Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-11-08

endure the same tormsnts over and over again.
Once l dreamed that the child was still alive
and that had never attempted its life: and
the waking from this dream was more dreadful
than all the rest
Next morning, 1 again took my place at the
window and never turned my eyes Of the fatal
SPOT, "hich though now turned in q grass plot,
grave. III one Of the farm servants passed by.
expected him TO sink in; if bird alighted
upon the grass, | dreaded lest be should be-
come the instrument that was to bring nv
crime to light; and every breeze that blew
across It, seemed to whisper Murder :" There
was nothing animate or inanimate, let it be
ever 50 insignificant, but what seemed endowe cd
win the supernatural power Of upbraiding me
for my heinous crime =
My wife, who was superstitious in her way
as was IN mine, and was in despair at the
chlld,s disappearance, was bent on consult ting
q wise woman residing in our neighborhood,
supposed TO have the power of reading the de-
sress OF fate by spirit-rapping 1 accompanied
her most reluctantly, but preferred being
present, lest the sybil should infuse any sus.
pcIons OF my crime into her mind On nv
wife's asking the question, Where is the boyf'
the answer returned by the rapping was found
10 spell out the words, with its MOTHER Nv
wife was deeply affected, and was ready Ia
SINK into the ground, though clustered and
SAID the woman talked nonsense With its
mother! Ay, 1t had a double signifcation 10
my ears-with his mother in Heaven, and in
tne BOSOM OF his mother earth Repeated ex-
psrments, and appeals to the spirit still
Drought back those dreaded words; and be-
gan to think the woman knew more than she
pretended TO do, and had seen me bury the
corpse on that fatal night.
n ieW days after q comrade of mine, who
served abroad, came to visit me unexpectedly.
with friend of his, whom had never seen
before. L could not, however, resolve to lose
sight OF the grass plot, and as it was a sum-
mer evening, told the servant 10 bring ont
b1ttle of wine into the garden. I then placed
my own chair over the grave, and thus, feeling
sure IL could not be tampered with, endeay.
oied to make myself easy and to enjoy NV
glass. My comrade expressed the hope that
my wife was we'll and was not keeping her
room, and that she had not been driven away
oy their appearance.
was Obliged to stammer out In reply the
story OF the child disappearance. The SOL
dier, who was a stranger to me, did not look
me In the tace, but kept his eyes fixed on the
ground all the while / was talking. which
caused me the greatest uneasiness. fancied
be suspected the truth. 1 asked him abruptly
whether he thought-but broke down With
out finishing the sentence
Whether l think the child has been muir
derea said be, with a mild look, "Ob, no.
What could any man gain by numbering a Door
Innocent child?"
could have told him what a man gained by
soch deed, for no one knew better than I
ala but remained silent, though shiyered
as if had the ague.
Seeing the state of excitement was in. tbev
endeavOred to comfort me with the hone the
cniid might yet be found, when we suddenly
hearu deep howl, ard couple of large dogs
leaped over the wall into the garden.
BLOOD hounds" exclaimed nv guests.
Ihey need not have told me for though had
never In my life happened to see any dogs of
that kind, | instinctiyely felt that they must be
blood hounds, and / bat too well knew what
attracted them. felt like one already CON
demned to death, and grasped the sides of the
spoke a word
They arsIfhe true breed" observed the
stranger, and have probably been let loose on
ulai, and have escaped their keepers
AND as he and his friend turned their heads
tney saw the dogs smelling the ground, and
running round and round, like mad. without
noteing us, and ever and anon raising their
Eeads, and uttering prolonged howl, and then
again laying their muEEles close TO the earth as
To get on the right scent. Presently, instead
OF turning round 50 large a circle, they seemed
10 concentrate all their efforts on one point.
winch they shifted diligently still; in doink
winch they approached my chair, when thsy
set up more frighful howl than before at
tempting at the same time to tear away its
ledges, which prevented their getting at the
ground beneath.
They evidently scent game" cried my
guest
That's impossible" cried I.
For Heavens sake" said the one knew
' get up, or they'll tear you to pieces"
Let them, returned /, IN not stir from
The dogs must not be allowed to bait people
10 death Let's hew them down." said he.
There Is some horrible secret lurking under
all this, said the stranger, drawing his sword.
In the name Of the law, help me to take this
man into custody
They then seized me and dragged me away,
although fought, and bit, and laid about me,
IKE madman. After some resistance. I at
length was obliged 10 suffer them to lead me
on, and the excited blood hounds began tear
Ing up the earth, which they flung about as If
II had been so much water. What more need
he said Why. merely that fell on IN knees,
and confessed the truth with chattering teeth,
and begged for mercy; that afterward deniei
the deed before the tribunal, and now again
own 1t; that l was tried, found guilty, and
hnally condemned to death. may add thatI
have found neither pity, nor comfort nor hope,
ana nave not friend in the world-my wife,
hapPiIy Tor her, having been seized with tenn
Pcrary madness, and being in ignorance of my
misery or her own; in short that / am alone
WIN my despair in this dungeon, and that /
m Ist die tomorrow
LEGAL IESDER The law regulating the