Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-03-11
SeGetf Gare..
From the 6al4x
The SHADOW OF FATE.
BY DIR. ALIQUE.

ing the paper and flaming myself. What
is the world coming to? And why d"sn'
the stage coach arrive? Dear me? WIN
did buy this paper l looked at II re-
morsefully. 1t was an illustrated affair
that had purchased in mistsie. One
might imagine. from glance at its feroc>
ious wood>cuts, that one half of the world
was murding the other half. There was
Miss Sirclair s:abbing her false hea ted
lover. ST. George de Vine; Mr.. Snaggs
throwing his children down well, with
Mrs SDargs looming up in the distance in
an attitude of prayer; Herr Bobby, The
bigamist drowning himself TO save his
body from the onslaught OF his six wives.
who stand on tbe bank of the river; Miss
Amelia Sueggins poisoning her aged
mother to get that yellow barge dress;
Miss McRay shooting her third husband
for turning p just afieI she had married
the fourth, Miss Poldoody butchering her
entire family with an axe; two eyed Ia
dies blown out of bed hy charge OF Gum
powder, placed unuer ii hy their unerat-
ful adopted child, etc Al this snd u
great deal more served TO enchant me a,
at the little inn while awaiting the arrival
of the stsge. ffa-v
| was in no enviable frame of mird. /
had Just ltit The grave of IA friend. and was
fastening home 10 rest, for | was not
strong. ana the scene had passed iLro'
affected Inc considerably. felt nervous
and unwell, | could not Danish from my
mind the particulars Of my iiiends Geaih
lie had beep Observation-Disclosures
warm hearted, accomplished George
Hrrbert-just after he hsu been married
six months and retired 10 the family estate
to devote lie res, of his existence 10 bis
wife
was si,tisc one day in my Office in New
York, thinking of George-for we were
dear friends-when suddenly he entered.
Il thought you were OF the Grange!' l
said. ere .ar
Il left there two days ago.
What are you doing here?' ] Issked
Ny wiir;s birthday viii occur next
week, hc said gslly, and lave come TO
New York 10 SEE you and buy her pres
ent-someil.ing handsome. i have drawn
s large sum iron the bank, end--
Al ibis moment Iwas called away, and
George, seeing me busy, passed Out, say
iag, Il will re.ura directly He did not,
however, return, aud The reNi morning i
received news that dead body had been
picked up in The North river, Ii was
George iierber, robbed and murdered.
No cue to the murderer could lie obtain
ed. / took the b ,dy To the grief stricken
wife, and remained day after The last
sad services had been performed; and
now, with sad heart. was leaving The
lonely house and returning TO New York.
felt that the impression of tie scene
would never leave M mind. Tie cursed
newspsper seemed to b. wilder my already
ovt r>exciied imagination still mere. and
took drink from NV pocket flask to re-
yive my dIoopIng spirits.
What Can keep the coach?' mutter>
ed
The day was exceedingly warm, The
sky was painfully blue, with no vestag OF
a cloud ia give il motion. The silence
which prevailed flied NE with melan>
choly 4 crow (bird OF evil omen.) few
croakins over my head, Everything APP
peared 10 contribute to depress my spirits.
and turned with an impatient sigh aud
began walking To and fro. The dusty,
yellow, rutied road sireached vscanily
ont of sight, and the trees seemed to Ian :
guish under the oppression of the cheer
less day. Again and again, notwiihs,apd
Ing my Efforts To avoid it, my thoughts
would return 81 my murdered friend his
death was enseloped in mystery. My
only soi1'ion of l, was, that lie had been
seen to draw the money from the bank;
and had been deceived into some lionel,
place, W wLere-Ise aae robbed and murdered,
his body thrown into the river. The de-
teciives could hot discover the perpeitral>
ors of the deed.
1T Is too late now, the murderer Of Geo.
Herbert viii never be discovered
The CROW, which had perched upon a
tree, seemed to comprehend my words,
Tor wi'b seoonful cav he iev of, leay>
ing me to watch il until il became a mere
speck in the. sky, whenl resumed my
meditaiiye prominade, until, at last tie
sound .! lie wheels attracted my stlen-
tion. IL
The coach at last / murmured, and
nv eye fell upon the paper'ell upon the
paragraph. in an article describing The
murderer Of George.
AT the same tine the hearse arrived,
and the body. of the unfortunate man
| read no further
'Pshaw.'J exclaimed, and thrust the
paper into my pocket. But ss | listen,
ed an indiscribable something IN the
sound OF the distant wheels reminded me
Of the hearse that had yesterday hsrne my
friend to the grave. l am not supersti-
tious, br, am easily impressed, and the
idea was unpleasant. l endeavored to
shake il off. A moment after the coach
turned the end of the road. As 1t ap
preached, looked csrelessly at the driver
Surely | had seen that face before; but
where? The coach stopped at the inn.
Good morning, said the driver, with
grim smile. down our wsy7a -
NV heart jumped into my throat. -
Don't remember me, do you? II was
my day of tfyesterday-' ..,.x
!. remembered all now. This man was
! the driver of the hearse that had taken my
friend tD his last rest. - 40,
is there no other stage to,day3 I
asked. ~ g--- .--.-.--. '''iii
/ 49,.