Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-09-03


iranati0nto 70 you
No, Hannah said Catharine 'but, oh, h,
| is not guilty. When had spoken as you de
sired me, he was silent a long time, and h,
then took me in his arms, Hannah, and kissed
me, saying; My darling Catharine, ought
to have conilded in you before. have been
| unfortunate, not guilty. Go to kind Hannah's
and will soon follow you, aud set your mind
at ease, as far as it can be done. Had l
known how much you have been suffering, /
would have done this long befOre.' These are
his words, Hannah. Oh, he may be unfortu-
nate, but not guilty.
Hannah and Catharine said little to each
other until the latter came to the cottage
William sat down gravely by the side of his
wife, and aftr kindly lnquiring for the old wo-
man, at once commenced to tell his story.
fThe reason Of my unhappy exclamations in
my sleep, which have weighed so much upon
my mind, dear Catharine, may be very soon
told. They arose from circumstances which
has much embittcredm own peace, but which
hope is to be regarded as sad calamity
rather than crime. When entered the army
which did at the age of 10, the recruiting party
to which 1 attached myself was sent to scot
land, where we remained but a few days, being
ordered again TO England, in order to be trans
ported to the continent. One unhappy morn
ing, as we were passing ont of town where we
had rested on OIL march southward, my COM
panion and l chanced to sec girl, apparently
about fifteen years OF age, washing clothes in
a tub. Being the most hght-hearted amopg
the light-hearted, / took uli large stone with
the intention of splashing the water against
the girl. She stopped hastily, and shocking to
to tell, when l threw the stone, it struck her
on the head, and she fell to the ground, with
fear, her skull fractured. Stupefled at what
had done, l stood gazing on the stream of
blood rushing from my poor victims head,
when my companion observing that no one had
seen us-for 1t was then early in the morning
hurried me off. We ware not pursued, and
We were in a few weeks on the continent but
the image of that bleeding girl followed me
everywhere; and since ] came home l have
never dared to inquire the result, lest suspicion
should be excited, and, should be hung for
murder; for / fear, from tho dreadful nature
of the blow, that the death of that poor crea-
ture lies at my doOrH
While Hutton was relating his story, he had
turned his eyes to the widow; but what was
his establishment, as he was concluding, to
hear old Hannah cry aloud, Thank God p
while his wife broke into an hysterical passion
OF tears and smiles, and threw herself into his
arms.
sMy dear husband = cried she, as soon as
her voice found utterance, shat town was Nor
peth1'
1T was,' said he.
sDear William the wife then cried, II am
that girP
sYou, Catharine!' cried the amazed and
enraptured husband, as he pressed her to his
breast.
Yes,' said old Hannah, from whose eyes
tears were fast dropping, the girl whom you
unfortunately struck was she who is now the
wife Of your bosom; but your fears had mag
nifed the blow. Catharine was found by my
self soon after the accident; and though she
lost little blood, and was stunned for time,
she soon got reused again. Praised be Heav-
en- for bringing about this blessed explana-
tion.
Amen = cried Catharne and her husband.
Peace and happiness, as much as usually
falls to the lot of mOrtals, were the lot OF Cath
arine and her husband from this time forward,
their great source of disquietudc being thus
taken awoy. The wife even loved the husband
more, from the discovery that the circum-
stances which had caused her distress were
but proof Of his extreme tenderness of heart
and consciencc; and William was attached
the more strongly to Catharinc, after finding
her to be the person whom he unwillingly in
lured. A new tie, as it were, had been formed
between them.