, 1862-06-05
Reshscitation---Founded on Fact.

| Of o respectable tradesman. and is described as
having possessed beauty amt accomplishments Of
no mean order. In her early youth she had loved
and been beloved by young man Of her native
hamlet. james Fitzpatrick by name; but in those
| days the wishes of the daughter were not often
consulted When the welLtodO tradesman from
the great city solicited her hand from her father,
she was forced to abandon her hearts first idol and
follow one she could never love or call by the name
Of husband-a being who would ever be abhorrent
| To her better nature.
Poor Margaret strove cOurageously to overcome
the aversion she felt for the husband Of her fathers
choice, and to forget the handsome youth whose
bride she had once so fondly hoped to become
and when at length q child was born to her, she
redoubled her exertions but strive as she would,
her gentle nature could not be taught to suit itself
to the caprices Of hard unsym athsing mate.
1t was not more than year after the birth Of
her infant that her husband, Alexander Dickson,
discovered, by some uulucky sccident her previous
attachment to Fitzpatrick. His disposition, never
too amiable, and lately rendered doubly mOrOse by
the evident Aaut Of affection on the pert Of his
wife, was, by this new development, hardened into
iron, and thenceforth he treated Margaret more
like slave than helpmate for him. and her trials
were almost more than she could bear. Still, on
her childs account, she Kept bravely up and bore
all with q patient spirit. But one day the cher
ut
and amazement, the physician called in declared II
to be bis firm conviction that its death had been
caused by poison. A post morteTn examination
was the consequence, which revealed unmistakable
traces Of arsenic. This alone was enough to drive
the poor mother distracted. Judge, then, her ago
ny when she found herself accused by her own
husband Of being the murderess Of ber child.
Strange things came to light soon. Neighbors
had always distrusted her, and, when the trial came
on, circumstantal evidence Of the most convincing
kind was produced against her. One remembered
having heard her say that it would be better had
her infant never been born another I'D distinct
recollection Of having heard her wish that both
she and her baby were at rest in the grave but
the most dauining evidence, and that on which she
was unhestatingly convicted, was the fact, proven
by city druggist and bis clerk, that she had pur
chased arsenic the very day the murder took place.
II was in vain she protested that It was by her
husbands direction she bought the fatal drug, and
that she had given Il Immediately into his hands
he indignantly denied the assertion. and poor Mar
garet was condemned by the tribunal to be hanged.
At length the time appointed for the execution
drew nigh. Margaret was lying on her couch in
the condemned cell, eagerly awaiting the dawn Of
the day the close Of which would see her trans
ported from the cares and suerings Of this to her,
weary void, when the grating Of the key in the
lock and the changing Of chains told her that her
solitude was To be interrupted.
She raised her head as the heavy portal swung
open, and how supreme was her delight to find
herself in moment clasped to the bosom Of Fitz-
patrick. He had heard Of her fearful doom, aud
hastened to assure her how naught on earth could
ever alter his undying love, or convince him that
her soft white hand was stained with human blood.
They sat together for some time talking Of =" the
dear dead pas" and in the course Of their cOnver
satiOn heard distinctly from the prison yard the
strokes Of hammers erecting the scaftOld for the
morrOws execution; and the worlmen were sing
ing snatches Of merry songs or whstling at their
task. Jamess blood ran cold with horror, and
his hand trembled, but Margaret reassured him by
her calm, firm manner, and told him how glad she
was to go, and how happy they would yet be To-
gether when they should meet in that bright home
beyond the stars.
They were not much longer together for the
iailor, opening the door, warned him that it was
time to depart 90 they bid each other On eternal
farewell on this earth and once more the wrctched
prisoner was alone. For awhile her mind was very
busy tracing back the events Of her life to her
earliest childhood, but towards midnight she fell
into deep slumber and her dreams must have
been sweet and cheering; for when the sheriff first
entered her CELL at the gray dawn Of morning, to
awaken her, q smile was upon her lips. He touched
her and she awOke It was q moment or two be
fore she comprehended fully what was awaiting
her but as soon as she did So she simply request
ed few moments to arrange her toilet, and then
she would be prepared to follow him.
This being granted, she dressed herself as neatly
as possible, and, after announcing her readiness,
walked with the sheriff and jailor with iirm step
towards the scafIold. As she mounted the plat
form, which was covered with sable hangings, the
gates Of the prison yard were thrown open, and
immediately dense mass Of men, women and chill
dren rushed pCllnell into the enclosure, shouting.
swearing, and heaping imprecations on her head.
But those shouts and imprecati0ns were speedily
hushed when the object Of them appeared full in
sight before them. The sun was Just rising and
its rays tinged her bright locks; and though her
eountenance was carewOrn aud haggard, neverthe-
less there rested upon il such an expression OF re
signaton, hope, and almost happiness that inVol.
unfairly every lip was hushed and breathess, and
listened to hear what she would say.
In few calm words she protested her innocence
Of the crime for which she was about To de- ex-
pressing at the same time her hearty forgiveness
Of all those who had injured her; then, after Few
moments prayer, she yielded herself up to the ex-
ecutoner. shall not dwell upon her death strug-
gles; suffice II to say that the fatal moose was ad
usted, the white cap drawn down over her beautiful
head, her hands and feet firmly bound, the signal
was given, and, amid fearful silence the quvering
form swung out in the air. The supposed criminal
was punished; justice had her due.
After the body had beep suspended the time re
quired BY law. ii was taken down; being claimed
by the husband as nearest Of kin, and by his or
ders placed in coffin to be conveyed, as he said,
to her native hamlet for burial. But such was not
the actual intention Of Dickson; on the contrary,
he had determined that his wretched wife should
never have performed over her body the rites Of
Christian burial. The empty coffin might be low
cred amid prayers into the grave but this monster
Of iniquity, for whom no crime was too hcinous,
had actually bartered away his dead wife for gold,
and bargained TO deliver her over at midnight to