The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-07-04
THE MYSTERY SOLVED.
A Noyember eyeninr G o,eIocIs.


"Aunt Jerushy," bursting into the par.
lor at twilight, or what she chose to
call "earIy candle lightin'." "Ain't
ye cold, Miss Sweeney There's moth.
in but few coal left" a. nv
The still figure sitting there in the
angle of the fire place answered not,
but that face did not daunt Aunt Jer-
usha.
u should have been in before" She
continued, "but s'pOsed ye had com
pany. Twas the minister, wasn't M
| had my hands in the bread when he
knocked or | should have gone to the
door,"
Still no answer
IL guess she's asleep" commented
Aunt Jerusha, audibly ; eau if she is,
Ia better hold my tongue and not
wake her. 1t does old folks a deal Of
good to sleep!'
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 a pool of something
warm, wet, sticky, that was oczing out
upon the hearth.
81 guess the minister set his umbrel-
Ia down here" she said, and then she
glanced at her hand. All the palm
was covered by dark, awful smear,
and from her extended fingers drip
ped the clammy mess.
"Oh ~ shrieked Aunt Jerusha.
Law Oh, gracious Miss Sweeney
l do believe it's blood -
She went up to her mistress aud
clutched her arm. She was alarmed,
but her alarm was vague.
"Miss 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 6ngure 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 the head,
horrible stream still oozing down the
widows dark dress, pallid face with
wide open eyes, congealed 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 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 9
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 fol
once Aunt Jerusha was glad of hi
presence. He came hobbling through
the passages, grumbling ard exclaim
ing Uncle Solomon thought womel
very troublesome creatures, "full o
notions" and by no means sound o
mind.
"What on airth's the matter?" quotl
he, stumbling into the parlor. "Wha
We screechin' for, Aunt Jerusha? |
the house afre, or WHAT"
"Murder is the matter, ye old fool,
5 answered Aunt Jerusha. "Run dow
! to the village, quick, and call some
: body! Can't you see that Miss Swene
is killed"
ooh, Lord Did ye do it, Aunt Je
rusha =? Marcy ye don't say she
: dead, do ye?"
O "Yes, I do, aud here ye stand askin
I questions when ye ought to be half wa
I. to the village But law, you woul
never get there. Isuppose l shall hav
to go myself But don't you go out
the room.
!. "Aunt Jerusha, Aunt Jerusha
d darsent stay here al, nohow. Wal
! if you will CO." shrinking from he
! wrathful face and uplifted hand, Civ
IS me light. The fire might go out an
never could stand it in the dark"
.. Light it yourself" answered tn
. grim woman, pushing one of the cal
3 dies on the mantel toward him. An
70 i'm moment she was out in the storm