The Shasta courier., 1862-04-05
sH ASIA COURIER.
The Bloody Hand.
By J. Z. DOW.

a.. u
homespun dress, as she swept mp the hearth
of the solitary farmhouse, in the interior OF
England. at the close of cold December day,
in the year IS.
The person thus addressed was an iron
faced farmer, of about the middle size, with
dark eyes peering underneath pair of shag-
gy eyebrows. His cheek was flushed, as
though old ago had been coursing like wild
fire through his swollen veins, and his Draw
nv hand, as he looked at the clot of fresh
blood that stained it, seemed to have been
made for descendant of Cain.
"There is blood, said Brown, for such
was the farmers name, ''but it is all off
now-bring me my supper" The wife-for
such was the first speaker-looked him long
and anxiously in the face. Horrid visions
seemed to be floating before her eyes, and
murder almost escaped from her compressed
lips.
n" Why. what in the name of nature ails the
woman?'' said Brown, endeavoring by an
ill-contrived laugh to silence hei fears. . Il
people go where sheep are slaughtered, they
must expect to get bloody"
g The blood of sheep has not been on youl
hand" said his wife, iirmly ..There was a
melancholy looking man upon the hill to day
He had money, and valuable watch. lie
offered me piece of gold for directing him to
the next village, and set his watch by our
clock. Have you seen the stranger, John?''
The iron features of the hardened husband
now contracted into fearful seoxl. ''Wo-
man. said he. what have | to do with
travellers on the hill side Mind your own
AFFAIRS Then changing his tone to a sort
of-whine, he said, ''Give me my food. Meg
l am cold and hungry, and caunot joke with
you longer
Joke with me - said the poor wife, with
a countenance agonizcd with horror, God
grant that it proves joke"
The supper was now placed upan the ta-
BILE. The farmer ate his food i'll silence,
and then went to bed. In few moments he
was lost in deep-though terrible sleep. Hav-
ing seen that everything was quiet, the good
wife put on her hooded cleak, and went out
upon the lawn. 1t was cold and checrless
evening. The hills seemed turning into mis-
ty shadows. before the wand of an enchanter,
and the waving tops seemed like the bo-
som of the midnight deep. The bleak wind
howled sadly amid the elm trees 10y the way
side, and the bay of a distant Watchdog
came echoing up the vale. The unhappy
wife followed the track of her husband for
about mile. She now was startled by a
deep groan. Scanning narrowly the hill side,
sac perceived a place where some persons had
apparently struggled together, in the snow
drift, and beyond, little distance, she be-
held the melancholy stranger, whom she had
directed on his course several hours previous,
lying upon the ground, with dreadful
wound upon his rallid forehead. Brown $
wife was strong and resolute woman. She
raised the wounded man and wiped the blood
from his eyes. Finding that lite was not
cxtinct, she bore him upon her shoulders to
her dwelling. Having laid him down in the
passage, she opened the kitchen door where
Brown was sleeping. His thick, heavy
breathing, gave evidcn e that the sleep of
drunkenness was upon him. She then car
ried the stranger through the kitchen to a
little bed room where she usually retired
when the abuse of her brutal husband be
came insupportable. As the head of the
wounded man brushed by the face of Brown,
his hands nstirctively griped the bed clothes
and carried them over his head Having
.staunched the wound-thc bleeding of which
had been checked before by the coaeulating
blood-the good wife dressed it in manner
we'll approved of by medical men. gave her
patient composing draught, and then re-
turned to her seat by the kitchen fire.
The farmer now began to be himself. He
moved like wounded snake in his unquiet
sleep. He opened his eyes and glared wildly
around him. There is no blood upon my
hand" said he. Meg, it was all a Joke
IIa. ha devilish good Joke" As he said
this, conscience felt the dreadful gnawing Of
the worm that never dies, and shiver along
the limbs of Brown told but too plainly. thai
he had sealed, in blood, a bond, conveying tt
regions of everlasting fire his miserable soul
The fumes of his debauch arose like mis-
upon his brain, and he slept again. His wifi;
now paid the stranger another visit, and find
ing everything working as it should, retire,
80 her desoate couch. Morning came. ant
the sobered farmer arose from his p How o
remorse. His face was haggard, his eye
blood shot. and his hair, like that of the flu
ries. seemed changing into serpents.
He said but little. and went out immedi
ately after breakfast His wife saw him 9,
up the hill side. She knew that he mad gon,
to bury the body, and she rejoiced to thinl
that he would labor in vain. Noon ant
night and morning came. but no husband
approached the farm house. Weeks rollct
on, and John Brown was seen no more upoI
the hill side, or in his homely dwelling lii
whistle was hushed upon the moor, and hi
football awoke not the echoes eff the forest
way.
The stranger, in the meantime recovered
IA justice of the peace was sent for, and al
affidavit was made of the facts of the CASE
The murderous wretch was described with
fearful correctness. all-all but the face
That was concealed by a slouched hat, and
could not be described. The wife brcathed
again. With n womans wit, she spoke but
little of her husband absence, and when she
alluded to it. she spoke of it as an absence of
short duration, with her advice aud consent.
The stranger, who proved to be noble
man of wealth, cndcavored to cheer the
gloomy shades of the deserted woman's heart:
but 1t was vain attempt. There was no
cure for blightsd love. no peace for IA rificd
heart God alone eau be the widow 5 hus
tand--God alone can gladden. the widow S
heart
= 1ou never shall want, Meg" said the
nobleman. as he sat by the farmers wife a
few evenings after he was able to walk. :
must to London; business of Importance
urges me there. When you are in distress,
one hint of the fact to me viii produce instant
relief
\ carriage, with an Earl's coronet, now
drove up to the cottage door. The wiic said
nothing; she seemed to be lost in an unfath-
omable mystery.
I" VIII you not accompany me, my faithful
aurse?' said the stranger, as he prepared
To depart from the dwelling of charitable
love-
"Nav s;r = s,;J tho VIC, ~ ..,no+ ,b,,s