Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-06-07

forever. Go, and gam his commence, Oa'n
arine; tell him all that has come to you
ear, and say that you did so by advice.
Hannah continued to use persuasion of tn
same kind for some time longer, and
, length sent Catharine home, firmly resolves
! to follow the counsel given her.
On the following day, Catharine ono
more presented herselfat the abode of Han
nah, and as she entered. exclaimed, "Dea
mother, have told him all! He will b
here soon to explain everything 10 u
BOTH"
The old woman did not exacly compre
hend this. HAS he not" she said, "givel
any explanation to you!"
"No Hannah" said Catharine; "but, 0
he is not guilty. When 1 had spoken a
you desired me, he was silent long time
and he then took me in his arms, Hannal
and kissed me saying. "My darling Cath
aiine, l ought TO have confded in you lons
before. 1 have been unfortunate, not guilty
Go TO kind Hannah's and 1 will soon fol
low you, and set your mind at ease, as fa
as it can be done, had l known how much
you have been suffering, would have done
this long before. These are his words, Han
nah. O, he may be unfortunate, but moi
guilty"
Hannah and Catharine said little to each
other until William came to the cottage
He sat down gravely by the side of bis
wife, and kindly enquiring for the old
woman, at once commenced to tell his sto
rv.
''Tbe reason of my unhappy exclama-
tions in my sleep, which have weighed so
much upon my mind, dear Catharine, may
be very soon told. They arose from cir
cumstances which has embittered my own
peace, but which hope is to be regarded
as sad calamity rather ,nan crime
When entered the army, which l did at
the age of nineteen, the recruiting party to
which attached myself was sent to Scot
land, where we remained but few days,
being ordered again TO the continent
One unhappy morning, as we were pass
ing out of the town where we had rested
on our march southwark, my companions
and l CHANGED to see a girl apparently about
fifteen years of age, washing clothes in a
tub. Being the most light-hearted, l took
up large stone, with the intention OF
splashing the water against the girl. She
stopped hastily, and shocking to tell, when
l threw the stone it struck her on the head,
and she fell to the ground, with, 1 fear, her
skull fractured. Slupefed at what l had
done, l stood gazing on the stream of blood
gushing from my poor victims head, when
my companions, observing that no one had
seen US, for it was then early in the morn
ing, hurried me off. We were not pursued,
and we were in few weeks on the CONT
nent. But the image of the bleeding girl
followed me everywhere; and since l have
come home, l have never dared TO inquire
the result, lest l should be hung for muir
der. For l fear from the dreadful nature
of the blow, that the death of that poor
creature lies at my door"
While Hutton was relating his story, he
had turned his eyes to the window; but
what was his astonishment, as he was con-
Guiding, to hear old Hannah cry aloud,
"Thank God p while his wife broke out in.
to hysterical passion of tears and smiles,
and threw heself into his arms.
any dear husband" cried she, as soon
as her voice found utterance, "that town
was Morpeth!"
at was," said he.
"Dear William" the wife cried, "I am
that grip
"You, Catharine ." cried the amazed and
enraptured husband, as he pressed her to
his breast.
"Yes," said old Hannah. from whose eyes
tears were fast dropping, "that girl whom
you unfortunately struck, was she who is
now tie wife of your bosom. But your
fears had magnifed the blow. Catharine
was found by myself soon after the acci-
dent; and though she lost little blood,
and was stunned for time, she soon rous-
ed again. Praised be Heaven for bring
ing about this blessed explantionP'
"Amen! cried Catharine and her hus-
band.
Peace and happiness, as much as usually
falls to the lot of mortals, were the lot of
Catharine and her husband, from this time
forward, their great source of disquietude
being thus taken away. The wife even
loved the husband more, from the discov-
cry that the circumstances which had caus-
ed her'distress were but proof of bis ex-
treme tenderness of heart and conscience;
ard William was attached the more strong
ly to Catharine, after finding her to be the
person whom he unwittingly injured. A
new tie, as it were, had been formed be-
tween them. .-Cham5er's Journal.