Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-11-06
TuE yILLAGE MYSTERY.
BY FRANK s. FRANKLIN.

terry. Jeanette, n young Swiss villager,
sitting ut her chamber sindow had seen
a young officer enter the lower portion
ofthe chalet OF Barber Natz, for in this
village only the upper parts Of the houses
are used TO dwell in, the lower portions
serving Ear stabling and other purposes,
and as she said she had never seen him
come out again, she thought It singular
He had seemed to come as from Inter
lachen, where regiment was encamped'
Jeanette told what she had seen to her
husband, but he laughed at her, and said
probably she had fallen asleep and the
officer had left in the meantime.
The next day another officer arrived,
ipouiring at each Of the chalets il they
knew aucht of his brother soldier. jean
nette told him all she knew, and he i'm
mediately went over to the BARRIERS
whom he found flushed and nervous; and
when the name Of the missing officer was
mentioned he trembled in every limb.
He said he had been there, and then con-
tradicted himself, which reused the
officers suspicious, and he Immediately
proceeded for the burgomaster, who with
his aids arrived and made search on
the premises; and in the back yard,
under a small awning, was found the dead
body, pale and CHASTITY, with his throat
cut from ear 10 ear, and o razor with
Nsiz's name by his side.
The rooms of the barber were now ex-
amiued, and there, hidden away in an
old trunk, was a red purse full Of gold,
and which the officer swore to having
seen in the hands of his dead compsn-
ion the day before, and Natz was arrested
on circumstantial evidence.
Every one was surprised, for the bar
her had ever borne the best of charac-
acters, and his upright, Christian deport-
ment gained him many friends; but,
like all other persons, when suspicion
of guilt rested upon him he found few
who could remember his virtues, but,
luckily, none could speak of his mis-
deeds. for he seemed to have none. He
was an old man, and the little children
used to come TO him to ask him for ste
ries of his early life among the cold and
icy mountains, and how he once lost his
way and was obliged to remain all night
in lone and dreary spot
II was hard for the old man to have
such a trial at his time of life, but every
thing seemed to point him out as a muir
derer.
All believed the old man guilty, for,
argued they, IF he be Innocent be
would surely say something to justify
himself" But the poor barber spake
not a word, although the old curste
begged him to make his fame clear, CT let
the world have bis confession. 1t seemed
strange even with so much circumstan-
tial evidence that one should believe in
his guilt. For was he not an old man |
nearing the verge of the gravep And
surely, after living an upright life for so
many wears, he would not wish to close
it with the crime of murder on his soul.
But then, you know we are all too apt In
this world to jump at once TO conclusions,
and doubt not many az innocent being
has been launched into enternity, where
the guilty have walked the earth for
years afterwards.
You may be assured that poor jean
nette felt extremely unhappy, as she con-
stantIy accused herself as partly being
the cause of the poor BARRIERS arrest.
The trial was over the evidence taken
MP, and the verdict was Guilty" and
but one dsy was to elapse ere the scaffold
was to claim another victim.
Strange sounds had been heard at Bar
Der Natz' 5 house, and the more supersti-
tious put it down to the wandering spirit
of the young officer, but strange to re-
late, no investigation had been made as
yet.
AS Natz found it was his last night on
earth, be told the curate to come, and be
would tell all it was in his power to do,
SO at the appointed time came the pastor,
and the barber told his story in the fol-
lowing manner:
II must tell you, holy curate, in the
first place, that how the murder was done
is unknown to me; but as some of my
story may lead to the conviction of the
guilty party, feel it my duty to tell it to
you. The young officer whose body was
found near my chalet was my own son.
Your soni" exclaimed the curate.
Listen" continued the barber. he
was always a wild, wilful boy, and
caused us much trouble; but he has gone
to wiser Judge than !, who, pray, will
pardon all his sins. He ran away from
home to join the army, and until the
night be came to see me, it was many
long year ere had set eyes on him; and
then he came to me, not as a reformed
man, but as one guilty Of crime | can
not think of without shudderiug. Oh
it is hard for q father to talk Of his son
as | am obliged to do, and | thank
Heaven the grass covers the grave Of his
moor mother. But to proceed.
Ny son came to my chalet, and told
me that among his many wild adventures
be had met with a young and beautiful
girl. with whom he became desperately
enamored, and who so far forgot her duty
as to live with him, although no words
had made them man and wife. The girl
died but year after in giving birth to
boy, who soon followed its mother to the
land of shadows. he told me he was
pursued by the girls mother, who. had
vowed to take his life as a revenge for |
the seduction Of her dasghter. The purse
he left, and which was found on my |
premises, was given me to make my last |
DAYS comfortable. Though the lad was
wild. still he had heart to feel for his
poor old father, and this has kept me
from making this statement before; but
as stand here, and expect to be in the
presence Of my Maker to-morrow, l avow
that he left my chalet soon after, and as
God is my witness, these hands never
shed his blood"
"But who could it have been9 p spoke
the curate.
Had / even Guessed a, the criminal,
think you | would SO long have kept |
silence 2
"Suspicion could only attach itself to |
one person, and that is the mother Of the
girl"
"And no one has seen her in the neigh |
borbood"
Gould your son have committed sui
II 81