Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-05-28
A STARTLING CONFESSION.

We take the following from the police
reports published in the Philadelphia
Press:
Mordecai Paine. a saddler. doing bust.
ness IN South Ninth street, was called
home from his workshop on Saturday
merning, by messenger who brought
the melancholy intelligence that his wife.
barbara. had taken arsenic for the pur-
pose Of committing suicide. and was then
at the point of death. He fastened to
her bedside. and found her in more agony
of mind than of body. She declared
there was something on her mind which
she wished to confess 10 him before her
departure, with the hope of obtaining for.
giveness. Mr.. P, with great emotion.
desired her to go on with the disclosure,
adding that she might assure herself OF
his forgiveness before she had made
known her offence.
'Ah, Mordecai.' said she you remem-
Der our large white pitcher was broken
some time ago; pretended to you the
cat broke it, but that was false, for my
self did it,
'Oh, my DEAR said Mr.. Paine, don't
concern yourself about such trife.
had forgotten the pitcher. and it matters
not how it was broken
There is another matter said Mrs.
P. after some hesitation. The six sill
yer spoons which 1 made you believe
were stolen by the Yankee clock mender
pawned them to raise money to pay the
milliner for doing up my pink satin bon
net
Never mind it. my love- said Mr..
Paine eucoursgingly. 4 hope heaven
will forgive you as freely as do
After a short pause. Mrs. P. began
again:
Your best razor. which you missed
last summer. and made so much ado
about. traded away to pedlsr for
tortoise-shell comb
The duce well, WE'LL said Mr.. P,
recollecting himself, 'this is done now,
and can't be mended. Think no more
Of it,
i could not leave the world with such
thing on my conscience repliedthe fair
penitent.
Go ou. go on cried Mr.. Paine, L told
you | could forgive everything at such a
time as this Mrs. P. resumed:
You remember our boarder, Simeon
Drake. who ran up q bill for six weeks,
and then went off in hurry without pay.
ing cent. He and had agreed to elope
together, but he changed his mind at the
last moment. and ran away without me-
Fire and furyl do you dare to tell me
this? cried Mordecai in great excitement.
But. as you are dying now, 1 won't re.
proach you. I'll leave you now to settle
the affair with your own Conscience
Stay and hear one thing more,' cried
the repentant Barbara. 'lhe dose took
this morning was intended for you.
put it into your cup of coffee. but in my
hurry to get the thing done. l gave you
the wrong cup and thereby took the right
one my self.'
The devil fly away with you, you
jade! roared Mordecai. as he flung him>
self out Of the room. In the entry he
met the apothecary who had sold Mrs.
P. the fatal powder. This medical man
had heard Of the commotion at Paine's
house. and suspecting the cause Of it, he
came to administer hope and comfort to
the afflicted.
Don't be alarmed. Mr.. Paine.' said he
the drug sold to your vile was moth
ing but magnesia. judged that she
wished to destroy herself, and tricked
her in this way 10 save her life.'
You swiudling rascal shouted Paine,
'how dare you cheat a customer in that
shameful manner and thus obtain her
money on false pretences? Begonep
And with this exclamation be violently
elected the astonished apothecary from
his front door. The man of physic. sus,
pecting Of course that poor Mordecai was
deranged. sent an officer to provide for
his safe keeping. His relation Of the pre-.
ceeding dialogue, however, soon obtained
his disc barge.