Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1859-02-23
CHAPTER IA DARK DEED.

cu,prrp ,n,p1, nrpn
Nhhi -" IN Dn'h DHhN'
"Tbe moonlight has red tingc like blood. the
stars seem to tremble with horror, the voices of
pleadinr angels are borne to nv ears in every
wind that blows OH oh uhl 1t is too fair n
night to commit so foul deed %
IL WAS the frantic exclamation of n tall
gaunt, masculine looking woman, who carried
upon her arm n large size covered basket. and
who walked swiftly in the direction of the old
covered bridge which connected the village of
Belleyillc and Buektown, lying in the western
mar, of tho Stote of New York Tho moon was
et the full. and the little river stretching plncid
lv from shore TO shore. rlistened like bnrnisbed
silver under its broad blaze and -eAected the
| bIue eopcaye with its countless glitterinr orbs
and the giant trees and peaceful cottages VIII ch
skirtsd eitbcs shoro.
"Too fair a night for so foul de,lw she re
peated as with Tapid strides she still pur,u,d her
w,v.
no sound broke the stiffness of nights ouiet
reign. save her own pneorthIv voice, and the mn.
seal rpolipr of the Iimped water ~ il rushed 10
waste through the sluiees of the old milldorn and
went tipkling on lis wav TO mincle arain with
its source. Tie soft souf6 wind which seemed to
wbisper =, the leave. a. il kisscd tbrm tho
mouTnCul melody Of rho ,ylip uo,r-vyill and lbe
motonous hum Of insect life,
"Too fair u nigbt for ., f,pl a Iocd =" .bc rc
peatod for the third time, rs papsin, for an in.
slant in her hsadlong course, She placed the bas
ket upon the ground knelt beside IT, and reno
wing thT hrst cover ana tnen "hi'e napkin al
of a sleeping babe.
ale must not live, and vet how can Kill him q
, she exclaimed in "A tone borIeripg ON FRENZY
II he were a man uow, or even a grown boy.
who would struggle tor lif, a d fght me back.
and glare sayugely upon me, hcl ] could do IL.
Or it, even il were some other babe | might do
it, but how can | burden my soul with Lit'
blood Z"
Anangol smile crrpt over the little ,ipless Clce
rs .Lc guzcd upon 1t. a, though to touch her bet
ter nature, Nhiic remorse was busy with her
heart but quickly t1roWing the aplin over the
little form, she exclaimed as she passed the COW
or over the basket.
IF look at him any longer | shall 20 wild
Nv heart pleads for him and nature li,eask XIII
iu advocate, tries to talk me FROM INV fell lie
/ sIsn-but Fate says that be must die, aud Fate i.
more potent than eiilerw
/ A. she spoke lae diseurluut sereorh Of an owl
upon a tree hard By grated upon her ears, and at
! the same momept The dismal howl Of dog
u nuke the echoes around.
"rhey are the mouth pieces Of Destiny :" con
Timed the woman. with smile. their aswer IL
an affirmative one and destiny, not l. must taAc
the 5lame!"
] And c!utching the basket with anervous grasp,
she again
,vv..,. ,..-, ,.-.,..,
,, l''' S,T"''", I., f".. .'""'" "'' "'slsn'
i'No
( 1t was indeed. too f,ira night for the cammis
sion of such q deed Child MURDER The most
hcartlcSs oi all murders Who eau cnnt1mplat.
/ II without a thrill Of horror? We u.C assured
that 'lhe human heart is deceitrul al,cs .RI
r6ngs and desperately wicked" { rruut ,umop
nature is more terrible than brute na'lro, hrt Ia
what part Of the most .rghflully dcpravcd an
reckless heart does the black venom exist wnieh
So ohscures the Divine light within. that with.
cred murder ia allowed to lay her red right hand
upon the life Of a harmless sleeping babe "a be-
ing so helpless, 80 pure, aud so holy, that sin H.
self should stand appalled, in its presence, aud |
lshudder at the idea Of poluting it with a touch
Murder a sleeping infant What diabolical in
fuencc could have been at work IN the heart Of
that wreiehed woman Could it have been to
save her worldly reputation, she was willing to
take upon her soul a loa. of guilt which wuu}d
bear her down, down, down, in the unlatholna
bic abyss Of woe throughout the countless ages |
of eternity? Or did she undertake the ask for
the sake ofworldly gain' Or was she fetered
by the gives Of sin, and forced into the culnmi
zion of the act to save her miserable person from
the strong arm Of the law?
She reached the bridge at last, and passing
from the bright moonlight under its gloomy por-
tai, she kept on her way till she had gained the
middle, when she brought up at one Of the ma
ny openings made at intervals throughout the
ergth Of the structure for tn purpose Of admit
ting light, and placing the basket at her feet, she
gazed out upon the shimmering wat r Long did
She stand thus Her better nature was evident.
ly again battling stoutly against guilt for she
writhod in agony, and IN audible gr,ar ever and
anon escaped her she turned the fearful sub