The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-10-29
a Marvellous Event.

hOMuIuy was tdll, Pu"c'iul "Vn"", VI
great energy and bravery, in her fifty
fourth year. Her sons were aged re-
spcctively thirty-four, twenty-seven,
twenty.lour and twenty-oue. Her hus-
band had been dead many years. Her
two eldest sons were married, and their
wives and families lived with her. The
youngest, George, was wild and dissapat-
cd, and had given his mother much trou-
bic. lie was deeply in debt, and had
been repeatedly threatened with arrest.
Mrs. Mowbray was wealthy, and kept 10
her bedroom, besides quantity Of valu-
able plate, large sum of money.
Ga Christmas eve, Mrs. Mowbray's
son and daughter-in-law paid visit to
tho residence Of a relative, Mr.. Chakcr,
of Chattersburg. The domestics, relieved
from duty, were in their own portion Of
the dwelling. enjoying the festivities Of
the season. The watchman, who was or
dinarily on duty in the kitchen garden,
took hasty survey ofhis beat and joined
the jewellers in the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were to have
a small gathering of friends aud neigh
bors, and Mrs. Mowbray began to con
slider the arrangements necessary. She
would require the old punch bowl, and
the ladies and goblets which she kept in
the closet of her bedroom She would 90
aud get them out at once. She went ac-
cordingly, aud entered the closet, took
out the silver and laid it on the shelf,
ready for removal next morniSg At the
same time she shook out a large, old
fashioned carving knife and fork of quaint
pattern, and deposited them also on the
shelf. She then returned to the parlof.
After sitting and musing for sometim =
she took up the Bible and iumbled fot
her spectaces. She could not find them.
and at length remembered 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 her
dressing table. and lighted small lamp,
with which she entered the closet.
As she took the first step inside the
closet, she heard the sound as Of some one
breathing heavily. She looked up, anl
saw right before her the face of a mau.
She was brave resolute woman. Sh,
advanced a Step and observed that thl
mans head, arms and body were through
tho small window at the end, as though
in the act of wriggliug himself through
the opening. In the mans right hanl
was pistol, and his left hand had holC
of shelf which ran along the side of tn
closet. The man raised tho pistol an
fred Mrs. Mowbray in an Instant seized
the huge carving.knitc which lay on tht
shelf, and advanced toward the ruffian
II was struggling to draw himself frou
the window. His hands were on the sill
and his head somewhat raised, leavin:
his throat somewhat exposed.
Being unable to work himself out o
the aperture, he raised his pistol as thoug'
to hur it at Mrs. Mowbray. The cour
ageous old lady made one step forward
and dashed the keen blade across th'
mans throat, laying it open from ear t,
ear Cho ,han closed the closet deer
blew out the lamp, aud taking up he
candle, returned to the parlor,, first hav
ing satisfied herself that not drop .
blood had stained her dress or hands.
Half and hour after midnight her child
rem returned home. They found thei
mother seated by the fire serencly readip'
the Bible. They greeted her affection
ately, and prepared to retire for tn
night. Mrs. Mowbray said Boys, re
main behind little. wish to speak 1
you. You my daughter can retire.
When she was alone with her children
=, she said, with dignity and calmnesS
"My children, have killed man i. Yol
will find his body fast in the small win
dow of the closet Of my bedroom"
Her sons stared at her in amazement
They at first imagined that she must b
laboring under some mental disorder
but when she related to them plainly an
nationally. and in her own straightforward
terse fashien the story just told, they sa'
that she was telling them simple fact.
Go" said she. land make what al
raugements you please. | will wait her
and you eau tell me what course it is be-
to pursue in this matter"
The sons took the light and went t
their mothers room. They opened tn
door, and there sure enough was til
body of man hanging half way throug
the window. The floor was pool q
blood. With difficulty the eldest SO
cot near enough to the body without stel
ping in the gore, to raise the head, whic
was dropped on the chest. lie graspe
the hair, and lifted the head 80 that th
light might fall upon his face. As i
did so. cry of horror escaped from all
Great God it T. our brother George
"What DO YOU say ?" asked Mrs. Nov
bray, in voice horribly calm, from IL
doorway, which she had entered unpe
ceivcd. George! what do you mean =.
The eldest sou dropped the head to PR
vent, if possible, his mother recognizln
it, aud all Of them endeavored to explai
their exclamation and get their moth'
away from the spot. 1t was in vain.
Boys" she said, in her Old we
known tone OF authority, "sta ua as'oe III
let me sec the face of the murderer hay
slain"
With that she put her sous aside :
though they had been mere lads, an
walked through tho slippery gore that la
upon the floor up to the body. She too
the candle from the unresistiug grasp {
her first born, and with a hand that tren
bed not, lifted the head of the dead ma
so that the light shone full upon it. Sh
gazed upon it steadily for half a minute
then she said, gently lowering it until
rested upon the breast again. Its m
boy George !"
Mrs. Mowbray was the only one i
that household who remained calm an
emotionless The family were in tn
widest state OF sorrow. The three broth
ers with difficulty extricated the bod
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