Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-19
EVENING STAR,
TIL E SO L DIE RS WIFE
A Thrilling Sketch

i
of mind and self possession of which we have
any 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 believe it quite true. A woman travelling
along road to join her husband, who was 3
soldier, and quartered at Athlone, was Joined
| by pedler, who was going the same way
They entered into conversation during a wall
| of some hours; but as the day began 10 want
they agreed that they should stop for the
night at house of entertainment, and pursue
their pedestrian journey the next day. They
reached an humble inn, situated in a lonely
| spot by the road side, and fatigued after q
| long days walk, they were glad to find them
selves under the shelter of a roof. Having
refreshed themselves with the substantial sup,
per set before them, they expressed wish to
| retire They were shown into the travellers
room, and went to rest in their respective
beds. The pedIer, before retiring. had calle
the landlord aside and given into his keeping
the pack, which he had unstrapped from his
back, till the morning, telling him that it con-
tanned considerable sum Of money and much
valuable property. They were not long in
bed before the pedler fell into a sound sleep !:
but the poor woman, perhaps from oyer-fa-
| ugue, or from thoughts Of meeting her hus-
band next day, lay awake. A couple of hours
might have passed when she saw the door
light, which he screened with his hand She
| instantly recognized in him one of the young
men she had seen bel0w-son to the landlord
lie advanced with stealthy step to the bed
side of the pedler, and watched him for few
| seconds He then went out, and entered
again with his brother and bis father, who
held in his hand large pewter basin. They
went on tiptOe to the bedside, where the ped
ler lay in a 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 victims throat from ear to ear
slight, half-audible groan, and all was still,
save the cautious movements of the party en-
gagged 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 fearing
that her turn would come next. She heard
low muttering among the men from which she
soon gathered that they were debating whether
they should murder her too; as they feared
she might have it in her power to betray
them.
One Of them said that ne was sure that she
was fast asleep, and that there was no occa-
sion to trouble themselves more; but to make
sure Of this being the case one came to the
bedside With candle in his hand, and the
other with knife She kept her eyes closed
as if asleep, and had such complete command
over herself, as not to betray in her counte-
nance any sign that she was conscious Of what
was going on. The candle was passed close to
her eyes; the knife drawn across close to her
throat, she never wirked nor showed by any
movement Of feature or Of limb, that she ap-
pretended danger. So the men whispered
that she was soundly asleep-that nothing was
to be feared from her, and they went out Of
the room, removing the sack which contained
the body Of the murdered man. low long
| must that night of horror nave seemed to the
poor lone woman-hOw frightful was its still
ness and darkness. The presence of mimi
which had so astonishingly enabled her to
act part to which she owed her life, sus-
| tanned her through all the trying scenes which
she had yet to pass She did not hurry from
her room at un unreasonable hour, but waited
until she heard all the family astir for some
time she then went down, and said she be-
lieved she had oversight herself in conse-
quence Of being tired. She asked where the
pedler was, and was told that he was in too
great hurry to wait for her, but that he had
left sixpence 20 pay for her breakfast
She sat down composedly to that meal, and
forced herself to partake with apparent appe-
| tite Of the food set before her. She appeared
unconscious Of the eyes which, with deep scru-
| tiny, were fixed upon her. When the meal
| was over, she took leave of the family, and
| went on her way without the least appearance
OF diGomposure or mistTust. She had pro-
OoSuSu uuS cuOIl way "Icu Sne was lOlned
| by two strapping looking women. One look
| was sufficient to convince her that they were
| the two young men, and one thought assured
her that she was yet in their power, and On
| the very verge Of destruction. They walked
| by her side, entered in conversation, asked her
where she was going, and told her that their
road lay the same way. They questioned her
| as to where she had lodged the night before,
| and made most minute inquiries about the
family inhabiting the house Of entertainment.
| Her answers were quite uIembaTrassed, and
she said the people Of the house appeared to
be decent and civil, and had treated her very
well. For two hours the young men contin-
| ued by her side, conversing with her, and
watching with the most scrutinizing glance.
| any change in her countenance, and asking
| questions which, had she not been fully self
possessed, might have been put of her guard.
| 1t was not till her dreaded companions had
| left her, and till she saw her husband coming
along the road to meet her, that she lost hel
| self-cOmmand which she had so successfully
exercised, and throwing herself into his arms
tainted away.
| LIGHTNING IN THE SANCTUN.-The office oI
Il III tol last