The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-12-22

dredging.
On the second day We we're Joined
by two men, who Geei e..oronr u.;,,,
us for several DAYS ,ampng With us
at night. Witt these nes was a huge
English mastif to which orr l;tHo
Udolf became greatly iaohed ,yh;le .
I the affection manifested u. u.o do, Co.,
the child was truly ronpt,h,o A,
an earnest entreaty of u ho, no NM
chased the dog, and on Pie ,sxt dov
parted with its owner Wa hod
reached the little island ar4r ed
my companion ready b. st To any
method l might suggest lo. 3snos;nc
of little Charley, but be 81, II the
planning to me. And now for tbe,part
of my story that l would TO God mere
blotted out from my memory. ] pro-
posed to Rawne that toward mpbtfall
he should drug the boy to ,tupefac-
ton, and yhen all else <sss arr9gel.
I would do the rest. We then Ig, all
our most valuable effects into me
boat with the money, all but abou #
ty dollars which / had i'll my pockt
1t was agreed that when night cane
/ should leave the camp, taking lie
mastiif with me; that the moons H..
ing should be the signal for my retur
and for Rawne's departure with th.
treasure boat to the lower part of tb
island, where he was to await my ar
rival, having first placed the helpless
but not lifeless body of the boy, encir
cled by the chain, and attached to The
old anchor fuke in the bottom of tho
other boat | was not to see him place
the lad there; he was not to see me
draw the plugs from the boat and cut
it adrift
Twilight came. l rose to depart,
and though a murderer at heart, !
felt a choking sensation in my throat,
and the great hot tears chased down
my cheeks as I gazed upon the utter
helplessness of my victim. Soon af-
ter my departure | missed the dog;
he had probably returned to the
camping ground. At length the moon
rose; and steeling my heart against
every generous impulse and every
touch of pity l FASTENED back. Rawne
had departed, leaving every thing rea-
dy; | approached the waters edge,
laid my hand upon the boat, and could
distinctly hear the half-suppressed
breathing of the child as he lay wrap
coula Sowarts ~,vvr ", osew tn,
plugs, held to the boat BY short line
heard low, gurgling groan and The
waters closed over it.
Returning to the shore, l hastenet
to the appointed place of meeting
when judge of my rage and dsappoint
ment, l found Rawne was not there
he had taken boat, money, valuables
and dog, all with him-all snatcheC
from me when almost in my grasp
left me without means of escape from
this horrid place; but what was worse
| was alone with no covering but The
angry sky, A murderer aione' alone
with no screen from the flashing eye
of God. Alone! all alone in this aw
full silence, where every sigh of the
night wind seemed speeding up to
ward heaven, laden with the cry o
blood From that hour / have beer
more a demon than man. At the
end of two days l was obliged to drag
up the sunken boat as my only means
of escape, and now again my hear
sank within me.
l felt cold terror at the thought o
gazing again upon the accursed corpse
of my victim, but overturning the boat
before it reached the shore, | saw
nothing Of the burden it had borne.
For three long and weary years
have wandered over every part of the
State, from town to city, from camp
to camp, seeking the hated object o
my revenge, but all in vain; and nov
with the terrors of death upon me
with remorse eating out my soul-ol
that might sink into forgetfulnes
and the grave
Stranger continued he, chat is thu
dark mystery of my life, the seal 0
blood is on my forehead, the cry o
blood ever rings in my ears. Yet OF
tentimes in my dreams, while sleepin,
here, close to the moldering bones o
my victim, with fends and demon
shrieking and dancing around IN,
head, see the radiant face of tina
poor murdered boy, and what
stranger still, it seems to beam wit
pity and forgiveness.
The recital of this fearful TRACED
proved too much for the shattered sys
TEN, and he sunk back in death Xix