The Shreveport weekly news., 1861-05-20

s7'fs ssg..t >,ss ~ fsasssss-
both publicly and privately fulfilled
Al the domestic relations of life, in
so exemplary manner that even
the songues Of toose who secretly
e1yieH her wealth. her beauty ana
nay ~ her iluck, had not ~ yet
dared to wig in open scandal against
her: but sixth occurrence of so
Extraordinary an event, it would
Eseem gave &sn4len loose to their
hitktrtoconfied scrtgpies and tongues:
or, perhaps the reason why they
mareifreeiv vented their suspicious
or their spite on the present occa-
sion might be that Master Shard had
been a man OF great influence in the
city-his connexions stood high IN
the eyes of men, and he had a cous-
in who was sheriff at the time of. his
death, and who declared when be
heard it, ..by cock marrow, he would
see into the matter that very mo-
ment," and accordingly next NOR
ming, for he was just going to sit
sit down to dinner when he made
the above declaration, he presented
himself with posse co,ni,atus at
Mrs. Alice's door-and then the
neisIbeurlsool, as with one voice,
spoke out against her; for their long
held opinion of her Cat least they said
it had been long. held4 now found
the conntenance o. Power--her piety
had been hypocrisy. and they had
thought so all along--her charity os-
tentation,-her goodness and kind
ness, even those that had been bene-
fitted by them, nov found some hole
to pick in, and in plain and pithy
English they called her murderess.
While this was going on without
Mrs. Alices doors, another kind of
scene was taking place within. The
sheriff had been readily admitted, and
was followed not only by the posse
OF the country, but by posse ofthc
venue Ito use, l believe, strictly
lawful Phrase,) consisting of all sorts
of people, who either had or thought
they should Ike to have some con-
Germ in the business. They found
the widow by the bedside of her de-
parted husband She not only did
not H. from, but courted investiga-
ton, and accordingly the body was
investigated, but not the slightest
signs Of violence was found upon it;
no trace of steel or poison-all was
as right and as unaccountable as it
ough. to have been. There were
some present who pretended to Il
great knowledge Of haman nature,
and who strictly watched Mrs. Alice
during the whole transaction, and
their evidence went still further to
clear her from the imputation ii was
sought to at5x ppon her: for they
said her conduct was so Thoroughly
natural-she seemed between indig-
nation ut the charge brought agains,
her, and grief for the cause thereof !;
and yet there was no overacting in
her grief, it seemed just what she
would be likely to feel Cor the loss of
such a husband, and 10 be rather sor-
row for the spell that appeared to be
upon her, than for the man himself.
The sheriff and his friends therefore,
whatever they might have thought or
wished, found themselves forced to
declare her guil.less and after par
taking of a slight rejection. consis-
thug of boiled beef, suet buildings.
sausages and ale, left the widow TO
her solitude. His declaration of her
Suiltlessness was soon known among
her neighbors, almost all of whom,
without any delay or difficulty re-
turned to their former good opinion
of her, greatly plying her for the
trouble she had been put to, and
much wondering how folks should be
so spiteful as to tell such wicked
stories. III few days orders were
given for the buriel of the late Mas
ter Shard in Mrs. Alice's family vault,
which was in St. Michael's church,
and which vanlt, though one Of CON
siderable extent, Mrs. Alice seemed
in a fair way of filing cl,oak full
with her husbands.
ST. Michael's church stood at the
period of this tale, and for aught the
teller knows to the contrary, stands
to this day at the eastern end of
CorlliiH, and about midway between
this church and Mrs. Alice's house
there was a penthouse or tavern,
known by the s.Sevenne Starres =
in the top-room of this tavern, upon
the afternoon when Master Shard
was to be carried to his long home,
there assembled very merry com
pany of some dozen worthy citizens
who We're getting fell of good things
and gratitude towards the giver OF
the feast. Master Martyr Lessomour,
a young merchant, whose safe retur,
from a long and successful voyage
in the Mediterranean they We're met
to celebrate. Master Ilessomour was
not yet thirty, though hard upon it
tall, strongly and well-built his
T.. L. 4 4