Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1877-09-15
,ftIifiaua S tntine /.


Yhe brain of Maitland's companion whose
name was Price. Slipping out of tho
building he watched Miss Peyton enter
hercarriagc. heard my words of caution to
her, herlaughing rejoindcr and unnotic-
ed followed the numbering old coach as it
drove slowly homewarl, there he saw
Miss Peyton in. dcsoending fall and
spraiSker foot, and hastily maturing his
plan IL action, he rotraced his steps and
xeioinsdI his comrnde who was wondering
what had become Of him. To him he
proposed his mcditated deed of robbery;
at first Maitland Mortified at the villainy,
refused to participate in it, at last after
using all the exhaustive cloquence with
which Satan endows his votaries. he in
lluced the misguided young man to listen
to his scheme. Maitland was in that
frame of mind induced by his fathers
bitter letter and his own disgrace and an
abundant supply of ardent spirits which
Price did not hesitate to minister, that
he sooner foil. Price whom he after
wards found out to he an old offender
against the law, arranged tho whole
plan. That night the ruthless decd was
accomplished, tho murder, Maitland SOL
EMMY swore wasunpremeditated. "Had
known" said he bitterly. "that blood
would have been shed, sooner would
have died than gone." Price it was that
committed tho bloody deeds, while his
stupifed accomplice looked on in horror.
Del
ton had concealed it, and then dragging
his companion along made good his es
cape. They easily found tbeir way to the
coast where putting the sea between them
and the scene of the tragedy they deficd
detection. "But since that fatal night"
Maitland added gloomily, "nevcr bave
enjoyed u moments ease of CO nsciencc !; l
felt myself as guilty as my companion;
sleeping and waking the CHASTITY face of
that murdered woman and her piteous
cries for mercy and help have haunted
me. l never dreamed the negress had
survived, Prices blow seemed too sure.
To drown rcmorse entered tho American
army, and in tho war with Ne kico fought
like a demon. Ny officers said was the
command, but my courage was
born of despair and my nerve of re-
morse. Price, who was in the same
command fell in the battle of Resaca do
Ia Palma, leaving me his half Of our i'll
gotten gains. Escaping the death rath
er courted than Stunned, upon the cessa-
ton of hostilities I came to this city and
Investing that money, Miss Peyton's
money "(here violent shudder convul-
Sod the strong mans frameT became
prosperous; we'll known and respected.
No man knew of the worm that forever
gnawed at my heart and at times made
life burden. From one responsible po-
sition to another rose, till finally held
the Office of trustin which my rightful
punishment found me- Sooner or later
knew it would overtake me, for though |
: the mills of tho gods grind slowly" yet !
grind they surely, and in imagination I
have often passed through this scene of |
Ho was demanded to prison
10 await has final ta5al, bat the third day
was discovered dead. Ia the darkness of
the igalt he had opened the veins in both
mms and had bled to death.
"Ihave often blamed myself" conclud-
ID the good old Judge, "for the part
;ook in the saG affair Ihave doubted if
nan is justified III fastening Gods scheme
# vengeance. BY too much zeal L " as
lie cause of Maitla1ad's filling a suicides
grave; to-day my conscience would be
lighter if he were alive. and filling that
position in society which SO many years
# pcnitence and remorse had given him
nd from which he was degraded"
"And PIisciIla,' asked one Of his audi
crs as he paused, "what became of her.?
Three years afterwards she diell, he an
wcred, "fuN of gloomy, satisfaction to
lac last, and never repenting the part she
ad taken in bringing Maitland to JUS
ice. She know no more mercifut law | /,
han the bitter one of retribution. AN
ye for an eye, and a tooth for TOOTH
Iod be merciful to her and to us all, for
18th Him alone is mercy and justice"