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


In the Spring of 1850 went to Stin-
ton to transact some professional bust
ness and attend trial which was then
before the criminal court, at that time
in session.
Preached the place late in the even
ing, after hard days journey, and
found that the only hotel in the village
was full, with the exception of one Led
in double bedded room.
"The other is occupied by gentle
man from New York, said the land
lord, and as an inducement to me 10
help on the profits of the house, he adj
ded, "he is neithera rogue or cut
throat, Judging from his appearance.
They never have any such characters
up there in Gotham. Of course you'll
not have any scruples about sleeping
in the same room with one Of your own
townsmen.'
As had nothing about me even to
tempt third rate thief, and had new
er given my fellow men sufficient rea-
son for severing my jugular in the dark
| decided to take the bed in question,
and soon retired
My fellow traveller was already in
bed, and apparently asleep, with his
face turned toward me, 1t was that of
a mild looking man of thirty-fve, and
Of sandy complexion with a hungry
look As | ran my eye along his
outline under the bedclothes | did
wish that he had been fatter, for in
one respect am like Caesar, / prefer
fat men about me when there is any
thing like prospective danger. There
was nothing in his physiognomy, how
ever, that led me to suspect him given
to deeds of darkness so | esconsed my
Sc fin bed, and with my very last
thoughts upon dear Mr.. Jones, l was
soon as unconscious as one of the
seven sleepers
Little past midnight 1 was awakened
by voice from my neighbours bed. /
listened He was muttering in his
sleep
ooh, Mary, how can you cast me
off, he went on in the pleading tone
of IL distracted lover How can
forgive the love that hes followed you
for so many years, and never turned
from you in your misfortune when you
stood alone in the world ?"
Then came pause, after which he
continued in more moving tones than
before:
Say not so, say not so. Before he
with his wealth crossed your path, we
were happy in each other, and why
should now be cast off after you have
sworn by all that is high and good
that you would be mine. All !! Mary,
if you reject me my soul will be given
up to some dark deed that will destroy
rs both. | shall have faith neither in
God or woman to restrain me.
"Then you turn deaf ear to my
last PRAYER. You have chosen your
own late, and mark my word you shall
never marry him =
The mind of the sleeper seemed to
have become calm and his dream I'M
disturbed rs soon as he had given ut
terance to these last oininous hard
words
He doesn't sleep well, thought l.
He is going through with the roman
tic part of life He has taken the dis
ease at an untimely age; it goes hard
with him. And as | remembered i
had just such dreams at one time,
when | came near losing the present
Mrs Jones, was not the least alarmed
by my neighbours ominous express
sions.
thought no more about the matter
, until / saw the man in court the next
day. The case was that of n young
man on trial for the murder of a young
woman to whom he had been betroth-
ed. The ground of his arrest was,
that on the night of the murder in her
own fathers house, he was the last
person known to be with her. She
had lived for several years in New
, York city, and it was reported that
she there made the acquaintance of a
penniless young man, to whom she
was engaged to be married; and that
she had broken her engagement with
him for more wealthy rival whom
, she met on her return home.
As / listened to the proceedings OF
the court | noticed that my fellow
lodger seemed to take more of an in
terest in them than would be expected
of an ordinary observer. / then be-
gan to think whether there could be
any connection between this crime
and what i heard him saying in his
sleep in the preceding night. 1t was
a striking coincidence that Mary was
the name of the murdered young wo-
man. He had seemed to be pressing
; his c aims as more binding than those
of a latter and more wealthy lover
: His thread bare suit and unkept gen.
!, eral makeup, showed that he might
personate the poor lover, Moreover
he was from New York, and seemed
to have no particular business. except
to hang about the courtroom and
) note the proceedings.
| kept my thoughts TO myself, how
ever, and watched for further develop
ments.
That night | went to bed first. My
strange friend came up after was APP
+ parently asleep. He seemed wholly
. unconscious of my presence lie
J placed his candle on table near has
bed. and commenced to examine some