The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-10-16

hrst change-house found open at this early
hour, where I obtained q warm breakfas
and a bed, Of both which stood greatly
in need. soon fell asleep, in spite Of The
agitation Of my mind; but nv dreams were
far more horIifying than my waking
thoughts, dreadful as thsy were. awOke
early in the afternoon, feveIish and unre-
freshed
After some time spent in summoning up
resolution, | requested my landlady to pro-
cure for me q sight Of any Of the Edinburgh
newspapers of the day before. She brought
one to me. Ny agitation was so great that
| dared not trust myself to take L out of her
hand, lest she had perceived the tremOr
was IL; but requested her 10 Law it down,
while | appeared to be busy adjusting my
dress-careiully, all the time, keeping my
back to Ter. had two objects in view; j
wished to the shipping list, as it was
my aim to leave the country for America by
the first opportunity; and, secondly, to ser
what account G. public had got Of my un
toward adventure. felt conscious that all
the city was in commoIion about it, and the
authorities despatched for my apprehension;
Tor had no doubt that my nurse would at
once declare her innocence, and tell who ha
done the deed With an anxiety | want
words to express, | grasped the paper a.
soon as the randlady retired, AMI hurrie
over its columns until l reached the last.
During the interval, | believe ! scarcely
/ breathed; looked it over Unce more with
care; felt as if load had been lift from
my breast-there was not in the whvi, pa
per a single ward of death by viulr C OF
accident. | thought it strange, but rtjoIced.
I | r. hat IN. Aup
ger Of being apprehen led; but my mind
! was still racked almost to distraction.
1 remained In my lodging for severa
days, very i'll, both from a severe cold |
had caught and distress Of mind. | had
seen every paper during the time. Still
there was nothing in them applicable to my
case. | was bewidered, and knew not what
to think. Had the occurrences of that fear
ful night, thought, feen only deluson
some horrid dream or nightmare Alas
the large drops Of blood that still stained
my shirt, which, in my confusion, | had
not changed, drove from my mind the con-
soling hope; they were damning evidence of
terrible reality. My mind reverted back
to its former agony, which became 90 aggra-
waited by the silence Of the public prints
that was rendered desperate. The silence
gave mystery to the whole occurrence,
more uDenduIable than if | had found it
narrated in the most aggravated language,
and my person described, with a reward for
my apprehension.
As soon as my sickness had little aba
ted, and was able to 60 out, went in the
evening, little before ten o'clock, to the
neighbOrhood of where the coach from
Edinburgh stopped walked about until
its arrival, stunning observation as much
as possible. At length it came. No one
descended from it whom | recollected ever
to have seen. Rendered desperate, | fol-
lowed two travellers into a public house,
which they entered, alang with the guard.
For some time | sat an attentive listener to
their conversation. 1t was on Indifferent
subjects; and | watched an opportunity to
join in their talk. Speaking with an air of
indifference, turned :he conversation to the
subject had so much at heart-the local
news af the city. They gave me what little
they had; but not one word of it concerned
my situation. | inquired of the guard if be
would, next morning, be so kind rs take
letter to Edinburgh, for Widow Neil, in the
Law OaltOn.
"With pleasure" he said-T know her
well, as live close by her shop; but, poo.
woman, she has been very unwell for these
two or three days past. There has been
some strange talk of a young lad who van
lshed from her house, no one can tell how;
she is likely to get into trouble from the cir
cumstance, for it is surmised he has been
murdered in her house, and his body carried
of, as there was a quantity Of blood upon
the floor No one suspects her Of it but
I - 70 oonSiAaVod that aha ahnnlA
have heard no noise, and can give no ac-
count Of the affair"
This statement OF the guard surprised
me exceedingly. Why was the affair men
toned in so partial and unsatisfactory q
manner Why was l, q murderer, sus-
pected Of being myself murdered 2 Why
did not this lead to an investig alton, which
must have exposed the whole horrd mystery
of tbs death of the individual up stairs?
could not understand it. Nv mind became
the more perplexed, the more ! thought of
l it. Yet, so far, ] bad no reason to COM
plain. Nothing had been said in any re-
spect duplicating me. Perhaps had killed
nobody; perhaps l had only wounded some
one who did not know whence the stab
came; or perhaps the person killed or
wounded was an outlaw, and no discovery
could be made of his situation. All these
thoughts rushed through my mind as | sat
beside the men. lat last left them, being
afraid to put further questions.
| went to my lodgings and considered
what should do. | conceived it safest to
write no letters to my friends, or say any
thing further oD the subject. meditated
upon the propIietY of going to America,
and had nearly made up my mind to that
step. Every day the mysterious affair be-
came more aad more disagreesble and pain
full 10 me. | gave up making further in
quiries, and even carefully avoided for q
time, associating with any person or read
ing any newspaper. / gradually became
easier, as time, which brought no explana-
ton to me, passed over; but the thought
still lay at the bottom of my heart, that
was q murderer.
| went one day to q merchants counting.
house, to take my passage for America.
The looked at me attentively. | shook
with fear, but be soon relieved me by asking
l-"Why | intended to leave 30 good a
country for so bad a one ?" replied that
could get no employment here. My appear
ance had pleased him. He offered me q
situation in his Office. | accepted it.
continued in Glasgow, happy and respect
ed, for several years, and, to all likelihood,
was to have settled there for life. was or
the point Of marriage with young woman
as / thought, every way worthy of the
love had for her. Her parents were salts
fed; the day of our nuptials was fixed
the house was taken and furnished wherein
we we're to reside, and everything pre-
pLred. In the delirium Of love, though
myself the happiest of men, and even for
got the affair of the murder.
II was on the Monday preceding oul
union-which was to take place in her faith
! er's house on the Friday evening
business Of the utmost Importance callet
/ me TO the town Of Ayr. / took a basty
J farew ell OF my bride, and set of, resolved
to be back upon the Thursday at farthest
3 EARLY in the forenoon Of Tuesday, got ey