The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1875-03-19
DOOMED AND SAVED,
A Marrow Escape from the GnIlcws--TAe
Dangers Of Circumssantial Evidence.

| Olu lVy-SIOWu nlalsAO1 - onS opseD
Of Virginia, one pleasant afternoon
not many years since, group Of
young people Of both sexes were
\ gathered. Standing in the midst
was an old woman bent down with
age, looking as if she stood on the
brink Of the grave, but her dark,
restless eye showed that there was
vigorous life in her mind, if not in
her body. M
She had been telling fortunes for
the young people gathered around
her. and to all but one she had fore
told a bright and happy fortune.
The exception to this rule was q
handsome boy Of nineteen, with q
hard passionate face, and an express
sion which indicated perfect fearless
ness,
\ this story an old gentleman and his
nephew had moved to Virginia from
some Northern State, and buying q
farm, had made it their home. Mr.!
Mercer and his nephew Frank were
treated with kindness BY the gentle
men Of neighborhood, and they re-
ceived invitations to visit the planta-
tions near them. Frank soon became
acquainted with all in the country,
but his uncle never left his farm, and
seemed to shun society. For this
many reasons were given; but the
! true one was that he had lost all his
family, and Franks parents had left
him to Mr.. MERGERS charge, he de-
termined to devote himself to the
bov and found sufficient enjoyment
in his company, and in cultiyating
his farm. Though reported very
wealthy, and that he always kept a
large sum Of gold in the house, MIR.
Mercer and Frank lived in q quiet
way, and made no display.
thus passed Franks youth from
his fourteenth until his seventeenth
year and our story opens. A man
Of superior education, Mr.. Mercer
had been his nephew's teacher, and
had impaired unto him much knowl-
edge Of the world, Of letters, and
noople. SO that Frank, at nineteen,
was as we'll informed as il he had
pogsessed cultivated education.
There were those in the neighbor-
hood who reported that the boy was
Wild and dissipated, and this found
ready believers in others; SO thai
Frank had some enemies as well as
: friends.
Thus we find him; and the even
/, mo Of the commencement OF oui
story he had been invited to an en-
tertainment given by a wealthy plan
ter his to children.
Mr. Dewes, the planter, had three
children, the youngest and loyelies
Of whom wiss Mary, a girl to twelve
Mary and Frank we're the best o
friends, Ind loved each other dearly
Z SO when the fortune teller predicte(
/ dirk and gloomy future for Frank
the tears arose to the child's eye anc
she said, don't listen to her Frank.
But the boy laughed, and turning
4 on his heel walked away.
4 Two days afterwayds he left iieiil'
for 4 weeks hunting in the noun
tains. but the second night after hi
departure the neighborhood wa
! aroused BY the startling news tina
oI5 MI Mercer had been murdered
by his nephew. Cne Of the servant
passing tic house at night heard {
crv ma seeing Frank window oPei
he sprang in and walked across tn
hall fo Mi. Mrecer's chamber, iron
whence the cry came. Lying upoI
the floor was the old man, dead
) While near him stood his nephew
with i bloody knife in his hand. \
{ frigbt the negroe rushed from tn
J bo1ge and gaye the alarm. Person
from the neighborhood we're sent fol-
and Frank was seized against ever
2 nrotestation that be did not kill III
q uncle, and thrown in iail,
i The trial came off and the charge
= we're made known. Frank was at
q cnse5 q starting upon a hunting e.
nedition for d blind, and then X
BURNING from the mountains by nigh
4! lad entered the room, and attemP,
s mo 70 remove large bag of gol
rs, KEPT BY mis- uncle, had aroused nm
and upon being discovered ha
tsnA TT, hunting knife into tL
ed heart Of BIr. Mercer, the gold wa
~ @ tbe foor, its weight having tor
through the bag when it was raIse'
iTbe TI, frife with which Mr.. Mere
,yas killed was one he had gwen
Frank some days before, and was
~ ioTge dirk-knife encased in Q SLY
vi scabbard. ,.-.;,,, ,
ing aii sirn Of fear OF guilt upon MS nan
goi o. some face. the prisoner sat unInoy'
bv bis sentence, which was TO de 7
~ ~ tbe gallows. When asked Il
III bad aueht to say, Frank arose, q
cut looking around the court room' Y
(. clear voice answered;
/ have. Circumstantial eylden
- lac condemned mel ] admit it loo
q nsif ,, I did the deed, but ] am gul
II isss H. If murderl Dropping my p
cnssion cap box in mounta
stroan I returned home for more
for without caps my gun + y nsele Z i
II was 4 lovely night, and Adet,
Nd Mined NJ 10 enter the house by my roi
,l,i snd window, get the caps ana re5u
l"'o y;tSont y @iT waxing my uncle. tied !
y bor4e 10 the fence, sprang into
,S;ndow and then ! heard O crash y
cali out and a shrek in the diTeetl
81 cii'l NV wi unclo's room. I rushed I! thi
= orEa or dark form rushed by me IN !
GE ,n.artain = liqht Of the roomE-an'
soiI ,is over something on the tloor;
1Si Win fear in my heart I rose, hgn'
a. and saw my uncle b9'