The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-03-24

burrow into all night-so we were each 10 De
made uncomfortable, and neither satlshea.-
However it was impossible to spend the night
talking it over, so l cut the matter SNORT py
wishing my aunt and the Colonel good nlgh!,
taking candlestick in one hand, selzng Cecl-
iia with the other, and whisking her up stairs
at a rate that left her breathless fog some tune
after she was deposited in her own room, and
bade her to keep quiet until I chose to open the
door between the chambers.
The night passed quietly enough, barring va
rious hysterical calls for sympathy from Cecl-
liza, to all of which I replied by deep snoree,
and the next day the funeral of poor Ann took
place. 1t was a day which all the days that
have passed since have failed to efface from my
vivid recollection but don't know that |
need dwell on it here The sorrow Of high and
low, whose love and respect the arm-hearted
Irish girl had so closely attached to her-tne
noisy demonstrations of the negroes-the over
whefming grief of the children-the deep curses
against her murderer, that even broke IN upon
the solemn services around the grave-tormed
a scene that I am not likely to forget, but
which, if mean to tell the story of my ghost,
has no place here.
The funeral was over the grave was heaped,
the crime rested for God to discover, If He saw
fit and by degrees the Northorp household be-
can to flow back into its usual channels.
Several weeks passed The shadow gradual
" left us. and perhaps even the memory also,
when one day at dinner Colonel Northrop sud-
denly said
al received subpoena to-day to attend as
witness for the State in the trial OF Watson,
which comes off next week wish IN my soul
knew whether or not the fellow Is really
guilty"
\ ~, Jo,, NV
der. ct only wish was as sure of heaven as
7 am sure it was he, and no one else, who muir
dered my poor Ann"
| al don't understand one thing" said Colonel
Northrop, looking at me--he did not pay as
much attention to my aunt's remarks as he had
probably done in the courtship-"I do not un-
derstand how it is that no trace OF the notes
paid to the girl that morning has ever been dis
covered. We have never had even clue to the
knowledge of what became of them
"Might she not have left them at homer" l
asked
He shook his head.
! Impossible. Everything has been thor
oughly searched, and there is no sign of pock-
et-book or money. She certainly took them out
with her that evening, and she was certainly
robbed. but serious question in my mind is
did Watson do it?"
"I thought the possession of the pocket
book was proved upon him" r.,
"Why, of course it was," said my aunt. 81
don't see how there could be q mistake in that
even if all the rest was false witness"
"And vet" answered the Colonel, two OF
the most intelligent of the house-servants-Su
san. the cook, and Rose, my wife's maid-assure
me solemnly that this pocket-book was not the
one used by Ann Blake"
"Then," cried Cecilia, with little scream,
"why on earth don't they so to the Court
House and give in their evidence?"
The Colonel looked at her with mans su-
premcly pitying smile for her ignorance
"My dear young lady, the testimony OF q ne
gro cannot be received in South Carolina
court of law. Even if they had seen Watson
murder the girl, their evidence could not con-
vict him."
Ceclia's eyes opened wide.
Goodness Why not?"
"Because," answered the planter briefly.
have only to 60 and offer five dollars to obtain
half dozen who would testify on oath that
you did it." -,
"Then vcu don't believe Susan and Rose" ;"
"Yes-why shouldn't 1? They have no pos
sible motive for falsifying themselves, con-
fess they have very much shaken my belief IN
Watson's guilt, and when | remember how pale
and wretciei the poor fellow looked that day
be proved innocent.
dAnd hope" said my aunt, viciously, that
he may be convicted and hanged yes, hanged
as high rs Hannah"
So, with these two expressions of diverse SEN
timent, the conversation ended
That afternoon several visitors popped in
upon us, and as callers in the country never
make visits of fashionable length, they were
easily persuaded to remain to tea and spend
the evening We had cards and music,
and the time passed so pleasantly that it was
nearly eleven o'clock before their carriages
were ordered for five miles drive, over roads
that were anything but credit to the District.
We stood on the piazza, watching them of IN
the bright moonlight, then went back into the
empty-Iooking drawing-room, and bade each
other good night.
Cecilia was yawning, and l was snappish--
the two effects which sleepiness generally caused
in us-and as we went up stairs together, told
her emphatically that if she disturbed me with
anv of her fanciful terrors that night, should
immediately shut and lock the door of commu-
nication, which usually stood open. That
threat, I thought, would certainly keep her
quiet, so I repeated it after we were both IN
bed, the lights out, and the good-nights ex-
changed.
"Do YOU hear me, Cecilia?" asked. And
| Cecilia very meekly replied that she heard.
I do rot know how long had been asleep
it may have been fifteen minutes, or it may
have been two hours; but at all events, had
thoroughly lost consciousness when l was sharp
ly wakened by Cecilia's voice, calling my name.
l was thoroughly irritated- there is not a doubt
of that-and 1 fear did not answer very pa
tiently.
"WeIl?"
ooh, Rachel, do get up" she said eagerly.
"There is somebody knocking at the door, and
II am afraid to answer it"
Somebody knocking at the door? Why, I
don't"
Hear it, was about to say, but at that mo-
ment I did hear it-a loud, distinct knock on
my door.