Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-07-10

AL OaInarlne sadly, these
dreadful sayings are not the result of one night
mare slumber. They occur often-too often. !
Besides when first heard linn mutter in his !
sleep, those horrible things, l mentioned the |
matter to him in the morning, at our break /
fast. and he laughed at It but he grew agitated /
and telling me to pay attention to such things
he sometimes talked nonsense, he knew, in /!
his sleep, and have never mentioned the subject
again, though ., rest is destroyed by it. And
then his fits q sadness at ordinary momentsi
Hannah, Hannah, there is some mystery-some
terrible mystery under it. Yes" continued the
young wife, she is so good, so kind. so dutiful
to God and to man. He has too much tender
ness and feeling to harm fly. Hannah, what
am to think or do for 1 am wretched at
present z"
1t was long ere the old dame replied to this
question. She unused greatly on what had been
told her and in the end said to Catharine
'' My poor child, cannot believe that VIII
liam is guilty Of what these circumstances lay
seemingly at his door. But if the worst be true,
it is better for you to know it, than to be in this
killing suspense for ever. Go, and gain his con
idence, CathaFine; tell him all that has come to
your ear. and say that you did so by my advice.''
same kind for some time longer, and at length
sent Catharine home, firmly resolved to follow
the counsel giyen heI.
! On the following day, Catharine more
( presented herself at the abode of Hannah, and
/ as she entered, exclaimed
/ Dear Mother, l have told him all J He will
/ be here soon t. explain everything to BOTH
! The old woman did not exactly comprehend
/ this.
! HAS he not,'' she said, "giveu any explana-
/ tion to you2'
/ .'No, Hannah said Catharine; but. o, he is
not guilty. When l had spoken as you desired
/ me, he silent long time, and he then took
me in his arms, Hannah, and kissed me, saying,
/ My darling Gatharine, 1 ought to have confded
| in you long before. 1 have been unfortunate,
not guilty. Go to kind Hannah's. and l will
soon follow you, and set your mind at case, as
/ far as it can be done. Had known how much
/ you have been suffering. would have done this
! long before These his words, Hannah. o
he may be unfortunate, but not guilty.
( Hannah and CathaTine said little to each
/ other until William came tn the cottage. He
( sat down gravely by the side of his wife, and
/ after kindly inquiring for the old woman, at
| once commenced to tell his story.
/ 1.-The reason of my unhappy exclamatiors in
/ my sleep, which have weighed so much upon
my mind, dear Catharine, may be very soon
/ told. They arose from circumstance which
/ has embittered my own peace, but which hope
/ is to be regarded as a sad calamity rather
! than crime. When l entered the army, which
l did at the age of nineteen, the recruiting party
. to which attached myself was sent to Scotland,
| where we remained but few days, being ordered
again to the continent. One unhappy morning
as we were passing ont of town where we had
rested on our march southwark, my companions
and l chanced to see a girl, apparently about
fifteen years of age, washing lclothes in a tub.
Being the most light-hearted among the light
hearted, l took up large stone, with the inten-
ton of spfashing 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. Supplied at what l had DONE l stood
gazing on the stream of blood gushing from my
poor victims head, when my companions, OBJ
serving that no one had seen us, for it was then
early in the morning, hurried me off We were
, ( not pursued, and we were in a few weeks on
the continent. But the image of that bleeding
girl followed me everywhere; and since / came
f home, have never dared to inquire the result
lest | should be hung for murder, For I feaI
from the deadly nature of the blow, that the
death of that poor creature lies at my door -
While Hutton was relaling his story, he haC
turned his face to the window; but what wai
his astonishment, as he was concluding, to hear
old Hannah cry alond, Thank Godi' Will,
O his wife broke out into hysterical passion o
l tears and smiles, threw herself into his arms
My dear husband cried she, as soon as he
voice found utterance, that town was Nor
E peth
1T was,' said he.
II 'Dea William the wife then cried, L an
: that g!ri!'
/, You Catherine p cried the amazed and e2rap
n tured husband as he pressed her ic his breast.
s Yes said old Hannah, from whose eyes tear
were fast dropping, the girl whom you unfortu
n nately struck, she who is now the wife {
n your bosom. But your fears had magnifed th
d blow. Catherine found by myself soon afte
e the accident; and though she lost a little bloc
h and was stunned for while, she soon reused a
e gain. Praised be heaven for bringing abou
D this blessed explanation =
,, Amen cried Catherine and her husband
n Peace and happiness as much as usually fall
,s TO the lot of mortals, we've the lot of Cathern
and her husband. from this time forward, the
le great source of disquetude being thus taken
&C. way. The wife even loved the husband NOR,
n from the discovery that the circumstances wLic
ia had caused her distress were but proof of h
IN extreme tenderness of heart and consc ience; an
: William was attached the more strongly to Cat
arine, after finding her to be the person whol
q he unwittingly injured A tie, as il wer
e. had been formed between them.-ChamJers JolE