Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-04-03
"Heaven have mercy on mel

man, springing towards Him I; but saddsa-
ly he recoiled. ssa-'l
"My father !" he cried "wh,t eur.
sed chance! l did not mean to harn
him." u'
AT the sight Of the son. the poor old
peddler closed his eyes and sank back
horror-stricken but in a moment hs
opened them, and fixed them on his son !:
and as he.gazed, each appeared rivetsd,
the one upon the other. .
The son covered before the meek, up.
lifted eyes of the poor, death stricken
father. He stood for some moments spell
bound. The peddler's lips moved as IL
in prayer, shudder passed through. his
frame. and his eyes closed. -
Relieved Of those reproachful eyes, the
mans evil passions seemed to retorn.
"It's like my cursed i'll luck ;" ho sad.
seizing the candle. Where can TIE cid
fool have slowed his money ?" q ..a
And he proceeded oncs mere 10 search
the house.
After a timo be noticed door wIisA
he had not previously opened. Thew
was no key; but a blow from his power.
full arm, and it few open. At 6rst ths
room appeared cmpty but second glance
showed in one corner an iron bound be1,
To break open the box was the work Of .
moment. and the next heag Of shining
gold lay before him.
With cry ofel ultation, be commenced
to transfer it to his pockets. When hs
had secured it all, be seized his candle.
and descended into the room below.
There lay the bodies Of his father and
Daniel Keen. He was just looEing at
the peddler's body, foncying that the chest
still showed signs of life, when he was
alarmed by loud knocking at the dsor.
He hastily set down the candle, and
rushed up stairs. In a moment or i've
after, there was a cry, a noise as Of the
falling Of some heavy body. and deep
groan. Then all was still. ..
ruIprpp rrT
When the three men returned to Oh
Keen's house, they brought with them q
lantern and crowbar. The door was
forced, and sorrowful sight met their
view. The room bore evidence Of q ssrug-
gle having taken place. and on the ground
before them lay the bodies of the two Old
men, weltering in their own blood.
On examining the body Of the peddler
it was evident that life was not extinct
and one Of the men set off to the village to
give the alarm, and procure medical aid.
In the mean time the other two pro-
ceeded to search the house. AS they as
cended the stairs, they were alarmed by
a sound; but, from whence it proceeded.
they could not exactly tell but it seemed
as though it came from an upper room!
Is was low, hollow sound, as Of some
one in pain. They stopped to listen |;
but all was silent. They advanced slow
ly and cautiously DIP the starirs, for now
they felbcertain that the murderer was in
the house J; and, though they wcre not
positively towards, they feared be might
spring upon them unawares, and at any
moment. On they went now startled by
the loud creaking of the stairs, and now
alarmed by the ocho of thcr own exclama-
tions of terror. -......c~. .....
The came a low wailing. as il the wind
was moaning in melancholy cadence III
the trees outside, and they stopped again.
Was it the wind, or was it q human cry ?
With many stoppings, and great ex.
citement, they searched every room in the
house. On their return, they looked in
at the rooms which had been shut ur.'
At one moment they thought they saw
form moving in the dim shade at one end
Of the room Just at that moment gust
of wind cxtinguishcd the candle. which
enc of them had incautiously taken out
of the lantern, aud they were left in dark.
ness. ats ,.as
Without waiting for anything more,
the two men made their way downstairs
and procured another light.
At this moment they were joined by
the doctor and his assistant, together
with the village constable, and Banks;
and now, emboldened by numbers, they
searched the house thoroughly; but no
trace of the murderer could be discovered.
The doctor pronounced Daniel Keen to
be dead but there was life still in the
peddlcr, and he hoped for the best.
The excitement the next morning Was
great in Aspendale, and in the course Of
the day it rcacLed as far as West Com
ford, and strange rumors were circulated
as to the murderer.
Circumstances also transpired, which,
in the minds of most people, seemed to