The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-04-05

any method might sugees, for dis.
posing Of little Charley bat be left
all The planning to me. And now Tor
the parl Of my story that would to
God were blotted from my memory.
! proposed to RaWne that towards
nightisll be should drug the boy To
slupetaeiiou, and then when an else
was arranged, | woald do the resi-
We ,hen all pot our most valuable
tects into one boat uith tie money .ali
bui about $50 Of which had IN ny
pocket.
1T was agreed that when night came
| should leave the camp, taking The
mastiH with me; that The moons rjs-
ing should be the signal for my re-
turn, aud for RaWnes q pauure with
the treasure boat to the lower part Of
the island. where he was 10 await my
arrival, having placed the helpless but
not liieless body of the boy encircled
by the chain, aud attached to the Old
anchor iiuke in the bottom OF the otl-
er boat. / was not to see him place
tie lad there; he was not TO see me
draw tie plugs from tile boat aud cut
it adrllt.
Twilight came, rose 10 depart,
and, though murderer az heart,l lclt
a choking sensation ia my throat, and
the great lot tears chased down. my
checks as ! gazed upon tie otter help
lesScss oi my victim. Ston aiierny
departure | missed the dog he had
probably returned 10 the camping
ground. AZ length the moon rose ;
and stealing my heart against every
generous impulse aud every touch Of
pity. / haslened back. Rawne had
departed, leaving everything ready
/ approached the waters edge, laid
my hand upon the boat, aud could
distinctly hear the haltsuppressed
brea.hings Of the child as he lay wrap
ped ID blankets. waded as Tar as |
could toward, the deep water, drew
the plags, held 10 the boat BY short
iine heard low gurgling groan, and
the waters closed over it.
Returning to the shore, | hastened
10 Tue appointed place Of meeting,
when Judge Of my rage and disap-
paiutmen5 | found ltSwne was not
thcrc--he had gone, taking boat,
money, yaluables, and dog, all with
him-all snatched from me when nj
most ia my grasp--leit me without
the means Of escape from this fearful
Ulace; but what wae 1889 4 was
aUae With no covering but the mgry
sky. i murderer alone dio3m ! !.
with no screen from the flashing eye
Of God. Aioaei all alone in awful
silence, where every sigh Of the night
wind cmed speeding up toward Iea-
ven, Ia len with the cry Of blood
From Dist hour have been more a
denun than a man. AT the end OF
$50 days | was obliged to drag up the
sauken boat as my only meas OF es-
cape, and now again my heart sank
within me.
4 lell cold terror at the thought
Of gazing sgsin upon the accusing
corpse Of my victim, but overlurning
the boat before it reached the shore, |
saw nothing Of the burden il had
borne.
For three long and weary years |
have wandered over every part d he
State, from town to city, from camp
to camp. seeking the hated object ot
my revenge, but all in vain; and now,
with The terlors Of death upon me,
with remorse eating out my soul-oh
that | might sink into forgetlullness
and the grave!
Stranger, continued he, that is the
dark m5 stery OF my life, the seal Of
blood is on my forehead, the cry Of
blood ever rings in my ear. Aud
yet, oflimes in my dreams, while
sleeping here, close TO the moulder-
ing bones Of my victim, with dends
aud demons shrieking and dancing
aound my bed, | see the radient face
Of that .iill, il seems 10 beam with
pity and forgiveness.
The recital Of this fearful tragedy
proved too much for his shattered sys-
TEN, a9d be sank back for a time 10 a
deaihhke torpor; reyiying again,
however, he pointed 10 yonder wall,
and in bro en- accents and laboring
breath, asked ne 80 hand him 80 old
coat tliat hung there.
lie tore apart a portion Of the lin-
ing, aud produced a istter with the
scal unbroken, for lie could not read.
II was addressed-'JoAn Douglass,
San Francisco 4 have had that let
ter by me for three years, sail le,
but dared not ask any person %
read it, fearing that il might diynlge
the great crime Of my life; i can do
no harm, for | shall soon b. beyond
mans rrach--read il to me, ii you
please.
i broke the seal, and read as fol-
lows:-
JOHN Douglas Should his letter
ever reach you, il may possibly re
lieve your mind Of heavy burden.
e What il III: eagerly eHqaired Doug
!as You must kaow then Of truth
that Charley Ud9lf aiH Eees. In
place Of the boy ] substituted tie
having FIRST drugged him.
bound The chain heavily round him.
tslaeed him ia tie i0at and covered