Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-09-29

fell as If bad neithlr the power to move
nor to utter sound my feet seemed root
ed to the ground, while the murderer
stood motionless before me, and gazed in
silence upon the lifelfss body of his victim.
AS I was still looking in anspeakable hor-
ror upon the scene, the earth opened sud-
denly, and closed aghin over the corpse of
the unhappy man. Every trace of the
bloody deed had dAappeared the mur-
derer stood alone haeath the tree At
this moment the mosn shone forth in full
splendor, and seemed, for an instant, to
cast singularly blight light upon the
criminal. The laHsE turned towards me
every festnre of i zssssaaa. his entire form,
were like those of cold and rigid statue.
The murderer was John Cummings 20
"How strangew exclaimed Mrs. Walton,
in low and trembling voice, show dread
| full"
Several minutes passed before word
more was spoken, While Walton paced the
chamber in most violent agitation.
:" He is SO faithful, SO worthy in every
respect" he continued, following the cur
rent of his thoughts. ''To cast a shadow
of suspicion upon his good name appears
to me the most ciuel injustice and still
but it is only dream, the creation of my
own fancy"
AT this moment Cummings passed the
window with Walton's eldest boy upon his
shoulder, and his rough bnt kindly tones
were heard minglng with the child's Joyous
laugh. A slight shudder shock the faith
er's frame at his sight; be hurried from
the house, tore the 10y from the old mans
arms, and clasped him passionately to his
heart, as if he had rescued him from some
great danger.
at is shameful t is cruel" he exclaim-
ed, to nourish such thoughts, even for an
instant He coversd his face for mo-
ment with both bis hands then he sprang
up, took his hat, ani rushed forth, in or
der, by long and rapid walk, to dispel
the gloom which Threatened to overwhelm
his soul.
He fastened onward, sunk in deep re-
Election, until he found himself at consid-
erable distance from the village, and after
gazing around for a few seconds, he struck
into slightly trodden by-path, which
Vsesla lead him hare. 80 he thought, in q
shorter time than that by which he had
come.
The sun was fast sinking to the horizon
when Walton entered this by.path, SO
that the greater part of it lay in the shad.
ow, single openings in the hedge alone
giving passage at times to few rays of the
declining orb. He found the way longet
and more devious than he had expected
and was already beginning to regret that
he had chosen it, when suddenly every
other feeling was lost in one of astonish-
ment and terror He was standing pre-
cisely upon the spot of which he haG
dreamed! there was the brook-there the
bridge, formed Of a single plank-there
the old weather beaten ash
Walton leaned for support against
tree, and closed his eyes as if he feared
that the frightful vision might now appea
before bis sightin reality, as he had seel
it in his sleep. All around was calm ant
| still; the distant lowing of the kim, th,
, tinkling Of the sbeepbeels, and the cntranc
, ing songs Of the free birds of the wood
3 alone interrupted tie deep silence of tn
t evening. The contrast between the swee
placidity and rpose of external nature
+ and the stormy agitation Of his own bo
: som was complse and torturing.
. Walton, whostill stood leaning agains
s the tree, stananered forth an earnes
:. prayer for strength and composure. Free
1 as he usually was, from everything lik
v superstition, yel he began to fear that thi
n strange coincidk knce might not be the bar
e result of chane, and, while his fran
I trembled with Inward emotion, he praye
0 for light from soove, that he might az
g with Judgment md with prudence. Nevt
e did man more deeply feel his need I
= guidance by > wisdom greater than b
e own.
n Somewhat ealmed, although still pail
is fully agitated, ie cast second scrutiniz
e, ing glance upon the surrounding seen
y shuddeling at its fearful similarity to th
w which he had seen in his dream, and the
N FASTENED upon his way homeward, in
le tumult of troubled thoughts. The shad,
s of twilight gathered with increasing loor
it and the agitation of his mind preyente
him from forming any definite resolution
v still be felt strong desire to examine Il
: spot, where that corpse had, SO mysteriou
ir ly, disappeared. But he was unable to
ly this with the requisite quickness and s.
at crecy, unless assisted, and whose assistan
ty should he seek He trembled as
ne thought of the result which might follc
or from the investigation. What should
OF do if be found corroborating proofs T
a. case was certainly serious as well as sing
'r, lar. Was it not better, perhaps, to be