The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-01-17

| came convinced that such was the fact, and
| l could now account for his strange conduct
in this fear, and in the gnawings of a gnilt
| burdened conscience. Yet he was well
come companion for all that, and felt sure
that repentance had been full and ample.
H gazed furtively about as we en-
! tered the cafe ; and, at his request, order
ed supper i'll a private room. He laughed
and chatted freely, and the more saw of him
the more liked him. After we had finish
ed our meal, We started on our proposed
walk. 1t was nearly IL o'clock when we
| thought of returning, and as we were pass
ing the small church of St. Joseph, no
| ticed that the doors were open, and that
in the centre of the church there was a Sa-
BILE bier, around which was burning num-
Der of small wax tapers. l proposed that
we should enter and look for moment at
the corpse. Il made no objection. In
one of the eOnfessionals near the door sat
an old monk, and very naturally | asked of
him who 1t was that rested upon the bier,
not knowing that most of the interments
from this church were in behalf of charity.
The monk informed me that it was the
body of a man who came on shore from the
American ship that came i'll the day be-
fore. He had been very sick and weak
when he left the ship, but he was deter
mined to land, and no persuasion of the
crew could alter him in his determination.
to cross it. The kind monks of st. Joseph
had taken charge of the body.
We slowly, reverently approached the
sombre scene. Upon the breast OF the de-
ceased were the various articles that had
been found i'll his possession, consisting of
an apparently welLfilled purse, a pocket
comb, a watc and heavy double -barrelled
pistol the latter of which the monk in
formed us had been loaded With cxtraordi-
nary charges of powder, balls aud buck
shot. | gazed upon the face of the dead;
even in its sunken, mai ble-like rigidity,
there was startling expression OF intense
resolution, though some fell purpose,
which death had not subdued, still dwelt
in the hushed bosom. AS l still gazcd l
heard quick, stihed cry at my side, and
OH turning | was half-frightened by the ex-
preston of my companions countenance.
His eye balls seemed actually starting from
their sockets, his mouth was half-open and
fixed his hands, which were extended to-
wards the corpse, trembled like vibrating
harpstrings, and his very hair seemed
frctful lie moved nearer towards the
head of the deceased, looked another mo-
ment into that pallid face and sinking down
upon his knees, he clasped his hands to-
ward heaven:
s1Great God, I thank thee | thank
thee-thanks thanks - he calculated i'll
frantic tones, and then he arose and looked
once more upon the features of the corpse.
Then his eyes wandered to the heavy pistol
that lay upon the sable pail, and while a
cold shudder passed he took me 10y the arm.
s.Uome, come" said he, come with me
to your cafe, and will tell you strange
story"
Without needing the mute astonishment
of the monk, l followed Ii. My compan-
ions nerves had become somewhat COM
posed, and l could see there was intense
satisfaction depicted in every lincament of
his countenance.
s.Mr CO he commenced, az can
tell you my story in very few words
Nearly twenty years ago | fell in love with
a young girl i'll the city of New York. On
my part the acquaintance soon Iipened into
love of the warmeSt and most ardent kind
and it was as pure as it was ardent, and
she professed the same feeling toward me.
] was then well-to-do in the world, being
a clerk in 4 heavy mercantile house, and
ere long it was arranged We should be mar
ried. About week previous to the time
set for this ceremony, | accidentally heard
my atfianced bride use some most Obscence
and profane language in company with one
of her female acquaintances. You can
Judge of my feelings under these circum-
stances much better than | can describe
them. / turned away sick ut Heart, and
on the very next day received indubitab bic
proofs of the utter iniidclity of the object
my Of l,I-s,L..
my engagement. Upon being questioned
by some of my companions as to the cause
of my course, | unguar1cdly and PERHAPS
foolishly revealed to them the whole Sc
crct. The story, as having come from me,
got wings, and soon spread among the lady's
friends and acquaintanccs-
A few days afterwards a young man about
my own age called into the store and came
up to the desk where l was writing. His
hands were nervously claSped together ana
his face was livid with rage. He told me
that had forever blasted the reputation
of his sister-that had fai:hlessly desert
ed her and left her broken hearted. at
tempted to reason with him, but might
as well have reasoned with lightning bolt.
He demanded instant satisfaction, ana pro-
posed that | should accompany him over
on the Long Island side and fight him. My
natural timidity would have prevented me
from complying with such a request, ana
1 had also higher scruples, and OF course L
refused. Then he called me n base coward,
and swore that he would have my lie.
complained of him before justice, he was
apprehended, publicly tried, fined ana
placed under bonds to keep the peace.
After that met him in Broadway. lie
stopped me and whispered i'll my ear. lie
swoIe by the most fearful oath a man could
take that he would have my life, and that
he had accomplished his purpose. L knew
that he meant just what he said, and fear
began to take possession of my BOSOM
Many times discovered that lie was dog
ging me about, but l always managed TO
keep among crowd as walked along the
streets | dared not bring nm 10 tIlal, Iof
I might fail to make out case, ana 1t
oould only tend to incense my enemy the
more. At length 1 feared to walk the
strcets for one night, as L was passing
dark alley near the head of Cherry street,
| heard the report of pistol close to me,
and a bullet passed throngh my hat;
audience | felt that my life was not safe
in that city, and secretly | moved to
small town in the western part of the State
of Massachusetts, where ] engaged with p
dry goods dealer. Here took to myself
wife; but | had not been married over a
month, when | saw my enemy pass the
-4.,ra and lnnL II saw me-