Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-04-27

the presence of my head within the
room.
When / had waited long time, very
patiently, without hearing him lie down
/ resolved TO open little-a very, very
little crevice in the lantern. SO opened
it-you cannot imagine how stealthily,
stealthily-until, at length, a single dim
ray, like the thread of the spider, shot
from out the crevice and fell upon the
vulture eye.
1t was open-wide, wide open-and l
grew furious as / gazed upon it. / saw
II with perfect distinctness-all dull
blue, with hdeous veil over II that
chilled the very marrow in my bones |;
but could see nothing else of the old
mans face or person; for / had directed
the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon
the damned spot.
Aud now have / not told you that
what you mistake for madness is but
say, there came to my ears low, dull,
quick scund, such as a watch makes
when enveloped in cotton knew that
sound we'll, too. 1t was the beating Of
the cid mans heart 1t increased my
fury, as the beating of drum stimu
lates the soldier into courage.
But even yet | refrained and kept
still. / scarcely breathed. | held the
lantern motionless. tried how steadily
] could maintain the ray, upon the eye.
Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart
increased 1t grew quicker and quicker,
and louder and leuder every instant.
The old mans terror must have been
extremel 1t grew louder, say, louder
every moment do you mark me well
/ have told you that am nervous; so |
am. And now at the dead hour of the
night, amid the dreadful silence of that
old house, so strange noise as this ex'
cited me to uncomfortable terror. Yet,
for some minutes longer l refrained and
stood still But the beating grew louder,
louder / thought the heart must burst
And now a new anxiety seized me-the
sound would be heard by q neighbor
The old mans hour had come With q
loud yell, | threw open the lantern and
eaped into the room. He shrieked once
--once only. In an instant dragged
him to the floor. and pulled the heavy
bed over him. / then smiled gayly, to
find the deed so far done. But, for
many minutes, the heart beat on with a
muffled sound. This, however, did not
vex me; il would not be heard through the
wall. At length it ceased. The old man
was dead. removed the bed and ex-
amined the corpse. Yes, he was stone,
stone dead. / placed my hand upon the
heart and held it there many minutes.
There was no pulsation. He was stone
dead. His eye would trouble me no
more.
If still you think me mad, you will
think so no longer when describe the
wise precautions took for the conceal
ment of the body. The night waned, and
l worked hastily, but in silence. First of
all dismembered the corpse. cut of
the head and the arms and the legs.
l then took up three planks from the
flooring of the chamber, and deposited
all between the scantlings | then re-
placed the boards so cleverly, so Gun.
ningly, that no human eye-not even his
could have detected anything wrong
There was nothing to wash out-no stain
of any kind-no blood spot whatever. |
had been too wary for that. A tub had
caught all-ha ha!
When / had made an end of these
labors it was four o'clock-still dark as
midnight As the bell sounded the hoar,
there came knocking at the street door,
| went down to open it with light heart !
for what had l now to fear ? There
entered three men, who introduced them
selves, with perfect suavity, as officers of |
the police. A shrek had been heard by |
a neighbor during the night; suspicion
of feul play had been aroused informa-
ton had been lodged at the police office,
and they (tLe officers) had been deputed
to search the premises.
smiled-for what had | to fear2 |
bade the gentlemen welcome. The
shrek, | said, was my own in dream.
The old man, mentioned, was absent
in the country. | took my visitors all
over the house. / babe them search
search well. led them at length to his
chamber. ] showed them his treasures,
secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm
OF my confidence, | brought chairs into
the room, and desired them here to rest
from their fatigues while / myself, in
the wild audaeity of my perfect triumph,
placed my own seat upon the very spot
beneath which reposed the corpse of the
victim.
The officers were satisfied My man
ner had convinced them. / was singu
larly at ease. They sat, and while
cheerily, they chatted of
familiar things. But, ere long, / felt
myself getting pale, and wished them
gone Ny head ached, and fancied a
ringing in my ears; but still they sat
aud still chatted. The ringing became
more distinct-it continued and became
more distinct / talked more freely to
get rid Of the feeling, but it continued
and gained aefnitivensss until at
length, found that the noise was not
within my ears.
No doubt now grew very pale; but
talked more huently, and with high
tened voice Yet the sound increased
and what could / do2 Itwas dull, low,
1uiek sound-much such sound as
watch makes when enveloped in cotton.
gasped for breath-and yet the officers
heard il not ] talked more quickly
more vehemently; but the noise steadily
increased. / arose and argued about
rifles, in high key and violent gesticula-
ions; but the noise steadily increased.
Why would they not be gone? / paced
he floor to and fro with heavy strides,
IS if excited to fury by the observations
II the men-but the noise steadily in !
creased. Oh, God what could io2 | '
raved-I sworel swung the !
hair upon which / had been sitting, and
rated It upon the boards, but the noise :
rose over all and continually increased. .
{ grew Observation-Disclosures And
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