New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-09-26
yhe Post. Mistress.

/ The Post Mistress.
| Il vps on The arst of April, several years ago.
Il when uio Of kossipers were assembled at their
temple, sbe postodlce, Of which Mrs. Betsy Peepin
~ ~ ration were sesaied together Newspapers
wsts slipped nom their covers and not suspicious
epils 61t yielded potion OF it, contents But on
Ss night I'll attention was concentrated upon one,
directed to John Williams, at the Spread Eagle,
! Bunkumvills.n Eagerly was Il compressed in the
lonr fingers 81 Mrs. Smith; the fat lady Of the
Spread Eagle was on tiptoe to peep, while the post
mistress, whose curiosity took the semblance OF Off.
Of violence. The paper was closely folded, and
written 10 > cramped and ilegible hand Suddenly
Mfs. Smiths look grew more intent. She had sue.
ceeded in deciphering sentence. The letter drop
ped from her hand.
!" Oh, the monster !" shrieked the peepy,
Landlady and postmistress both snatched at the
terrible scroll, and they both equally succeeded in
reading the following words:
We will settle the matter tomorrow at dinner
but am sorry you persist in poisoning your wife
the horror is too great"
Not syllable more could they make out but
what they had read was enough.
He told me-" gasped the landlady, that he ex.
pected lady and gentleman to dinner. oh, the vii
lain! to think Of poisoning any lady at the Spread
Eagle and wife, too. should like to see my hus.
band poisoning me ~ Our hostess became quite
personal in her Indignation.
!" always thought there was something suspicious
| about him people don't come and live where
nobody knows them for nothing" observed Mrs.
Smith.
- dare say" returned the post mistress, evil
| liams is not his real name"
& | don't know that" interrupted the landlady.
Williams ia a good hanging name; there was vii
liams who murdered the Marr's family and Williams
burned all those poor children. dare say hes some
relation Of theirs but to think of his coming to the
Spread Eagle it'a place for his doings, can tell
him but he sha'nt poison his wife in my house.
Out he goes this very night-Il take the letter to
him myselEn
"Lory1! Lord shall be ruined if it comes to be
known that look into the letters j" and the post
mistress thought in her heart that she had better let
Mr.. Williams poison his wife at his leisure. Mrs.
Smith, too, reprobated any violent measures; the
truth is she did not wish to be mixed up in the mat
ter. It seemed likely that poor Mrs Williams would
be left to her miserable fate.
Murder will out" said the landlord, the following
morning, as he mounted the piebald pony which,
like Tom Tough, had seen deal Of service and hur
ried off in search of Mr. Champion the nearest mag
istrate.
Their perceptions, assisted by brandy and water,
be and his wife had sat up long past the witching
hour of night, celebrating on what line of conduct
would be most eficacious in preserving the life Of
Mrs. Williams; and the result of the deliberations
was to bring the justice and have the delinquent taken
into custody at the very dinner table which intended
to be the scene of his crime.
He has ordered soup to-day for the first time he
thinks he can so easily slip poison into the liquid.
There he goes he looks like man who has got
something on his conscience" pointing to Mr.. Will
slow pace Two O'Clock arrived and with it hired
chaise out Of it stepped, sure enough, lady aud
gentleman. The landlady's pity was redoubled-
such pretty young creature, not above nineteen
see how it is, thought she, the old wretch is
jealous"
All efforts to catch her eye were vain-tbe dinner
was ready, and down they sat. The hostess of the
Spread Eagle looked alternately out OF the window
like Sister Ann, to see if any one was coming, and to
mn NO dotr To ,ary 4;
may, she observed the young lady lifting spoonful
OF soup to her mouth She could restrain herself no
longer, but catching her hand, exclaimed
Poor, dear innocent the soup is poisoned ~
All started from the table in confusion, which was
yet 70 be increased. hustle was heard in the pas
sage; in rushed whole party, two of whom each
catching an arm Of Mr. Williams pinionedI him down
to his seat.
!" am happy, madam said the bnstling magis.
trate, to have been, under Heaven, the instrument
u preserving your life from the nerious designs of
mat disgrace to humanity" Mr.. Champion paused
y consequence OF three wants-want of words breath
Ny life y calculated the astonished lady.
es. madam, the ways of Providence are inscru.
able. The vain curiosity Of three idle women has
'een turned to good account"
And the eloquent magistrate proceeded to detail
he process OF inspection to which the letter had been
INFECTED but when he came to the terrible words
We will settle the matter tomorrow at dinner INIT
am sorry you persist In poisoning your wife" he
entlemen, from the injured wife, and even from the
prisoner himself.
One fit of merriment was followed by another till
became contagious, and the very constables began
Q laugh, too.
can explain ALL at last interrupted the visitor.
IT. Williams came here for that quiet SO necessary
u labors Of geniushe is writing melodrama called
NY Wife, he submitted the last act to me, and 1
atner objected to the poisoning of the heroine This
Dung lady is my daughter, and we are on our way
the sea coast. Mr. Williams is only welded to the
[uses.n
The disconnected magistrate shook his head and
uttered something about theatres being very i'm
loral while the landlord first turned pale, then
'arlet and then retired precpitately from the ROOM
Whether Mrs. Peepin still continues to preside
yer the destinies OF Bnnknmvile postofice, we are
nable to say. One thing, however, is cerntan that
she does, she either no longer keeps up her care
spections Of the contents Of the letters or she is
ore careful how she jumps to her conclusions
A ATHErrc pprAI rst,r, q q .aa,.,, I. III -.