The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-10-24

ooh, no, Hannah" J" replied the youn
wife, 81 know Iou speak from love to me-.
"Well, then, continued the dame, cope
your heart to me. Age is good adviser.
Catherine was silent.
"Is your husband harsh to you?' aske
Hannah.
"No," cried the wife; man could not b
kinder to woman than he is to me-"
"Perhaps he indulges in drink; in
"Hannah, you mistake altogether" !" wa
Catherine's reply. ssAly husband is as fre
from all such faults as ever man was"
ssMy dear child,'' said the old woman, al
most smiling as the idea entered her head
you are not suspicious-not Jealous" si
81 have never a moments cause, Han
nah,o answered Catherine. s'No, my grief
are not Of that nature. He is one Of tn
best and dearest Of husbands"
Old Hannah was puzzled at these replies
as she was distressed by the open avowa
of Catharine's having some cause of sor
row; but, seeing that her young friend ooul'
not make up her mind to q disclosure at tn
time, the aged dame gave up her inquiries
and told Catherine to think seriously of tn
propriety of confding all to her.
Hannah conceived that, on mature con
sideration, Catherine would come to the re
solution Of seeking counsel at the cottage
And she was not wrong. In a few days af
ter their late conversation, the young wifi
came to visit Hannah again, anh after a lit
| tie embarrassed talk, entered upon the sub
ject which was uppermost in the minds o.
both. .. .a.n
q "Hannah," said Catherine, 81 fear yol
can serve me nothing--lfear no living being
can serve me-O, Hannah, good as my hus
band appears to be-good as he is--ther'
is some dreadful weight pressing upon hi
mind, which destroys his peace and mine
too. Alas! the gloomy fits which you a,
well as have noticed in him, are not,
fear, without cause. Catherine wept il
silence for moment, and then continued:
ssAll that l know of this cause arises
from his expressions-his dreadful express
sions-while he is asleep at my side. Han.
nah! he espeaks in broken language of mur.
der--of having committed murder! Han.
nah! perhaps woman deceived und killed
by him." aa
As Catherine said this, she shuddered ant
buried her face in that of the babe, which
Sne carried IN ner arms.
Hannah was shocked to hear of this, but
her good sense led her to suggest for the
comfort Of the poor wife that it was per.
fectly possible for her husband to consider
himself murderer in his sleep, and speal
of it without the slight reality in the whole
affair. -ss.- sa a-.5..
s'Ah, Hannah," said Catherine, sadly,
s'these dreadful sayings are not the result
of one nightmare slumber. They occur Of
ten-too often. Besides, when first heard
him mutter in his sleep those horrible things.
mentioned the matter to him in the morn
ing at our breakfast and laughed at it; but
he grew agitated, and telling me to pay no
attention to such things, as he sometimes
talked nonsense. he knew, in his sleep, he
rose and went away, leaving his meal un-
inished-indeed, scarcely touched. l am
sure he does not know how often he speaks
in his sleep, for have enever mentioned the
subject again--tho' my rest is destroyed by
it. And then his fits Of sadness at ordna-
ry moments! Hannah, Hannah! there is
some mystery-some terrible mystery under
it Yet," continued the young wife, ''he
is so good-so kind-so dutiful to God
and to man. He has too much tenderness
am to think or do, for am wrctched al
PRESENT."
1t was long ere the old dame replied to
this question. She mused greatly on what
had been told her, and in the end said to
Catherine .--.
''My poor child, l cannot believe that
William is guilty of what these circum-
stances lay seemingly at his door. But if
the worst be true. it is better for you to
know it, than to be in this killing suspense
forever. Go and gain his confidence, Cath
crime; tell him all that has come to you,
ear, and say that you did so by my advice
Hannah continued to use persuasions OF
the same kind for some time longer, and al
length sent Catherine home, firmly resolved
to follow the counsels given her.
On the following day, Catherine once
more presented herself at the abode of Han.
nah, and rs soon as she entered, exclaimed;
s'Dear mother, have told him all! He
will be here soon, to explain everything to
US both"
The old woman did not exactly compre-
hend this. ''Has he not" said she, "giver
any explanation to you?''
''No, Hannah," said Catherine; ''but oh,
he is not guilty. When l had spoken as
YOU desired me, he was silent long time,
and he then took me in his arms, Hannah.
and kissed me, saving: sMy darling Cathe-
rine, ought to have confded in you long
before. have been unfortunate not gull.
ty. Go to kind Hannah's and will soon
follow you, and set your mind at ease, as
far as it can be done. Had known how
much you have been suffering, would have
done this long before.' These were his
words, Hannah. Oh, he may be unfortu-
nate, but not guilty" .
Hannah and Catherine said little to each
other until William came to the cottage
lie sat down gravely by the side of his wife.
and after kindly inquiring for the old wo-
man, at once commenced to tell his story.
''The reasons of my unhappy exclama-
tions in my sleep, which have weighed SC
much upon my mind, dear Catherine, may
be very soon told. They arose from a cir
cumstance which has much embittered my
own peace, but which hope, is to be re-
garded as sad calamity, rather than a
crime. When entered the army, which
did at the age of nineteen, the recruiting
party to which l attached myself, was sen1
to Scotland, where we remained but few
days, being ordered again to England, in
order to be transported again to the CONT
nent. One unhappy morning, as we were
passing out the town where we had rested
on our march southwark, my companions
and | chanced to sec a girl, apparently about
fifteen years of age, washing clothes in q
tub. Being the most light among
the light took up large stone
with the intention of splashing the water
against the girl. She stopped hastily, and
shocking to tell, when threw the stone, it
struck her on the head, and she fell to the
ground, with, fear, her skull fractured
Supplied at what | had done, l stood gaz-
ing on the stream of blood rushing from
my poor victims head, when my compan.
ions observing that no ons had seen us.
hurried me of. We were not pursued, and
we were in few weeks on the continent
but the image Of that bleeding girl follow
ed me everywhere; and since came home.
have never dared to enquire the result,
lest suspicion should be excited, and should
be hung for murder. For fear from the
deadful nature Of the blow, that the death
Of that poor creature lies at my door,"
While Hutton was relating his story, ht
had turned his eyes to the window, but
what was his astonishment, as he was con-
cluding, to hear old Hannah cry aloud
ssThank Godn' while his wife broke into q