The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-03-27
"A.


more. Guludn was an Olu COlOreu WO-
man, LOUIS nurse, who lived down on
the creek bank and had long been bed
ridden. remember that said to Louisa
that her walk would be long and lonely,
and told her to call Paul to accompany
her. She hesitated q moment, and then
turned to the door, saying Huldah
would probably be in one of her fune-
real moods, and that she would not
have Paul troubled on the eve of his
wedding day. She started, running and
looking back with laugh, down the
hill" Mrs. Beardsley faltered and
stopped.
"Go on" said DIR. Scheffer. "The
incidents which follow are all that really
affect Louisa's guilt or innocence.
81 Go on, MOTHER said BeardsIey has
tily. Louisa's innocence is not called
in question. Remember that. Tell
everything you know without scruple"
The old lady began again in lower
voice: eve expected an arrival that
afternoon-Houston Simms, distant
kinsman of Major Scheffer's. He was
from Kentucky-a large owner Of blood
ed stock-and was on his way home from
New York, where his horses had Just
won the prizes at the fall races. He had
promised to stop for the wedding, and
the carriage had been sent to the station
to meet him. The station as you know,
is five miles up the road. BY some
mistake the carriage was late, and Hous-
ton started, with his valise in his hand,
to walk to the house, making short
cut through the woods. When the car
riage came back empty, and the driver
told this to u.s., some of the young men
started down to meet the old gentleman.
1t was then about four O'Clock, and
growing dark rapidly. The wind, /
recollect, blew sharply, and u cold rain
set in. went out on the long porch,
and walked up and down feeling uneasy
and annoyed at Louisa's prolonged alb
sense. Colonel Merrick, who had been
looking for her all through the house,
had just leain ned from me where she had
gone, and was starting with umbrellas
to meet her, when she came suddenly
up to us, crossing the ploughed field,
not from the direction of Huldah's cabin
but from the road. We both hurried
toward her; but when she caught sight
of Colonel Merrick she stopped short,
putting out her hands with look of
terror and misery quite indescribable.
Take me away from himi Oh, for
Gods sakel" she cried. / saw she had
suffered some great shock, and taking
her in my arms, led her in, motioning
him to keep back. She was so weak as
to fall, but did not faint, nor lose con-
sciousness for single moment. All
night she lay, her eyes wandering from
side to side, as in momentary expectancy
of the appearance of some one. No ano-
dyne had any effect on her-eveFy nerve
seemed strained to its utmost tension.
But she did not speak word except at
the sound of Colonel Merrick's voice or
step, when she would beg piteously that
he should be kept away from her. To
ward morning she fell into kind of
stupor, and when she awoke appeared
! to be calmer. She beckoned to me, and
asked that her uncle Scheffer and Judge
Grove, her other guardian, should be
sent for. She received them standing,
apparently quite grave and composed.
She asked that several other persons
should be called in, desiring, as she said,
to have as many witnesses as possible to
what she was about to make known.
You all know said she, that this was
to have been my wedding day. 1 wish
you now to bear witness that refuse to-
day or at any future time to marry Paul
Merrick, and that no argument or per-
suasion will induce me to do so. And
wish, raising her hand to keep silence
Iwish to say publicly that it is no fault
or ill doing of Colonel Merrick's that
has driven me to this resolve. say
this as in the sight of Almighty God
Nobody argued, or scarcely, iudeed,
spoke to her Every one saw that she
was physically very ill woman; and
it was commonly believed that she had
received some sudden shock which had
unhinged her mind. An hour afterward
the searching party came in lfor the
\ young men, not finding Houston Simms
had gone out again to search for him.
They had found his dead body concealed
in the woods by Mills spring. You
know the place. There was pistol shot
through the head, and leathern pocket
book, which had apparently contained
| money was fnund pnnt,fxy "A fauy fnaf