Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-12-08

s2 Jadgo.I
r.i. nv last highland standing as I
-I+ Aha brink of eternity, [ will fill up the
q u l,nrs ,n that intervene before my execu-
~ 4Srl .SIes rlace, in writing down the history
.frr IN =; progress in crime, and how. step by
u L! ! frsscbed this dungeon. May it be ac-
psf, "a &C an act of atonement on my part,
%E',a 3 !, FIe sane time serve as warning to
:Is,s a,.s forward child, of sullen suspi-
~ "er rb,racter. and l afterwards became q
.1s ~n saIjier during couple of campaigns,
r. cIose of which, peace having succeeded
r,r r~ left the service to farm small es-
~ Which my wife had inherited. Soon af-
-rr return from the army, my brother
.s.a8 end died. He was an openhearted
Ma faIIov, far better looking than myself,
universally AN beloved. All those who ev-
,,robt nv acquaintance, whether at home
,Ir6sd. from being his friends, seldom
-f,i kindly to me, and generally observed
| 4 first time they saw me, that never were
:, br5tbcrs more unlike, both in person and
lleTs
W had married two sisters; and this cir
instance which ought to have been an ad-
.,,rl bond between US, only contributed to
.-pgs Us s.i!l more. His wife saw through
rTra,ter toO we'll, and | always felt,
neyer cave way to any impulse of envy
hatred III her presence, as if she read my
a.ht Ike an open book. 1t was relief
rrvheu the coolness between us ended
Al open rupture, and still greater relief
-I Ircceived the news Of her death, while
us with my rigiment abroad. 1t now
20, to NE as though l had presentment
file Irizhtfu tragedy that was to take place
,.aleI her, and she seemed to pursue Inc
rve. even now | see her reproachful eyes
-lg upon ne, and freezing up my blood.
died shortly after giving birth to a child
len my brother in turn fell i'll, and his life
.iespaired Of, h. summoned my wife to
bedside, aud entrusted his little orphan, a
!oar years cd, to her protecting care.
bequcathtd all his property to him, sta
in his will that should the child die, his
,gue was TO dcyolve on my wife. as the on
return he could make for her affcctionate
lucss. Then, after exchanging q few fra
nal words with me. and recretting our
f, esuangsmeut he fell back, exhausted,
deep slumber, from which he never
ave had no children, and the two sisters
4vags been very united, my wife loved
Icy Is it be had been her own. He was
tui Of her; bat being the true pic
O: lis mother. both il, mind aud person
!! never, somehow, take kindly to me.
t fix any particular period at which
.-c2me aware of this kind Of apathy OF
.-.. lat / son began 10 feel uneasy
never he vas present As often as
e cut Of trait of gloomy thoughts
v.s that child s,oring at nae, not mere.
7.4 the iuguiriaC gaze Of childhood, bu
the piercing look, so full Of meaning
gs.l to annoy nc in lis mother. 1t wa.
-e,c.y an empty fancy Of mine, attribu,
70 his strong likeness - his deceased
r@- FIR never could stare him down, le
J as fierce - | might He was evj
E g '.@l Of ne, in spite of which h,
4 ID 10 have iiubiJed hereditary COZ
.:..c lie.
aay deceive myself, AMI yet | DO 10
tat Intended at that period to DO hin
harm. Il uJght perhaps occgr to N,
a-raa;aEsous i; would be for US to in
he boy property, and might secret,
I'm T. -lc, still | DO not think / hat
EAST idea Of taking away his life. Yh
CAME very slowly at first, and merely il
an and distant outlines a yisic
upending earthquake, or tho day c
Last Judgment-then it approache
aud nearer still, and began to lose
Of its horror and improbability, an
Numing a more definite form, it becam
-=ant theme ofny sPcculations. Whe
) aul phantoms crossed my brain,
i not bear that the boy should perceiv
staring at him; yet by kind of fasci
"A, could not help gazing on his fragile
and thinking how easy the wor
s,Tuc,ion would be. Sometimes
i linn in his sleep. but oftener still
-a garden, as / crouched behind th
glaring like a tiger on his prey
-s parlor, where he sat learning hi
Oh low stool beside my wife's knee
s to oor country house lay deep pool
e vas not visible from our window.
several days in carving a rough mode
vat with my penknife; and when it wa
-r'ied purposely left it in the child
ilen hid myself near the pool in
"a. a. he must pass by, in case he came t
: a'4o toy afoat on the water. But b
-,&aeC on that nor on the followin
2a. felt certain he was in nay tolls
! ra4 heard him prate about his toy
-a had even taken to bed with him -
S-l I patiently, and on the third day
.' aim, from my hiding place, com
III along joyously, with his silken lock
~'a9 In the wind, and singing-poo
> : q merry tune, though he would scarce
= .ae words. stole behind him, be
4. .'Ie I, bushes that grew near the bank
n nH LH One knows how /, strong
} lrsj jIln' IA trambled in every limb as
i gr,,s1 .le footsteps Of this little child Will
s5 I5;SAsd the waters brink l was clos
N !, ,ll' AN ,eFouching on my knees, and wa
% h. Iy ~ 1and iand to push him in, when
! '~S10W IN the water, and turne
IN TSar Ti,Ier spirit cleaned forth from hi
4.j saA now burst forth from benin
re 4a ,aII aiIJI'a'ng the water into sheet c
Gs I,I I.i Everything eparkled as if al
rS eyes | don't tnou ,yL,t a.