The Portland daily press., 1872-05-25

the moonlight alone. Wondering, amazing,
everything but heightened, paused mo-
ment in dumbfounded bewilderment. There
was no stronger emotion in heart or mind
than bitter, bitter sorrow for the woman up
stairs, as l stepped backward and gave long,
loud rap upon the door, A servant came to
light the lamp in the hall, and admitted me.
Mrs. Atwick came in moment. Her face
was whittier than the gown she wore, as she
looked at me.
II was at my window upstairs, when / saw
YOU come in at the gate, with DR.. Atwick
beside you. Tell me where he has gonev'
l tried to speak to her, but / could not.
Mp lips were still sealed, when all at once,
she went down on her knees, crying out that
che was dead.' She asked no confirmation
from me of the horrible truth that had come
upon her. never saw any creature 90 on
as she did in my life, and l hope, in Gods
mercy, that l never may. When spoke to
her, at last, she rallied out at me, to BECOME,
and leave her alone, for had murdered himp'
think her mind had entirely lost its balance.
l knocked at the door of the next house, and
babe the woman go to her, for l could do
nothing They had taken her upstairs, when
the heavy tramp of the men with the litter
was heard without
''He has shown no symptoms of returning
consciousness, l suppose ?' said to Fleet.
CONSCIOUSNESS! / should think not, when
he was dead even before Jones had lifted him
from the earth" was answered. When the
body was laid out-in spite of the horror that
came over me by its presence-I looked at it.
L knew that he was dead, as dead as you or
win be when we have slept beneath the sod a
thousand years. And yet, l could not divest
| myself of the idea that there was latent ex
| preston of consciousness about the face. l
| saw it, through the CONCEALED blood upon his
| temple-even afterI had touched his brow
| with my fingers, and found it colder than the
marble slab upon the table close at hand. No
wonder they should tell me was white and
sick! Men have been as pale with far less
cause.
They sent me home with a Young fellow
named Compton. He and l, and some 9TH
ers were to sit up the next night. had not
slept one wink when the day dawned again !;
but | was glad to walk about beneath the light
ofthe sun, and be able to talk of that fearful
accident with my fellow-townsmcn, though in
so strange and subdued a voice. When the
evening came, l went back to the widowed
house again. The horror of the thing SEEM
ed as fresh upon them all as on the evening
before; and strong men sat in the shadow Of
that great calamity, with eyes on which the
mist of tears had gathered, ever and anon,
and talked-if at all-in hushed whispers to
one another.
1t was the old-fashioned way, and we were
sitting in the room with the corpse. 1t was
considerably past midnight, when 1 took
book from the little table, on which pot of
coffee had been placed, and began to read.
Soon after this, three of the men proposed a
walk; but, as Charley Fleet and Compton
were to remain, l said nothing. l was still
reading, as wide awake and as free from fear
as ever was in my life, when the same shud-
der have spoken of twice before ran over
me from head to foot, and froze the blood in
my veins. The book dropped from nv hands
looked up, and saw Fleet and Compton both
asleep in their chairs. 1 strove to call them.
but my tongue refused to utter a sound. And
again the voice had heard upon the portico
came to me in low, but distinct tones: "Hur-
ry to the dispensary, or it will be too late !:
Mary is there. My spirit can no longer strive
with her: it is departed from earth.'' turn
ed my head, with a fearful sort of attraction.
toward the body. The sheet was turned
down, and the face exposed to view. The
gastliness Of death was still there; but the
face looked at me-.
MY God, Compton, LOOK, look at thatr'
He sprang to his feet in an instant.
"How did it happen? Where are they all
His wife must have been here while we were
DOING" l knew that had never been fur
Their from sleep; but his voice treasured me.
though he had heard nothing, and l rost has
tily. -uH
'Quick, to the dispensaryp He followed
me in amazement to the little room in the
rear of the house, where Fenton Atwck had
kept supply of medicines, which he often
distributed, gratis, to the hands of factory,
five miles down the river. 1 hastily pushed
the door open, and beheld Mrs. Atwick,
standing by desk.
AS sprang forward, she fell, face down.
ward, on the floor. We lifted her to a sofa
but she was dead!
Aphial of prussic acid was upon the desk.