The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-07-04
THE MYSTERY SOLVED.
A November evening G o'clock.

"Aunt Jerushy," bursting into the par
lor at twilight, or what she chose to
call "early candle lightin'." "Ain't
ye cold, Miss Sweeney There's moth.
in but a few coal left" .ae 90
The still figure sitting there In the
angle Of the FIRE place answered not,
but that face did not daunt Aunt Jer-
usha.
Il should have been in BEFORE" she
continued, "but s'pOsed ye had com
pany. Twas the minister, wasn't g.?
| had my hands in the bread when he
knocked or | should have gone to the
door."
Still no answer.
II guess she's asleep" commented
Aunt Jerusha, audibly eau if she is,
I'd better hold my tongue and not
wake her. It does old folks a deal of
good to sleepp'
Just at that moment the fire blazed
up brightly, and Aunt Jerusha turned
round from her task of blowing it with
her apron TO look at her beloved mis-
tress. There was something awful in
the rigid stiffness of her position. Her
head had fallen forward upon her
breast, one hand hung by her side, the
other grasped the arm of the chair.
Her features were shaded by the posi-
tion in which she sat.
The FIRE was burning now, and as
Aunt Jerusha rose she put her hand
upon the rug to lift herself by its aid.
1t splashed into pool of something
warm, wet, sticky, that was oczing out
upon the hearth.
81 guess the minister set his umbrel-
la down here" she said, and then she
glanced at her hand. All the palm
was covered by a dark, awful smear,
and from her extended fingers drip
ped the clammy mess.
"Oh y shrieked Aunt Jerusha.
Law ! Oh, graciousl Miss Sweeney
/ do believe it's blood ~ .
She went up to her mistress aud
clutched her arm. She was alarmed,
but her alarm was vague. ,tf
"NIiss Sweeney! Oh, my Dear
ma'ma! Oh, my mistress! Can't you
speak to me? It's Aunt Jerusha dearp'
and she shook the still fingure in her
Increasing terror, and putting her
hand beneath the brow, raised up the
dropping head.
And then she saw--oh, what an aw-
ful sight A ghastly wound in the
white neck that half severed tho head
horrible stream still oozing down the
widows dark dress, a pallid face with
wide open eyes, CONCEALED in that aw-
ful stare of horror that preceded her
violent death. Mrs. Sweeney sat in the
same tranquil position she always US
ed, with a'hand tightly clasping the
arm of her chair, and in the other that
hung rigidly at her side tuft of hair
still grasped. 1t was a coarse but bril-
liant lock, of jetty blackness, long,
straight, unpliant.
All this Aunt Jerusha took in, in
one quick, Mortified glance. And then
her Shrek summoned all the help up.
on the premises.
Uucle Solomon Goshare, the lame,
decrepit old man who came once a
week, "pottering about and doing
Chores" as Aunt Jerusha said, was
now sitting before the kitchen fire, eat
ing some bread and meat, and toast
ing his old rheumatic legs; and for
once Aunt Jerusha was glad of his
presence. He came hobbling through
the passages, grumbling ard exclaim-
ing Uncle Solomon thought women
very troublesome creatures, "hlll OF
notions" and by no means sound OF
mind.
"What on airth's the matter?" quoth
he, stumbling into the parlor. "What
We screechin' for, Aunt Jerusha? ? Is
the house afre, or what?"
"Murder is the matter, ye old fool, y
answered Aunt Jerusha. "Run down
to the village, quick, and call some
body Can't you see that Miss Sweeney
is killed"
ooh, Lord /! Did ye do it, Aunt Je,
rusha 2 Marcy ye don't say she is
dead, do ye?"
"Yes, l do, aud here ye stand askin'
questions when ye ought to be half way
to the village! But law, you would
never get there. l suppose | shall have
to go myself But don't you go out Oi
the room.
"Aunt Jerusha, Aunt Jerusha ]
darsent stay here al me nohow. Wall
if you will CO." shrinking from her
wrathful face aud uplifted hand" give
me light. The fire might go out and
/ never could stand it in the dark"
"Light it yourself" answered the
grim woman, pushing one of the can
dies on the msntel toward him. And
in moment she was out in the stormy