Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-08-23

eht ueSCeHueu tue Sue VI Iue piazza, ana nv
| eyes strained after her slender figure as she
moved across the lawn, and, by the side of
that tall stately man, became hidden by the
foliage of the wood. NV brothers and sisters
went to play but | could not Restless and
| uncomfortable l wandered up and down listen
ing for the sound Of the train. | thought it
would never come, but at last the shrilI whistle
told of its approach. My heart bounded -
There f." | exclaimed, "the gentlemans
off Now who will come with me TO meet
dear Miss Norman coming back ?"
Accompanied by a brother and sister next in
age to myself, fed with joyful haste through
the quiet wood Anticipating the pleasure of
the return walk with her whose conversation
was delightful as it was instructive. The path
was enc along which we had often eisurely
strOled, lingering over the beauties strewn
there by natures hand but no bird or flower
or insect caught our eyes. We shoald see them
all, we thought, when coming back, and on on
we speed, peeping intently through the vista
fer the fondly expected sight of oar frnd. The
distance was more than half troddeu, still she
did not appear Two-thirds Of the way had
been passed over and we began to feel anX-
iOuS
she hes gone with him !" exclaimed ny
brother in mingled grief and anger.
No no !" answered, " she would mott
but my heart was sinking as | spoke. Gould
any accident have hefalIen her--a snake for
instance2 La the horror cf the thought, |
rushed on faster We had got almost to the
end of the shaded poih--a little more and the
railroad would have been reachcd-when oh,
what did | see Ny sad forebodngs had not
been for naught. PROSTATE, amongst thorns
and tangled vines, few steps aside fror the
beaten way, my shocked gaze deserted the oh
iect of orr quest She lay as dead, for fea-
lures pale and still One hand clutched, the
grass 10y her side, the other was pressed or her
bosom, covered with flowing blood which sGtu.
rated her dress, and rain dcirpiug TO the
ground The children shrieked at the sight
| had NO power to utter Il cry, but sprirginG
to the spot east myself down by the iuaninate
form, while Il food Of agony such as my child
hood had never known. such as time mas never
known, such as time has never brought me
since, rushed over my soul. a conviction that
| ought to DO something made itself felt, but
It was the last eGart G., feolGE-t became m
conscious When | revived was 10 my own
bed. nv mother leaning over ne, applying
water to my temples To my eager Inquiries
she replied that Miss Norman was quite ILL.,
she had received hurt in the wood the
doctors were with her ; could not see her
now hut, if ] would compose myself ard sleep
| should should see her in the morning.
She was not dead then | was satisfied
The doctors were in attendance she would
soon be well and | should see her in the morn
ing Hope whispered to my willing ear, hug
/ gng the sweet promise, sunk upon my pillow
and yielded to sleep. And well | did, aud
fortunate for my my nervous and physical sys-
TEN were fully renewed or how should | have
borne the horrcr and anguish upon which
my eys opened on the ensning day ? Ny sweet
teacher was dead IN the dark and still hours
Of midnight her pure spirit he'd departed driven
from its Ear shrine by the pistol bullet inflicted
10y trcachery, in the lone recess Of the woods.
My tender parents conld not conceal from me
the dreadful tragedy, for the coroner required
my evideure and on that one long, evi! day
lived an age Of terror.
The exciteHlent that prcfailed tas alarming
DR. StrattGn when brought to the house in
custody-a despatch having forwarded to b
-, commanding his arrCst-the moment
the bleeding victim was discovered, was receiy-
ed with sc0fning browS and bitter threats
declared his innocence but the testimony
against him was too strong to admit a doubt
of his guilt lie had induced the murdered
lady to go with him through the wood, deoIin-
ing my fathers offer of the carriage. When
the train stopped at the station, he appeared
alone hurrying from the wood, and, pale and
painting, sprung aboard the cars. Upon being
afrestad, pistol vas found on lis person, in
to the barrel of which the fatal ball fitted.
The motive of the deed was also traced
In nv mothers evidence, Miss Norman'S secret
engagement was revealed, with the reasonable
supposition that DR.. Strattan was her aiiianc-
ed, whereas, the doctor alleged that there eX-
sted no bond between him and the deceased
but that of friendship-his heart was given to
another. As to this other,it was elected that
she was a lady of fortune and position and
here was found the clue to the commission of
the crime. His engagement with the humble
governess stood between him and an ad7anta-
geous match her death would make him free.
From me was gathered, as | best could relate
it amid tears and chocking sobS, the mental
agony the deceased had suffered alane in her
chamber, after the reception of the last letter.
For that, and any other letters which might
throw Hcht on the affair, search was then in
gtitqted, but without avail if the lover had
ever written a line which would bring accusa-
ton against him, woman's strong love had
taken care that it should not exist.
: The investigation at length came to close;
the jury unanimously agreed the coroner rem
dered bis verdict, and Dr. Strattan was con-
dncted to the county Jail to await his trial un-
der the awful charge of wilful murder.
After the first shock occasioned by his ar
rest in B, the proud man conducted
himself camly. When brought into the pre-
sence Of the dead, he betrayed no symptoms