Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-10-31
MAhFEIotis EVENT.

MAhsRLotis EVENT. 6
I-. J...,s:.s-:, md Il, ,s,r e !.
livsa in 1928 = Rarviek Han. III
sessty D.ras.. Esshna. Mrs. Me-
esly vas tall. povsFfsl veoan Nm"
sesfU aad hrsysry. in hse ffty-fonss.
year. Her sous were sged respeesin
eAirty.tsur, tvyst3- -1evsn. tvsnty- four. g.
twsctfSas. Her kssha.d Aad hsen de,
many yean. Her tvo eldsas sons I'd
married. and their wives and fa~ilies livs-
9Th her. The youngest, George, ~
Wild and dissipsssd. stsd Ead given b
mother much troahle. He was deeply }
debt. and had been repeatsdly thres.ene
with arrest. Mrs. Mowbray vas wealth
and kept in her bedroom. besides . auaf
tity Of valuable plate. large sum of m
psy. !.
On Christmas eve Mn. Mowbray's sos,
and daughtsrs-in-law paid . visit to .bl
residence of . realtise. Mr.. Chaker, l.
Chatersburg. The domestics, relieve
from duty. were in their own portion oi
the dwelling, enjoying the festivities Of
the seasoa. Tho Waterman, who was or.
dauarily on duty in kitchen garden. took 1
hssty survey Of his beat, and Joined the
jewellers in the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were TO have
a.small gatbetfug offriends and neighbers,
and Mrs Mowbray began to consider The
necessary arrangements. She would re.
quise the old punch bowl. and the ladies'
and gohlets which she kept in the closet
Of her Bedroom. She went accordingly
and entercdl the closet and took ont the
silver. and laid, it on the shelf, ready for
removal the mex: t;,osning. At the same
time she took out a ,lass cld.fashioned
carving-knife and fork cf . quaint pattern,
and deposited them On t6s shelf. She
then returned to the parlor. Atter sitting
and musing some time. she tcdt ZIP the
Bible and fumbled for her spectaclss.-
She could not fiud them. and at length re-
membered that she had left them on the
shelf in the closet. She at once returned
for them. Entering her bedroom. she placed
the candle on the dressing table. and light.
ed q small lamp. with which she entered
the closet.
As she took the first step inside The clos.
ct. she heard the sound - Of some one
breathing heavily. She looked up and
eav right before hef the face Of man.
She was brave, resoluta woman. She
advanced step, and observed that mans
bead. arms and body were through ~
o,all window At the end. % though In tEe
Aof wriggling himself through the open
In the mans right hand was pistol,
6rrrrsc@@ land had hold ofa shelf which
NS.N side Of the closet. The man
IeffsedAcs Xpistol and fred. Mrs. Now
ttay ID a. instant seized the huge carving
knife which lay on the shelf. and advanced
toward the rufkan. He vaa struggling to
withdraw himsslf1fom the window. hi;
hands were on the sill. and his head some
what raised, leaving bis neck exposed.
Being unable 70 work himself out Of the
aperture. he raised the pistol q tho ugh
to hurl it at Mrs. Mowbra5. The c5ur.
ageous old lady made one step forward.
and aaShed the keen blade across the mans
throat. laying it open from ear to ear
She. then calmly retired, closed the closet
door, blew out the lamp. and taking up
her candle returned 70 the parlor. 6rst
having satisfied herself that not . drop Of
blood had stained her dress or hands.
Half an hour after midnight her chill
dren returned home. They found their
mother seated by the Ere. sercnely reading
the Bible: They greeted her aaeetionately J,
and prepared 70 retire for the night. !. Mrs.
Movbray said, Boys. remain behind q
little. ] wish to speak to you. You, mt
daughters. can retire"
When she was alcne with her childrcn
she said. With dignity aud calmness. "My
children, I have killed = man. You will
End his body fast in the small window o,
the closet Of my bedroom"
Her sons stared at her in amascment. -
They At 6rst imagined that she must b.
laboring under some mental disorder; bu,
when slsc related to them, plainly and n.
tionally. snd in her own Straightforward
terse fashion, the story a. just told. they
saw that she was telling them = simple
fact.
60" she ssid, "make xhat arrause.
mehts you please. / will wait here, and
you dan tell me What coafss IS bcst u puf.
sue IN tbis matter"
The soAs took The light and vent b
their notAer's room. They opened the
doof. md there, sure enough was the bcdy
cf . Daa hangieg half thrcrgf ths win.
doe. The 1osf 1Ss . pocl Of blood. =
With aiGuley ths oldesa %. Ros nca,
enough - - boay without stspping int.
the gore % faisc the head. which Va,
dfUopisg On tke chest. He grasped tb,
hair sad 1ifsse he he.d % that the igh
might fsll upon the face. As he did %
. cry of horror escaped them all.
''0reat God il i cur brother George.
''Whas did yoa sy Z" asked Mrs. Nov
bray, 10 . voice horribly calm, from sh,
doorway. tkitisf sAe bod followed unpsr
eeivsd. .0eosgel What do you messf
The Oldest son dropped the head "a. pre-
tent. n POssikes Ais mother recognisin,
il and I'll Of thsss sndsssorsd b explail
shsir. eaelsnaAien. and &c ttef moths
Away iron ths ipos. Il sas II vaia
O0yss soe s1so, - oer ct0s Uelt-koowl
tone Of authority. ''s:sud aside, ard le
ME zee tie face Of the william have slain.
with that she put her sons aside .
6cssh, they sere mere lads. apd xaIket
through the slippery gore that lay upc,
the AOcr mp to the body. she took Ii
candle froa The unfs1bting grasp Of be
frss-tser. and, With hand that tremble,
noe, liftsd he head of the ae6d nan Q
thSa ths lisH sAeaa fan upon Il. Sh
srassd q i sassdily for half I nisuse. fhe'
said. esstly lovsliae it. ustl il rssae'
upon the bssast again, ITS ny bo
Gsssos."