The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-03-08
From Once Week.
"Michae! Considines Daughter"

'Michae! Considinss Daughter. 7"
"When will the trial be over, Marki'
Tomorrow WoOlcot sums up"
"And the unhappy wOman-hOw hand
some she is!-has no chance!"
:'Not q shadow. Considine has made
her case his stalking horse, and when
he does that it is alwaysa hanging mat
ter. There's no doubt about her guilt;
she was jealous, it seems, and not only
killed the man and the woman who sup
planted her, but intended the world to
accuse him both as a murderer and
suicide. The execution will be delayed
until the child is born"
Good heavens-hOw awful! born un-
der the shadow of the gallowsw and
Mrs. Pembroke shuddered and drew
closer to her husbands side. Presently
she put her comely face up to his ear
and whispered, "The Lord has denied
us the crOwniDg happiness of marriage.
Could we not take this child, orphaned
as it will be from its BIRTH"
"My lover exclaimed Mark Pembroke,
startled at her words.
"Yes, dear. Pve never complained,
you know. % I've never told you how /
longed for q baby, and-and-" and then
she broke down and began to cry.
"Poor wife!-poor, childless wifew
said Mark, caressing her, his own eyes
filling with tears.
ave would soon learn to love it,
Mark, almost as if it had been truly
born to u.s." So the woman pleaded,
and, though mentally Mark shook his
head, he made no opposition; and thus
it was that Nelly Pembroke became the
adopted child of the good people who
lavished such love aud kindness upon
her.
Nineteen Years had elapsed since that
York assize. Michael Considine was
now on the bench, and everybody said
the great murder case had put him
there. he and Mark Pembroke had
been boys together, fellow students,
and now were warmer friends than ever;
yet even to him not word concerning
the childs parentage hadever been said.
Mark had answered the first inquiries
by saying he had many poor relations,
and that Nelly was an orphan; and he
never had cause to explain further.
Nelly grew up the light and delight
Of the household; and now, just as her
nineteenth year began, had returned
from finishing school an accomplished
and cOme-out-able young lady, pretty
enough to make fair excuse for Mrs.
Pembroke's pride in her, and, what was
better still, as good in heart as she was
in looks.
Nelly's birthday was to be celebrated
by ball; and as. Nelly liked smart
dresses, dancing, and nice partners as
much as any girl of her age, she was de-
termined the ball should be a success,
and worked morning, noon and night,
arranging and decorating with her own
deft lettle hands, whose touch seemed to
have o magical influence in giving
grace and beauty. Upon the evening
preceding the fete Considine came home
with Mark, and hearing Nelly was in
the dancing room, went there to give
her present he had brought.
When the door opened, Nelly, who
was perched upon chair fastening a
wreath, jumped down, pretending to be
angry:
at is too bad coming to look at things
half done. Uncle Mark should
What's the matter, Mr.. Considine-
what is it!" and with scared face she
looked round, for Mr.. COnsidine had
startled as she came up to him, and
stood staring at her, or beyond her, with
a pale, Mortified face. Nelly saw moth
ing but the wreath hanging against the
white wall, and when sine turned again,
COnsidine was gone.
"Why, what is the matter" cried Mrs.
Pembroke, as he Joined Mark and her
self minute after. "YOu look as if
You had seen a ghostw
$50 have" was the unexpected re-
ply; "if ever man did see such thing,
/ saw one just now. You remember
the murder case at the York assizes.
Ever since then I've been haunted by
the Shadow of the Gallows,' and / saw
it tonight"
"What does he mean, auntyp whisper
ed Nelly, who had followed him to the
room.
"Nothing, my pet; nothing"
"But see it, too, aunty; great black
one. armed thing, like that in the pic
tnre books l see it though it was only
something in my eyes. Why does it
haunt him, tooT
"My dear childw and Mrs. Pembroke
looked helplessly at her husband.
"Take her up stairs, Mrry," cried
Mark; "she's been exerting herself too
much, and Considine forgets that a
child should not hear such fancies. He
is fond of ghost stories, Nelly, my pet,
and only wanted to find out whether
you wereso great a goose as to believe
IN them. There, off you 60; the wreaths
will keep until tomorrow better than
that little excited head of yours will"
When the door closed behind the girl,
Mr.. Considine began pacing the room.
s'You'll perhaps think me q madman,
Mark he said; "but it's the honest
truth / told you just now. Ever since
the morning the woman was hung,
whenI have been extra pressed with
work, q shadow, just such as the gallows
would throw in the early sunlight, has
haunted me. Tsaw it just now in tho
dining room, but l. saw something more
this girl Nelly. Who is she' Where
| did YOU find herf Is she really rela-
tionf Or is she-my God! if it conld be
is she the child sentenced unbOrnP'
Considine bad run on with one ques-'
ton after another, warding off until the
last the suspicion that had taken posses
sion of him. One look at Mark was an
swer enough, and covering his face
with both hands, the strong man sat
down shuddering and sobbing like an
hysterical woman. Mark came over to-
him and laid his hand upon his shoul-
der. ..-i
Z "You have besn overworking yourself.
Yon must not let SUCH dkS ~
"Good God, Mark! she is my own
childw sgroaaed the S other, bOarsely.
And as Mr.. Pembroke stood by silenced
land half inclined to- 90 off for doctor
to minister to mind diseased" Con-
sidine went on:a '.It's the. old story Of
SIN finding the dcer OUT the woman
| fell in my way, she was wild with jeal-
lousy, and l took advantage Of it; she
came across the man who had driven
her wild, and you know the rest. Some
.ayepging power put me, up as counsel
for fhe crown. was like o madman
when ffound what was to do, and
some men are eloquent when mad; the
woman was condemned by my word.
.n,.ld boya tnro nue mv tDnCile. could