Litchfield enquirer., 1872-11-07


 darkness. 1t was ten o'clock. s1 my lamp, and made myself some tea. . rest of the night I had before my eye that head of Bacchus, with the little red scratch ct the corner of the mouth whicl was opened to laugh. I returned to bed and ct last fell aslesp, 0xexeoIne by sheel fatigue. n ass The next morning when I awoke ths sun was shining brightly. the birds were singing, the dew-laden flowers perfumed the air.
 A cold bath, and glance at that lovely landscape sparkling with life and ete,na youth, soon efaced the unpleasant incl dent of the night.
 Iattributed the affair to & dream caus. ed by passing nervous attack, the result of an overworked brain, and confined myself to seeking the scientific explana- tion of phenomena of that kind.
 'sThat explanation is possible, then 2 asked one of us. l a
 Doubtless. it is not impossible, if the fact is isolated, and uncOnnected with any event But have not yet finish ed p
 '1 left my house." continued the Doc tor, sfand went to London, and it was five in the evening before I returned to Hamp- stead. '' -ss ft
 A considerable crowd was assembled before the door of the large house oi to mine. approached.
 'sThe Doctor, they exclaimed; ''make haste, sir !'
 "What is the matter? An accident?'
 GA crime, sir-a murder.
 'tPoor ladyi" s'BOth r'
 ''The place has been robbed !"
 ''He entered by the window"
 Every one was speaking at the same time. and could not make anything def mite. I pushed open the door and enter ed. On the ground floor nothing seemed to indicate that any extraordinary event had occurred.
 The furniture was all in it's place. Fs~ess
 ascended to the first floor and entered a room, where a strange spectacle awaited me.
 At the foot of the bed, which had not been disturbed, an elderly woman was ly- ing, her arms stretched forward, the face turned towards the door through which had entered.
 On my left, another woman, also aged the servant of the first, to jndge by her dress-was covered with blood; the feet were towards me, the head to the side of the wall, one of the hands was under the body. the other against the partition.
 Some overturned articles of furniture indicated that struggle had taken place, and some open drawers showed that rob- berry had been committed
 Two men were moving cautiously about the chamber, observing everything care fully, and taking note of the slightest de- tails. ...--.-r.-.s-
 They were an inspector of police and a detective.
 .'You are a medical man '" said the for mer to me. .- ..
 On receiving an affirmative sign: .sDo your duty" he said. ''Be good enough to examine those two bodies and furnish 8 report of what you shall observe"
 I raised the two women.
 The elder, the mistress, had received two stabs with knife in the breast; the first from above downward, the second horizontally. Both were mortal I did not notice any excOriatiOn on the hands. The poor old lady had been unable to struggle against her murderer.
 I went to the servant.
 She had only received one stab in the neck, but one which had severed the car otid artery. On the other parts of the body were some slight cuts, but not se- were ones.
 Both were quite dead, and beyond all doubt had been murdered.
 l detailed my observations to the in sPector. The report was drawn up and ] signed it:
 While 1t was being written I examined with such attention all the corners of the room, and the position of the furniture, that the slightest details were deeply i'm. pressed on my memory. The inspector said: 1.
 'tLet us go, sir, we have seen enough r We did so. .1-.-
 passed through the crowd assembled in the street and entered my house, SC disagreeably affected that decided upon going to pass few days in London to change the current of my thoughts. There, reading 8 newspaper, 1came across the following paragraph:
 ssA horrible crime has just caused the greatest consternation at Hsmstead. Miss Gibson, a maiden lady of seyenty-two and her female servant, Roberts. have been murdered in their dwelling. Cupid ity seems to have been the motive which led to this deplOrable event. as the crime was followed by robbery. The perpetra. tor of this double murder is in the hands of justice. He is a ticket-of-leave man named Johnson. The evidence against him is very strong. Should the crime be proved against him we do not doubt that he will made to render to society q terri ble account for the blood he has shed"
 I threw away the paper in order mol to think anything more about the af.
 The week was to spend in London had long passed, and yet did not return to Hampstead; could not make up my mind to go back to my cottage. Time went on, winter was approaching, SO gave my solicitor the necessary in structions and sold of everything.
 Then definitely installed myself in London to practice my profession.
 Ineed not speak to you of my struggles. my disappointments, my passing success. es-such a history is that of most oi us.
 It sufiices to say, that in two years. ow. ing perhaps to my zeal, or perhaps to my lucky star, I had conquered . place in my profession and was repated one of the medical men in vogue.
 All I wanted was wife to become an established man.
 'ssGet married, was said to me on all sides, and in every direction advantage ous matches offered themselves to me. As amongst my acquaintances had seen no young lady who had made any particular impression on my heart, commissioned a relative of mine, Mrs. Bernard, . wo- man still young. and in whose intelligence and judgment I had every confidence, to look out wife for me. @ at One day she came to me and said: ssI have found some one who win just suit you -
 ssWh0?' s
 s'sMiss Jenkins. .faai Not a pretty name r sssa os5sa bra
 "What does that matter? Is she young g?" 4. 54. .e-zE.
 Eighteen" ..ss'.5f 7.
 Pretty g1Gs .ss- 6ssfsl5sT F s4 sYes--and no F sss.fvss fs.sa ss4 ssTpkol1on&uol 9,s