Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1856-10-23
The so wife.
ruprLrrS ksr.

which we have n recollection, came to
light on a trial which took place some
years since in Ireland. The story looks
like a fiction, but we have reason TO be-
lieye il true.
A woman in travelling along a road to
Join ~hes4rusband, who was a soldier and
at Athlone, was joined by a
who was going the same way.
They entered into conversation duringa
walk of some hours, but as the day began
to wane, they agreed that they should
stop at a house of entertainment, and pur-
sue their pedestrian journey the next day.
They reached an humble inn, situated in
a lonely spot by the roadside, and fatigued
after a long days walk, they were glad
TO find themselves under the shelter of a
roof. Having refreshed themselves by
the substantial supper set before them,
they expressed a wish to retire. They
were shown into the travellers room, and
went 10 rest IN their respective beds. The
pedlar, before retiring, had called the
ianalord aside, and given into his keeping
his pack, which he had u~nstrapped from
his back, till morning, telling him that il
contained a considerable sum Of money,
and much valuable property, They were
not long in bed before the pedlar fell into
a sound sleep; but the poor woman, per-
haps from fatigue, or from thoughts of
meeting her husband next day, lay awake.
A couple of hours might have passed,
when she saw the door slowly opened, a a
person entered, holding a light, which he
screened with his hand. She instantly
recognized in him one Of the young men
she had seen below-son to the landlord.
He advanced with sieaithy step 10 the
bedside of the pedlar, and watched him
for a few seconds. He then went out,
and entered again with his brother and
father, who held in his hand a large pew
ter basin. They went on tiptoe to the
bed where the pedlar lay in a deep sleep.
One Of the young men drew out a knife,
and while the father laid the basin so as
to catch the blood, he cut the poor victims
throat from ear to ear. A slight, half
audible groan, and all was still save the
cautious movements of those engaged in
the fatal deed. They had brought in
with them a large sack, into which they
quickly thrust the unresisting body. The
poor woman lay silently in her bed, fear
ing that her turn would come next. She
heard low mutterings among the men,
from whom she soon gathered that they
were debating whether they should muir.
der her toe, as they feared she might
have it in her power<o-betray them.
One of them said that he was sure she
was fast asleep, and that there was nc
occasion to trouble themselves more; Blu
to make sure of this being the case, one
came to the bedside with the candle in hi.
hand, and the other with a knife. She
kept her eyes closed as if IN sleep, ant
had such complete 6mmand over herself
as not to betray in her ~countenance any
sign that she was conscious of what wa'
going on. The candle was placed close
to her eyes, the knife drawn across close
to her throat she never WINGED, or show,
ed by any movement of feature or of liml
that she apprehended danger. So the
men whispered that de was sound asleep
that nothing was to be feared from her
and they went u of the room, removing
the sack which contained the body of thu
murdered man. How long must tina
night of horror have seemed to the poo
lone woman-how frightful was its still
ness and darkness! The presence O
i mind which had SO astonishingly enabled
her to act a part to which she owed he
t life, sustained her through all the trying
scenes which she had yet to pass. Sht
did not hurry from her room at an un
s~easonable hour, but waited until sh,
heard all the family astir for some time
she then went down and said she believed
; she had oversight herself in consequence,
of being greatly tired. She asked wher,
the pedlar was, and was told hat he wa
in too great a hurry to wait for her, bu
that he had left sixpence to pay for he
, breakfast.
She sat down composedly to that meal
and forced herself to partake with an APP
; parent appetite of the food set before her
She appeared unconscious of the eye
which with deep scrutiny We're fixed upol
her. When the meal was over she tool
leave of the family and went on her wa,
; without the least appearance of discom
4 posture or mistrust. She had ~proceede,
> but a short way when she was Joined b
r two ~strapping looking women. One looI
was sufficient to convince her that the,
were two young men, and one thought I
convince her that she was yet In thei
, power, and on the verge Of destruction
r They walked by her side, entered int
A conversation, asked her where she wa
going, and told her hat their road lay tn
a same way; they questioned her as t
where she had lodged the night before
and made most minute inquiries about tn
family inhabiting the house of entertain
It ment' HeT answers were quite unem
barrassed, and she said the people of tn
r house had appeared to be decent an
II evil, and had treated her very well. Fo
e two hours the young men continued b
her side conversing with her, and watch
ing with the most scruiinizing glance
any change in her countenance, and ask