Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-05-16

all her wardrobe, and that was married ~ Tue
place sikh Did ] even in my sleep, build
scheme, Of what | would do with the money
That my dead mistress might enrich me with
No as hone for heaven, and to meet dear Jo-
seph. with all my womans vanity, had wo-
mans heart too, beating true and warm, and !
thought no shadow Of evil. told them SO In
court, where all looked black against me, and
they believed me even there. But in that morn
ing, late, when the sun was shining fnll upon
the window, and the noise Of the people going
about their daily wok was full and clear, saw
frishtful sight, ghosily horror tina, the day
but served 10 make more hideus and unnatural
my mistress murdered in her bed No an
swer when ] knocked again no answer. The
curtains at the bedside we're close drawn, but
through the open shutters frery flood of light
fell red upon the carpet and the curtains--ay,
and on the corner of the snow white connier-
pane, red also. Il was blood thought there
had been rain of blood upon the handles Of
the drawers, upon the toilet cover, on the dress
ing case, upon the towels in the basin-every-
where where the murderer's hands had been
after deadly work and in bed dare not
look in bed, but in that great swing glass,
/ WutlG 1 Ndu utthtu NybGit Jul a lew hNulS
ago, saw it all, and every mirror in the room
was pictnring the same sight--ihere lay the
corpse, the murdered woman with her gaping
throat
They thought at first that was murdered
too, lying so stiff and cold in that death cham
Der answered nothing 10 their questions, eth
er in the house or prison. / knew nothing,
nor could have fod them had known until
Joseph came. II seemed TO me then quite nat
nIal that he should be with me-nothing praise
worthy, nothing. (Ths dear little engaged
yong persons eyes began TO get redder about
the rims at this "reminiscences and her story to as
sumo an incoherent as well as choky characier.)
/ did understand how much owed him how,
not having heard from me for some time, and
reading in the newspaper that an English lady
maid had been taken up in Paris for murder in
the Rue ST. Honore, but that she refused TO
speak, and even had perhaps in reality lost her
senses, he started off at once, giving up his en-
ploy and borrowing and begging what he could
and knowing no word Of French but the name of
of the street, he hurried to me 4; so that my mind
came back again and could tell them what !
knew. All he did, he said, was less than he
ought TO have done, because he had behaved i'll
TO me of old (Which am sure, dear Joseph
never had no thought Of doing.) He stood by
me in court-in the prisoners place along with
me he stood and shared my shame. I told
about the jewels and of my trying them or
how everything was safe, and the doors locked
and the chamber window to high 20 be climbed
up to, though a man might have let himself
down from it into the yard.
And then learned for the first time that all
that afternoon and night the murderer had laid
hidden under my mstress's bed that he must
have been there all that time think of it IT,
that was trying on the dresses and the orna-
ments and there was murder waiting in that
chamber all the while it made me shndder even
then, amidst that crowded court, with Joseph
by me. They thought it very strange, they
said THAT since there was so much time before
him between my mistress's departure and re-
turn, that he had not murdered me instead.
He had carried off all the jewels--those in the
drawer as we'll as those which my poor mis-
tress had worn that very evening but from
the moment he had dropped into the courtyard,
the police could find no trace Of them. A mere
suspicion fell upon the brother of the gate
pOttSt Jul ~ was ~ NosuC bhoN no was uOt
put upon his trial. A great sumwas offered
for the apprehension Of the murderer, making
up, with what was offered by my late mis-
iress's family, nearly E400. She died with
out will, poor lady, and they were not dis
posed TO give me anything beyond the wages
due to me.
After my acquiiial, collection for mine and
Joseph's benefit was made-by some good peo-
pie but the money only sufficed to bring us
back to England. Joseph had to work out a
heavy debt incurred on my account, and Invent
into services again at once, resolving to do my
hest TO help him. At the end of two years,
poor fellow, except that he had discharged his
obligation, he was little better off than at their
beginning, sand despairing of ever getting a
living for us both in the old country" he sail
ed twelve months ago for Sydney. Whichev-
err of us got rich, il was arranged, should cross
the seas after the other; and until very lately
it seemed that we might each stop where we
were, engaged young persons, till we died.
] was nursery maid in my new place, and
was taking the youngest child across the Hyde
Park one afternoon, when was followed by an
impairment man; had my ''ugly'' on, for the
sun was HOl3 81 tlldl my lace lnlgut nave Oe6U
like VEINS, for all he knew TO the contrary
: and Otherwise, flatter myself, was not disa-
greeable looking. At all events, attracted the
wretch who kept close behind me. He was an
abominable person, with foreign appearance
which I had reason enough for dislikng-
and eyes that looked different ways but neither
, Of them nice ways, so that was glad enough
10 get in sight of the policemen about the mar.
: Bile arch, He saw that there was no time tc
! be lost, il he meant 10 gel good look at me
at all, so he passed me on a sudden, very quick
: ly turned round, and locked up in my face.
! gave him very tolerable stare, too, because
knew it would disappoint him after SO grea
expectations and il did so and not only that
: for ii made him give a sort Of villaniOus grin
which hope may never see again, and h
> broke ont, as il he could not help il for the liz
: of him, with "Well, we may be plain in tn
: face, but we are unexeeptiOnabe behind"
> cried out ''murder'' and ''police - as lou,
> as ! could, and the man was secured at once
: No human being except the one who had bee
under the bed her murderer, could have know
IL