The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-12-28

der Perhaps he might be the real
murderer, and, driven by guilty con-
science, was awaiting the action Of
the court before making full confess
sion of the crime.
The next day / attended court as
before. Ny strange friend was there.
and seemed scarcely less Interested
than the prisoner at the bar l watch
ed him attentively.
Later IN the afternoon, as | was
riding in the outskirts of the village
over desolate looking spot, / passed
him pacing slowly along with his
hands behind him, and so lost i'm
thought that he did not even look up
as went by. He returned to the no
tel after the other guests were seated
at the supper table, and ate his meal
in silence.
When | retired for the night, | left
him sitting in the bar-room with an
elbow upon each arm Of the chair. paz
ing intently at the fire.
| had been in bed about half n hour
when he came up stairs with two can
dies, which he placed upon The table,
then went to his valise. and took out
several quires of foolscap, ard lastly
drew from his pocket small black
bottle, and placed it by his side as he
sat down and began to write.
| was too much Interested in this
movement to sleep, so | lay still and
kept my attention fixed upon him.
At hrst his pen moved deliberately
over the paper, and as his hand pa S.
ed over page after page, its scratching
became louder and more nervous
There was evidently burning thought
that must have expression in words.
The veins upon his forehead were
swollen as if ready to burst, and his
whole expression was that of intense
excl ement. He seemed to have for
gotten that there was anybody else in
the room, for | could hear him NUT
tering aloud his thoughts as he penn
ed them. Now and then he would
pause, draw long breath, and dash
on again. At last he threw down his
pen and struck his hand against his
forehead with the exclamation:
81 did it And now she is gone,
why do / tarry here to see that poor
wretch suffer in my stead? Twas as
L said--she did not marry him. There's
comfort in the thought Could have
seen her as his wife and not gone madl
Ye cruel fates, ye were too many for
me in the unequal strife, when twas n
woman's heart became the price of
wealth; but my good steel did find its
way where gold is powerless. I'll we'd
her yet, for here is that which shall
give me quick conveyance to the shore
where she has gone before"
He seized a little black bottle, took
a deep draught, and then resumed his
writing
see it all now, thought L 1t is as
| expected. This is She murderer; the
lover who did the deed He is com
hitting suicide, and writing out his
own confession.
was not inclined to disturb a man
under such circumstances, so lay still
end awaited further results. His pen
dashed on more furiously than ever;
and occasionally his hand would 90 to
his bottle, whose contents were evil
IDENTIFY working on his brain One OF
the candles had gone out, and the
other burned low in the socket
He threw down his pen and applied
the bottle once more to his lips and
swallowed the last drop, and sepul-
chre tone gave expression to these
words as he stood before the ex piring
light:
THAT is all When they do look on
this, then they will know why it was
they thought me strange There's my
confession written for those who think
it was little thing that she rejected
mo. They shall know that what /
swore, | had the courage to perform.
I'll to my couch, and let the morrow
tell a tale Of horror which shall make
their drowsy souls believe there is a
love far stronger than grim death.
Farewell, earth, where gold doth rob
me of my love and lail thou strange
unknown where she doth wait my
coming
Int StuNtlC Jul llbQ iiuc 10 btic GA
cited man uttered these last words,
with gestures and tones of the spirit
of one talking with the murdered Mary.
The last glimmer of the light was gone,
and | heard the man throw himself
heavily upon the bed.
My first Impulse was to give the
alarm. but second thought told me il
he was the murderer and had written
out his confession, and was now tax
ing himself off by dose of poison, |
could do nothing by bringing him back
to life again only to be strung up and
die like dog.
l did not sec why | should try to
keep poor wretch in this world when
he had become convinced that he had
better leave it. He might make his
exit under worse circumstances and as
he had done me no wrong. could not
out of charity interfere
With quiet conscience | dropped
asleep, and when | awoko at daylight,
my neighbour lay on the outside of the
bed, with his back towards me, and
, none of his clothing removed. The
candlesticks, the black bottle, the pa
pers were on the table. | dressed my