The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-09-01
WHOLE NO. 1860

sensations, you can't know what
ghoulish-like business it seemed, this
cataloguing of each Of the hideous
details surrounding this hideous sen
sation. Perhaps | recall it the more
vividly because it was the first and
last reporting Of the sort that fell to
my lot.
She must have been wondrous
beauty. Her form even then seemed
matchless in symmetry and grace
Her face must have been one of rare
loveliness; pallid in death and dis
torted by pain, it was lovely still.
There were sweet, childish dimples
in her delicately nodded chin Her
lips, parted by dropping of the jaw
aud discolored, retained semblance of
dainty pout, like half-blown rose,
and the glossy film that had settled
over her eyes did not wholly conceal
what glad sparkle and quick emotion
had shone there. There remained
also faint traces of hard lines indica-
tive of imperious will and wild, fierce
passions, though there was, too,
strange tenderness in every feature.
But over all was terrible expression
of WEAKNESS. | can't describe it
But, despite my efforts to note all
professionally, with view solely to
working up a first class sensation, the
story it told of long, weary, hidden
sickness at heart made my lips quiv
er and my eyes fll, and l turned
away.
To complete my report l had to in-
terview an old Eegress, who, it SEEM
ed, was the only servant in the house
as well as the only witness to the
tragic affair. | found her in the base
ment kitchen, guarded by police
man-she was detained as a witness
-huddled up in the farthest corner,
grooming dismally, and swaying her
body to and fro as if to keep time to
her doleful lamentations.
"De deah Dressed chile. / know'd
something drefful war gwine to hap
pen-I know'd it, know'd il" she
repeated over and over again.
Didn't see," she went on when
| succeeded in making her talk, "the
drefful look in her darlin' face, when
was a-dressin' her ha'r in the eben-
in'2 She 'peared jes' like acorpse.
And | couldn't help pattin' her ha'r
softly like an whisperin', don't be
down-hearted missus.' Den de big
tears come in her eye an she cried
fit to break her heart, an 5hrow'd her
arms roun' her aunty's neck and sez:
Now go, aunty; dat will do An
she didn't say mother word, de bless
ed chile.
al know'd den more'n ever sum-
thin drefful war gwine to happen;
an / kept watch on her. When l
war gone, she took off her splendid
satin an her glitterin' dimon's and
pat 'em away in de bureau. An oul
OBJ de bottom drawe she took dat
poor old common black dress what
never seed sfore, an put it on; an
she lay out dat ole water proof what
| never seed afore neither. An den
after awhile she call me again; an
when l go in an say, What, missus,
she Dever sed word, but jes' kissed
me and whispers, 'Good-by, aunty.
Den | know she war gwine away
neber, neber TO cum back any more.
When L heer a carriage stop at de
alley gate, | know'd suah sumthin'
war gwine to happin. Del she went
an open'd dat GURUS little drawn in
her writin' box an took out bun
die OBJ ole letters with a pink ribbon
roun' dem.
II KEEP lookin' an | seed her open
one. She look at it a long time Den
she look at the pictur' what war in ii
and den de big tears come agin.
Jus den in cum Mass l..
She didn't heah nor notice till be
went to kiss her Den she draw
back mighty quick an scared-like an
poke 'em in her bussum. Mass
L. seed it an spoke up rough,
berry low and fierce. He war awfu'
jealous OBJ her; an she was awfu'
proud; an | see his eye shine like de
rattlesnake's in de brake. An /
know'd sartin' suah sumthing drefful
would Happen den, an war afeard
to look an slipped down stairs an
prayed de Lor' to help her quick.
Den | hear little scream, and sum-
tnin' drspt, and de door slam, an all
was still as death | waited till l
couldn't wait no more Den | slip
up stairs berry sof'ly, an'-dar she
war, with de blood spHrtin' out her
bres'. An | kneeled down by her,
and tux her head on my lap, an tried
to stop de blood; but it was no use
De awful whiteness came in her face
den. and she opened her eyes an say,
low to herself:
Tomorrow ! should have been
free from this living death-and
john
"And den she shut her eyes and
put out her hand jes' like pieanin-
nv gwine to its nanny, and whis-
pered low:
"'Mother.'
can she gave a little shiver, and
den de Dressed, darling missus war
gone"
Thus much, broken by sobs and
hysteric CALCULATIONS, | extracted with
great difficulty from the old negress,
which completed the material for my
share of the report, and | was about
to 60, when Jones, who had been de-
tailed to assist me, came in aud call
ed my attention to a little packet Of
letters which had been found on the
person of the murdered woman.
They were a lovers, evidently; bat
Jones said they were very old, and
gave no clue to the writer unless 1t
were the signature, "Johr." lie
read paragraph from one Of them,
which l recollect yet:
"You say your life has been hcr-
rid lie; but, darling, we shall find the
truth, and live it."
| chanced to look over Jones' shOul-
der as be read. The handwriting
seemed strangely familiar. | looked
again; there was no mistaking it; it
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