through the cir, end The life, the soul,
presence fed. was alone again with
death. The mission had been fulfilled The
warning had been given! and then my sis
Ter passed away, for her work with earth
was done.
Brave and calm as the strongest man that
ever fought on battle field, stood up be-
side my sisters body. unfasened her
last dress, and threw II back from her ches,
and shoulders !; / raised her head and took
off its bsndsge from round her face and
then ] saw deep black bruises on her throat,
The marks Of hands .ha. had grsppled her
from behind, and that he'd s,rsngled her.
And then looked further, sn6 ] saw a
small wound below the lef. breast, abou,
which hung two or three elo,s Of blood,
tho, had oozed up despite oll care and know
ledge in her manner Of murder. ! knew
then that she had frs, been suffocated, 10
preven. her screams, end then stabbed where
the wounds bled inwsrdly, snd show no
signs to the mere by-stsndei.
l covered her up carefully again. I laid
the pillow smooth and straight, and laid
The heavy head gently down. drew the
shroud close above The dreadful mark Of
murder. And lhen-slill as calm and reso-
lu,e as had ever been since The revelation
had come to mel left the room and pass
ed into my husbands study. I. was on me
TO discover oil The truth.
His writing table was locked. Where
my strength came from / knew not; but,
with chisel .ha. was lying on Tho table,
] priced the drawer aud broke the lock. II
opened it. There was long slender dag.
ger lyins there, red With blood a h,udful