The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-09-20
A THRILLING SKETCH.

kNH VI ene muSJ stlkiuS cases VI
" presence of mind and self-possession
Of which we have any recollection, came
to light on trial which took place some
years since in Ireland. The story looks
like fiction, but it is said 70 be strictly
true. A woman travelling along road
to join her husband, who was a soldier
quartered at Athlone, was Joined by
pedlar, who was going the same way.
They entered into conversation during a
walk of some hours, and as the day began
to wane, they agreed that they should
stop for the night at house of entertain
ment, and pursue their pedestrian journey
the next day.
They reached an humble inn, situated
in lonely spot by the roadside, and IA
tigued by long days walk, they were
glad to find themselves under a roof
Having refreshed themselves with the
substantial supper set before them, they
were shown into the travellers room, and
went to rest in their respective beds
The pedlar, before retiring, had called the
landlord aside and given in his keeping
the pack which he had uns.rapped from
his back till the morning, telling him
that it contained considerable sum of
money and much valuable property. They
were not long in bed before the pedlar
fell into sound sleep; but the poor
woman, perhaps from over-fatigue, Or
from thoughts of meeting her husband
next day, lay awake. A couple of hours
might have passed, when she saw the
door slowl y opened, and a person enter
ing holding light, which he screened
with his hand. She instantly recognized
in him one of the young men she had
seen below-son to the landlord.
He advanced with stealthy steps to the
bedside of the pedlar, and watched him
for few seconds He then went out,
and entered again with his brother and
father, who held in his hand large pew
ter basin. They went on tiptoe to the
bedside where the pedlar lay in deep
sleep. One of the young men drew out
knife, and while the father held the basin
so as to catch the blood, he cut the poor
victims throat from ear to ear. A slight
halfaudible groan, and all was still, save
the cautious movements of the party en-
gagged in the deed They had brought
with them large sack, into which they
quickly thrust the unresisting body.
The poor woman lay silent in her bed
fearing that her turn would come next.
She heard low mutterings among the men
from which she soon gathered that they
were debating whether they should muir
der her, too, as they feared that she
might have it in her power to betray
them.
One of them said he was sure she was
asleep, and that there was no occasion to
trouble themselves more; but to make
sure of this being the case one of them
came to the bedside with the candle in
his hand, and the other with a knife.
She kept her eyes closed as if in sleep,
and had such complete command over
herself as not to betray in her countenance
any sign that she was conscious of what
was going on. The candle was placed
close to her throat; she never winked
or showed by any movement of feature
or of limb that she apprehended danger.
So the men whispered that she was sound
asleep-that nothing was to be feared
from her, and they went out of the room
removing the sack which contained the
body of the man.
How long must that night of horror
have seemed to the poor lone woman
how frightful was its stiffness and dark
ness The presence of mind which had
so astonishingly enabled her to act part
to which she owed her life, sustained her
through all the trying scenes which she
had yet to pass. She did not hurry
from her room at an unreasonable hour
but waited until she heard all the family
astir for some time; she then went down
and said she believed she had oversight
herself in consequence of being greatly
tired She asked where the pedlar was
and was told that he was in too great
hurry to wait for her, but that he had
left sixpence to pay for her breakfast.
She sat down composedly to that meal
and forced herself to partake with ap-
parent appetite of the food sat before her.