The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-04-06
A MARvELOUS EVENT.

sons were aged respectively thirty-iour' tweh-
Iy~seven. twenty-tOur and twerty-one- iIe'
husband had been dead many years. ileI
two eldest sons were married. and their wives
and families lived with her The youngest,
Gqorge was wild and dissipated, and had
,.ivar7 his mother much tronb,e. lie was
deeplv in debt, aud bad been repeatedly
threatened with arrest. Mrs. Mowo oray vas
wealthy. and kept iu her bed room. beside
quantity OF valuable plate, large sum OF
money.
On Christmas eve Mrs. Mcwbray's son and
daughter in-law paid a visit to the residence
of a relative, Mr.. Chaker, OF Caatershaugh.
The domestics. relieved from duty, were IN
their own portion Of the dwelling. e"J yng
the festivities of the season. The Waterman,
who was ordinarily on duty in the kitchen
garden, took a hasty survey OF his beat and
igined the jewellers ia the kitchen.
On Christmas night they were to have
small gathering Of friends and neighbOrs,
and Mrs. Mowbray began to consider the ar
raugemeut necessary. She would require
the old punch~bowl and the ladies' AMI COB
lets. which she kept in the closet Of her bed
room. She would 90 and get them out at
once She went accordingly, and entering
the closet took out the silver ana laid 1t on
the shelf, ready for removal next morning.
At the same time she took out large, old
fashioned carviug-knife and fuk Cf quaint
pattern, and deposited them also on the shelf.
She then returned to the parlor. After sit
ting and musing for some time. she took up
the Bible aud fumbled for her spectac les
She could not find tEem. and at length re-
uembered that she had left them on the shelf
in the closet. She a once returned for them
Entering her bedroom, she placel the candle
on the 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 brcath~
ing heavily. She looked Up, and saw before
her the face of man. She was brave res
olu.e woman. She advanced step, and
observed that the mans head, arms and body
were through the small window at the end,
rs though in the act of wriggiing himself
through the opening. In the mans right
hand was a pistol, and his left had hold Of
shelf which ran along the side OF the closet.
The man raised the pistol and fred. Mrs
Mowbray in an instant seized the huge car
ving-knife which lay on the shelf, aud adj
vanced toward the ruihan. lie was strug~
Cling to Withdraw himself from the window.
His hands were on the sill and his head
somewhat raised, leaving his throat somewhat
exposed.
Being unable to work himself ont of the
aperture, he raised the pistol as though to
hurl it at Mrs. Mowbray. The cpura geous
old lady made one step forward, and dashed
the keen blade across the mans throat, lay
ing it open from ear to ear. She then calm
" retired, closed the closet dooor, blew out
the lamp. and taking up her candle returned
to the parlor. first having satish ed herself
that not drop Of blood had stained her
dress or hands.
Half an hour after midnight her children
returned home. They found their mother
seated by the FIRE, serenely reading he7 b ele.
They greeted her affectiouately, and pre-
pared 10 retire for the night. Mrs. Mowbray
said
BOYS. remain behind little. l wish to
speak with you. You. my dear daughters,
can retire"
When she was alone with her children, she
said. with dignity and calmness
NV children ! have killed a man. You
will find his body fast in the small window
of the closet on my bedroom"
Her SOUS stared at her in amaZ7ment.-
They at first imagined that she must be la
boring under some mental disorder. But
when she related to them plainly and ration
allv and in her own straightforward, tcrse
fashion the story as just told. they saw that
she was telling them a simple fact
Go" said she, land make what arrange
ments you please. | will wait here, and you
can tell me what course it is best to pursue
in this matter.
The sons took the lights and went to THEN
mothers room. They opened the door, ant
there sure enough was the body Of man
hanging alfthrough the window. The fool
was a pool Of blood. With difficulty tht
eldest son got near enough the body, with
out stepping into the gore, to raise the head
which was dropping on tie chest. Ii,
grasped the hair, and lifted the head so tha
the light might fall upon the face. As ht
did so a cry Of borror escaped from all.
Great God it is cur brother George =
"What do you say ?'' asked Mrs. Now.
bray, in a voice horribly calm, from the door
way whittier she had followed uuperceyed
George! what do you mean ~
The eldest dropped the heod to pIe,
vent, if possible, his mother recognizing it,
and all of thOm endeavorod to explain thoir
exclamation, and to get their mother away
from the spot but 1t was in vain.
Boys" she said in her old, we'll known
tone Of authority, ''stand aside. Let me set
the face of the murderer l have slain"
With that she put her sons on one side a
though they had been mere lads and wake,
through the slippery gore that lay upon th
floor up to the body. She took ths candl
from the unresisting grasp of her hrSt~bori
and with hand that trombled not. lifte,
the head Of the dead man so that the ligh
-hcne full upon it. She gazsd at it steadi!,
for half minute, then she said, gently low
ering it until it rested upon the breast gain
"It is my boy George !"
Mrs Mowbray was the only one in tha
household who remained calm and emotien
less. The family were in the widest stat
of sorrow The three brothers with Difficult
ty extrica;ed the body from the window -
The authorities were notified. and everythiu
was kept a. quiet as possible. The iuques
was duty bed. Mrs. Mowbray was fully ex
ouerated, and the body was teudeTly prepare
for burial. The real story was known to feV
outside The family and the authorities. !
was believed by them that George. inst, al O
going to Devsnshire, had remained lurkin,
in the neighborhood. aud had planned H.
robbery, aud if need be the murder of hi