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

elry in her room. The old nurse who
had held George in her arms when he
first saw the lighi, took care Of the body,
and prepared it for the tomb.
She dwelt tenderly upon the familiar
marks upon the limbs aud face which she
knew SO well. each which had a story Of
youthful folly or daring connected with it.
In due time the funeral took place. The
corpse was laid in the family vault. Only
the family and one or two relatives at
tended. Mrs. Mowbray spent the best
part of each day by the side Of her dead
sen. She showed externally no signs Of
emotion. Before the lid was closed she
kissed the forehead and cut off a lock of
his hair.
The day after the burial she gave di-
rections to her eldest son to pay al! the
dead mans debts, which was done at once
so far as known. Gloom settled oger the
hall. The wing Of the building in which
the tragedy occurred was closed up, and
Mrs. Mowbray removed to a bedroom up
stairs.
On the fifth day after the funeral q
post chaise drove up to the door Of Hard
wick Hall, and from it stepped George
Mowbray, looking better than he had
looked for many long day before he had
left home. The servant who opened the
hall door started back, and almost drop
ped with fright His excamations caught
the ears of Mrs. Mowbray and her sons,
who hastencd back into the entrance hall
only in their turn TO be dumbfounded
George was as much astonished as any of
them, and gazcd from one to another in
oewildered surprise. There was no doubt
about it. George Mowbray, whom ev.
erybody believed dead aud in his grave,
was living and before them!
Mother" said George, advancing TO-
wards her, "what is the matter my re-
turn is easily accounted for. On reach
ing Tawvale, l found that my unce's
family had been unexpectedly summoned
to London. as my eldest cousin, Sir John
Gray's wife, was thought to be dying.
took a nights repose, and then started
home again, and mere am"
Mrs Mowbray walked up to him, ,gazed
into his face, and then, without a word
folded him in passionate embrace. Each
Of his brothers grasped his hands and
kissed him as they were wont TO do,wher
he was a boy and the pet of the family
The old nurse aroused from her MONDAY
slumber, embraced and wept over him, and
the servants gathered around with wet
eyes and congratulatory expressions.
All this time George knew nothing Of
the true reason for this singular recep'
ton. Soon, however, the mystery was
explained to him. The effect upon him
cannet be described.
Measures were Immediately taken tc
have tho body Of the man who had been
buried as George Mowbray disinterred
This was soon done, and as the living
George stood beside the dead man, the
resemblance was seen to be most extra.
ordinary. The marks on the face and
hands corresponded with those on Georges
the scars on the legs were similar also
and the hair, eyebrows and finger nails
were marvelously alike Who the dead
man was, was never ascertained. Attei
Georges return, however inquiries were
made. such as it was never deemed need
full to make 50 l0ng a,s. the dead man wa:
supposed to be Mrs NowOray youngesi
son.
These inquiries led to discovery tha
the day before the tragedy three men
supposed to lie from London took uE
their quarters at an iun in neighborins
village, one of whom the landlord though
he recognized as having been in Mrs
Mowbray's service as groom. The foot
steps of three persons were also discover
ed in the garden, and sometime after ;
rope.ladder and Il horse trough whicl
had apparently been used to lay upon th
spikes at the top of the garden wall wer'
discovered in the neighboring copse, bu
the name of the dead man was never dis
covered.