The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-11-06

Ia WOtuau ueCSlf Gu una ktl46U pN MN.
AS Catherine said this, she sdud6eret
and buried her face IN that of tn
babe which she carried In her arms
Hannah was shocked to hear this
but her good sense led her to augges
for the comfort of the poor wife tha
1t was perfectly possible for her nus
band TO consider himself a murdere
in his sleep, and speak of it withOu
the slightest reality OF the Whole ef
fair.
"Ah, Hannah" said CAtharint
sadly, "these dreadful sayings ar'
not tho result of one nightmare elum
Der. They occur ofsen--too often
Besides, whom frst heard him ut e
in his sleep these horrible things,
mentioned the matter TO him in thI
morning st our breakfast and laughed
at 1t; but ho grew asitOted and tell
ing me 70 pay no attention 20 sucl
things, as he sometimes talked non
sense, he knew, In his sleep, he ros'
and went away, leaving his meal IN
finished indeed, scarcely touched
I am sure he does not know how oft
en- he speaks il his sleep, for have
never mentioned tho subject again
though my rest is destroyed By it
And then his fits of sadness at orii
nary moments Hannah! Hannah
there Is some mystery under it -
Yet" continued tho young wife, "he
is so good-so kind--so dutiful to
God and to man! He has too much
tenderness TO harm fly! Hannah,
what am I TO think or 90, for an
wretohed at PRESENT.
1t was long before the old dame
replied to this question. She mused
greatly on what had been told her,
and in the end said to CathHrine-
"MY dear child, 1 cannot believe that
William is guilty Of what these cir
cumstanees lay seemingly at his
door. But if the worst be true, it is
better for you to know IL, than to be
in this killing suspense forever. Go
and gain his confidence. Catherine
tell him all that has come TO your
ear and say that you did so by my
advice" >" Hannah continued 10 use
persuasion Of the same kind FOR some
time longer, and at length sent
Catharine home firmly resolved 20
follow the counssls given her.
On tho following day Cstharine
once moro presented herself at the
abode of Hannah, and as soon as she
entered, exclaimed: 'Dear mother,
/ have told him all he will be here
soon to explain everything to US
both"
The old woman did not exactly
comprehend this. "iIas he not, >
said she, "given any explanation TO
you ?"
"No, Hannsh," said Ca;haTIao /;
''but Oh, he is not guilty. When !
had spoken as you desired me, he
was silent a long time, and then
took me to his arms, Hannah, and
kissed me saying: "Ay darling
Catharine, / ought TO have cOnfiisd
in you long before. have been Un-
fortunate but not guilty. Go 70 kind
Hannsh's and 1 will soon follow you,
and set your mind at case, as far as
1t can bo done. Had l known how
much you had been suffering, l
would have done this long before"
These we're his words, Hannah. Oh,
he may be unfortunate, but not gull
ty.
Hannah and Catharine said little
20 each other until William came to
the cottage. William sat down
gravely by the side of his wife, and
after kindly inquiring for the old
woman, at once commenced 10 tell
his story.
"The reason Of my unhappy ex-
clamations in my sleep, which have
weighed so much upon my mind,
dear Catharine, may soon be told.
They arose from n circumstance
which has much embittered my own
peace, but which hope is to be re-
garded as sad calamity rather than
a crime. When l entered the army,
which l did at the age OF nineteen,
the recruiting party to which L was
attached was sent to Scotland, where
we remained but few days, being
ordered again to England, il order
to be transported again to the CONT
nent. One unhappy morning as We
were passing out Of the town where
we had rested on our march south
ward, my companions and ] CHANGED
to see girl, apparently about fifteen
years Of age, washing clothes in Q
tub. Being the most light hearted
among the light hearted, took up q
large stone with the intention OF
splashing the water against the girl.
She stopped hastily, and shocking to
tell, when l threw the stone it struck
her on the head, and she fell to the
ground, with, l fear, her skull fractar-
ed. Stupeled at what l had done, /
stood gazing ON the stream Of blood, |
from my poor victims head, |
when my companions, observing that
no one had seen us, for 1t was then
early in the morning, hurried me Of.
We were not pursued, and we were
in a few weeks on the continent
but the imsge of the bleeding girl
followed me everywhere ; and since
came home l have never dared to
inquire the result, least suspicion
should be excited, and l should be
hung for murder. For l fear from
The dreadful nature OF the blow that
the death of that poor creature lies
at my door '
While Hutton was relating his
story, he had turned his eyes TO the
window, but what was his astonish-
ment, as he was concluding, to hear
old Hannah cry aloud-"Thank
God I" while his wife broke into t
lysterical passion of tears and smiles.
and threw herself into his arms.
"My dear husband" cried she as
soon as her voice found utterance,
that town was Morpeth p
at was" said he.
"Dear Willism," the wife then
cried, 81 am that girl -
"You, Catharine!' cried the amaz-
ed and enraptured husband, IS he
pressed her to his breast.
eyes, said old Hannah, from
whose eyes tears were fast dropping,
'the girl whom you unfortunately
struck was she who is now tho wife
Of your bosom; but your fears had
the blow. Catharine was