Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-10-06
John Cummings was

II hlni. O1n, WIN ''Aoss5' ''S 1AAS
ergvmaa desired to speak with him on I
,me matter of agricultural economy, At G
nee obeyed the summons, and appeared
efora them with calm and fearless air. S
Iis frame was tall, his cheeks were en- !
by the sun, but his gray locks =
nd slight bending of the head, told
hat old age was slovF creeping apon him.
You aud /, my dear John, are old ac-
,uaintances.' said Forester, many
ear has passed since we first knew each
other'
1t is exactly five and twenty years since
your reverence zane to the parsonage
replied John. 'Igenember it as as we'll
as if it had been ys'.erday.
tT am pleasedftoind that your memo
~ IS SO good said Mr.. Forester, for
have some questio1s TO As concerning
things long past. Tell me, have you no
recollection of a. young sailor, who passed
a few weeks here 10 the village, about five
and twenty wears ago, and who has never
since been hearttof'
Mr. Forester based to hear Cummings
answer; but the Liter was unable to ut
ter a word; he essped the back Of a
CHAIR and leaned gon it for support.
".Mr Walton b. had q most extraor-.
dinary dream, whh stands in connection,
AS we think, with BAT individual,' said the
clergyman, and whout appearing to re-
mark Cummings citation, he proceeded
to rehearse that singular vision, while
Walton gazed, wit deep anguish, at the
old mans changihg conntenance.- John
listened with dee. attention. At first, a
convulsive moyemnt of his lips alone tes-
tilted to his Inward emotion, but W hen the
worthy clergyman spoke of the murder,
described the pIac, and the struggles OF
the dying man, heuembled in every limb
his face becamelleadly pale, his hands
sank from the support which they had
grasped, and be fell senseless to the floor
Forester and Walton carried him to q
sofa, and after the application Of severa
tsF Ii he Sssdasa sas n
eyes, glanced timidly about him, and triet
to speak but in vaifffE. After having smsl-
lowed few drops of strengthening cor
dial, he EXCLAIMED
.r." Woe upon me, unhappy man, th
hand of God lies heavily upon me J"
"Be calm, Cummings, and listen to me,
said Walton. g. [ would give all | ar
worth in the world if | could believe yo
innocent, bat do not be precipitate, max
no unnecessary confessions, and fear moth
ing from me. promise you most sol
emnly, that | will never testify against 20
in this matter. ........ ...
"The hand of God lies heavily upo
tme," replied Cummings, trembling violen
ly, "and who is able to turn aside h
chastisemcnts Ny crime must be know
to all the world. | will deliver myself u
to justice. You shall hear ALL"
It was tale of jealousy and blood
revenge. He had secretly followed th
lovers to the appointed place Of meetin
had witnessed their tender parting-ha
heard them utter VOWS Of fidelity, an
hopes Of happy meeting. \ fit of fur
seized him, and he swore that such da
should never dawn for them, and after
few hours his fearful oath was sealed
the bloody deed. lie described his feel
ings of triumph, which all the reproaeh
of his conscience were unable to sienc
when his victim Iay at his feet; then u
sudden, terrible remorsc that followed til
storm of passion, the aversion which |
felt toward the former object of his low
and the fears Of discovery which haunt,
him, year after year, like fiightful gri
ming spectre.
His first thought had been to leave Il
country, but the fear of exciting suspici,
determined him to remain-a terribl lc tr
alto remain and listen to all the COME
lures made BY lis neighbors, to witne
their astonishmcnt, to hear their commen
and illusions, which pierced his very hea
In the mean while years passed hy, Al
the affair was forgotten. That :. sail
should perish on some distant coast, Al
none return to tell the tale, was notbi
unexampled in the annals Of human mi
fortune, and except the faithful S,isanr
scarcely any one thought longer Of 20
: Frank Gordon. a -.@>r
Cummings fears and anxietics, at |;
gradually disappeared, and his, conscie,
had by degrees grown quiet. It is tr
he had, in an hour offur'ous passion, co
mitted fearful crime, but be cnioycd /
confidence and esteem of his fellow ma
the avenxing hand of Providence had SD
ed him each day the remembrance of
j, bloody deed became less painful and c
pressive, and in the lapse of time, he CO
: look with a certain degree of satisfact
b. upon the course of his honest and ind
= trious life -
Cummings surrendered himself up i
y the hands of Justice, by making fulI c
/ fession to a neighboring magistrate, a
in few days, he exchanged the cnee