M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-04-08
From the Philadelphia Press,
4 Startling Confession.

hOEucCdl dIuc, buultT CONG
business in South Ninth-street, was
called home from his workshop on
Saturday morning by a messenger,
who brought the melancholy iutelli.
geuce, that his wife, Barbara, had ta-
ken arsenic, and was then at the point
of. death. lie fastened to her bed
side, and found her in more agony of
mind than OF body. She declared that
th4re was something on her mind
which she wished to confess to him
belbge her departure, with the hope OF
Obtaining his forgiveness. Mr.. Paine,
with great emotion, desired her to 20
on with the disclosure, adding that
she might assure hereelfof his forgive,
ness bqtore she made known her Of
iersc:
"AIi, Morlocai," said she, "you
remember our large white pitcher was
broken some time ago; pretended to
you that the cat broke it, but that
WAS false, for myself did it,"
"Oh, my dear" said Mr. Paine,
"don't concern yourself about such Il
trihe. | had forgotten the pitcher,
and it matters not now how it was
broken.o
There is another mattcr," said
Mrs. =. after some hesitation. THE
six silver spoons which | made you
believe were stolen by the Yankee
cIock-mcnder, pawncd them to raise
money to pay themilIinor tor doing up
my pink bonnet
Never mind it, my love-" said
Mr.. Paine, euaonIogingly. Il hope
Heaven viii forgive you rs freely rs l
Go"
After Il short pause, Mrs. 7, began
again:
Your best razor which you missed
last summer, and made So much TO dt
about, lswapped it away to pedIer
lor tortoise shell comb"
The duce!-wcl, well," said Mr..
p, recollecJng himself, "that is all
done now, and cant be amended
ThinA 10 more oiit."
II could not leave the world with
such a thing on my conscience" re-
piled the iuir peniIcnt.
go on, go on" cried Mr., Pain, 81
told YOU that | could forgive every
thing az such Il time es th.5."
Mrs. Z resumed:
you remember our boarder, Sim
con Drake, who ran up bill six
weeks, and then went oil in u hurry
without paying a cent. He and |
had agreed to clope together; but he
changed his mind ut the last moment,
and ran away without ME-"
Fire and fury! DO you dare to tell
me this!' cried Mordecai, in great
excitement. But, as you are dying,
I won't reproach you. I'll leave you
now to settle the affair with your own
conscience"
Stay and hear one thing MORE"
cried the repentant Barbara The
dose | took this morning. was intend
ed for you. put il into Your cup OF
coffee, but, in my hurry to got the
thing done, gave you the wrong cup
and took the right one myself
The devil hy away with you, you
iade!" roarcd Mordecai, as he flung
himself out Of the room. In the entry
he met the apothccary who had sold
Mrs. z. the tatal powder. This
medical man had heard Of the com.
motion at Painc's house and suspect
ing the cause ofit, he came to admin
lstcd nope ana comfort to the afllict-
ed.
Don't be alarmed, Mr.. Paine,
said he, "tho drug sold to your wife
was nothing but magnesIa. ! Judged
she wished to destroy herself, and |
tucRed her in this way to save her
liic."
You swindling rascal shouted
Paine, "hoT dare you cheat custo-
mcr in that shameful manner and OBJ
tam her money IN false pretenses p
BegOnc!"
And with this exclamation he yio-
lyntly elected the astonished apothe-
cary from the front door. The man
uf physic, suSpocting, OF course, that
poor Mordecai WAS deranged, sent
two officers to provide Tor his safe
keeping. His relation OF the prece-
ding dialogue, however, soon obtain
ed his discharge.