Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1869-11-11

klnd-hearted Old lady. i had no
ticed, casually, that my employer
seldom or never banked any of his
money, and, at the same time, ve-
ry seldom had much of it upon
his person, so, out of mere curl
osity | assure you it was nothing
but curiosity, | set myself about
finding out what he did with>it.
"One day. after l had been in
the Office nearly year, While &C.
cidentally trayersing an upper
floor in his house (where |, also,
was lodged, | discovered that he
secreted it somewhere in an old
bureau in his own bed-chamber.
For several days after this | could
not help marveling what a shrewd
old fellow he was, to deposit his
money in such an out-of-the-way
place, instead of letting all the
world know Its whereabouts by the
presence of the usual massive and
cumbersome iron safe.
"Well, sir, one bright morning
Mr.. B, my employer, sent me
to collect a bad debt, of an incon-
siderable amount; and as left the
office, | noticed that the door of the
dwelling was wide open, and /
thought | would just run into the
kitchen and say good morning to
Polly, the cook. AS Satan would
have it, it happened that Polly
was not in, and there were
signs of her having gone to market.
| glanced into the little sitting
room, which Mrs. Scranton, the
housekeeper, used to occupy when
she was in the house, and to my
surprise, there were signs of her
also having just gone to market
probably taking Polly with her to
carry tPe basket. Marveliug that
such a nice house should thus be
left entirely alone, thought /
would just look around the prem
ises, out of mere curiosity. | pres
emily found myself in Mr. B -
bed-chamber, gazing very curiousIy
at the old bureau. somewhere in
which knew he kept his money.
At first my curiosity was genuine
but | gradually began to think
bow many nice things might buy
if that money were mine. / was
sadly in need of suit of clothes,
and was very fond of dress. /.
hadn't been on spree for a long
time, and, just at the unfortunate
moment my mouth began to water
for the wine cup.
"Well, sir, it is hardly worth |
your while for me to describe the
various steps of temptation which |
led, step by step, to the evil deed. /
was almost as much surprised |
1T myself as any stranger would |
have been had he seen me, when,
a few moments later, / found my
self rummaging through the draw
ers of that old bureau in the most
lervous and excited manner. !
81 was thus engaged when I
was startled by loud scream, and
wheeled on my heel to perceive
The housekeeper looking at me.
The thought Of my position flashed
IN me so strongly and vividly that,
or a moment, / was incapable Of
action. | was too old a bird,
however, to be paralyzed for more
han an instant. Her screams
In my wild alarm
n my almost insane dread Of fur
ther diScovery-I sprang upon
ler and clutched her throat. AS
did so a thousand thoughts fash
ID through my brain: The con-
that would fall upon
ne should my employer discover
ny felonious attempt; the words
If the prosecuting attorney; the
told jurymen, with prejudice
Ind hatred imprinted upon their
oredooming faces; and the walls
IF this accursed prison rose before
ne, with their stony hopelessness
augmented ffty-fold. Scarcely |
showing what did, I continued
% choke down the old woman's
accusing crles more vigorously as
.hese thoughts aoated through my
mead,
"At length she ceased strug-
Cling ; and, slowly relinquishing
my grip, | laid her OH the floor.
then bent over her with a cold, |
icy horror at my heart. never ex-
perienced before-for perceived
the hOusekeeper was dead.
81 had 40 control over myself
after that. In my wild excite
ment I rushed to the nearest police
station, hurriedly confessed my
crime, aud was taken in custody.
This circumstance saved my neck