The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1869-09-08
A TRUE STORY

serted and Fastening TO decay 1t is a re-
lie OF another age, and was built nearly
century ago. Once the seat ofIopuIcncr, it |
has sheltered princes, and its history is le- |
sendary in romance. Somehow an evil
name was awarded ii, and sincs knew ii,
said Mr.. F---, cit has been inhabited By
ibe vicious and depIayes. Que night in
formation was brought 10 Mr.|I and
myself that murder bad been committed
there, ard we llaSteaed ioasceftsin shc facts
and arrest, il it were possible, ,sthe criminal.
Reaching the place we assembled an old ric-
keiy stairway TO room in the back part Of
the building. A crowd, such as invariably
gather to the scene Of homicide, were al
ready there, looking On with paIlid. awe
struck faces at the body Of man lying dead
on the floor. IL was youthful face that
shone pallid and white in the glare Of the
burning lamps--a calm, white face, and the
broad brow disclosed mind instinct with
intelligence. His apparel, although neat,
was coarse, and but for the soft slender
hands and the costly jewel that gIittered
on his finger, one might have deemed him
man OF humble life. In bis hand was
piece Of woman's dress, and the knife
that still remained in his breast was cost
" knife, FIX only lar woman's use. II had
penetrated the hean, and The man had died
without struggle.
"Who had killed him?
ssIt was the question on every lip, and
filed the daily papers sfierward.
@You may have read sn account Of it in
an old copy Of the New Orleans Picsyune.
"No Que was living in the house al the
time--for weeks before il had been desert
ed-only the nsishbors said that for weeks
a, night they had seen light fash from the
window. Al was soon put out, and no sounds
ef footsteps we're srafd--enly on The night
nf the homicide cry had i,een hesrI--a
scream as il from woman--ihc patter Of
running feet, aud then all was still.
This was all.
"We searched the building hi:h and low
but nothing mnre could be sscertained. On
the body Of the dead man was found some
papers, which showed him to be foreign.
rr--s Spanisrd, indeed; and The miniature
OF a woman young and beautiful, and eylnc.
ing in the naughty poise OF the head-the
jewels that flashed from her hair, the air OF
nsmeIrss grace about hcr-a cralare born
TO heritage m wealth as well as beauty.
1t was singular face. however, and would
riyet the eyes Of all that looked upon il.
The warm Hush OF her native cline seemed
still 10 rest upon the rounded cheeks and
chiselrd lips, and The reronal .ct braided
hair rested like q crown upon her head
The eyes we're large and soI., and one
Secme'liio see The picture af Gesrsic.e nr
radient IN smiles looking at him
from the painted ivory. /, was such face
IS poets dream OF OF painters picture in
their visions ot The beautiful. But there
was look Of life sbuut il which shpwed il
the semblsnce of living creature. a lit
lie jtwelled finger touched the erimsoue,l
lips. which seemed Parted TO speak ia jest
nr laugh or smile. ! could almost swear
the cadence Of that laugh was musical, as
The sunny smiles were beautiful. I;wore
look Of joy and brightness such as the rays
of sunbeam Hing on the petals of iiau
pr or the bud oil rose when " spafkles IN
dew.
"There was no nsmr. no address; The
levels and the picture were al we had 10
identity the man or learn the cause of his
ieHh. Bat less potent auxiIiaries bad lie.
luently led to the detection nf crime aud
the arrest OF The Criminals. but Mr.. l----
and myself felt a strange interest in the
case. We absLdened o,her natter 10 look
up this. Night and day xe studie,l il. aud
no clue was left unfolded, no trace deere
garded, that might contribute TO our sue.
cess. So the days sped on. irvm weeks 10
lnonths--a year bad nearly passed and gone.
ol Importance called me 10 New
York. tine day, in company with some
friends, L visited The Insane Asylum. Ina
g,ne my surprise--l had almost said horror
when ieli you that among The inmates
met the original OF the piciure--a maniac.
There could be no doubt Of it-hcre in all
the glory .of her young womanhood. in
all her beauty. The lsslady that bad shat
tered reason had still left her the wonde-
rous beauty that bad first attracted my at
tention. Here was clue.
II asceria,ned that she had been brought
there months before by a msn who repre-.
senled himself as her father, aud who set
occasionally visited her, but for whom she
expressed the utmost horrar. and would al
ways address him as q murderer. asked
to see her wardrobe and among her cluth-
Jog found On old dress with piece torn out,
similar 70 tia, found in The hands Of the