Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-02-27
Orleans I shook hands. and said

the guilty one Will ever KNOW
who was the murderer, yet muir
dered she certainly was. You
must forgive me for suspecting
you
"'Certainly,I win forgive YOU
he replied. 'As you have never
betrayed your suspicious, they
can not harm me, although they
give me much pain.' IIe then
/ PASSED OUT OF MY SIGHT
To complete the preparations for
his journey. But the sam e
steamer on which he sailed had
also as a passenger, a venerable,
Iwhite-haircd old lady, who was a
martyr to neuralgia, and anxious
to test the advantages of a South
ern climate. She was profession
al nurse, and bore with her certif-.
Iicates from several eminent ply
sicians of New York, by which
she hoped to obtain employ
ment in New Orleans. A good
sailor, she found her services in
demand, as the sick gentleman
was not only very i'll, but very
exacting, and it was difficult for
the boys to please him. After
reaching New Orleans Mr.. Will
liston grew worse rapidly, and
sent for his friend, the old lady,
to whom he became attached dur
ing the trip. Little by little his
confidence was gained, and at
last an opportunity offered when
a description of the wife could
be asked for. 1t was readily
given, with the most genuine
tone of regret at her untimely
death.
! "The nurse drew from her
pocket sealed envelope, and,
deftly opening it, held up shin
ling curling tress of gold-bright
hair. There were only few
threads, but quite enough to de-
termine its color, and show that
lit was naturally curly. Every
glimmering thread still held the
root, proving the force and alb
Iruptness with which it had been
torn from the head it once adorn-
ed. Mr.. Williston rose to a sit
ting posture, and leaning toward
lher, exclaimed:
who, in the fiend's name, are
Iyou?'
"'Your old friend, Mrs. Ben
ton, of Washington
Where did you find that ?
"'On your coat tangled about
a button, which was partly COW
cred by the folding of the collar.
1t was your dinner coat-and in-
stead of leaving your wife at the
dining-room door you accompa-
nied her up to your room, there
murdered her, and changing your
coat left the house; every hair
has the root in perfection, and
none were displaced when i
found it, He sank back on his
pillow, and / thought he would
die in his agony.
"'Then you are her murderer
by your own confession p
"'No, nor he whispered, 4
loved her better than life.'
"TYet 1 believe you guilty. Il
have weighed carefully every cir
lcumstance, sifted every particle
Iof evidence, and every step has
Ionly served to convince me of
] your guilt.
"IIe sent for his physician and
and demanded the truth as to his
health.
"fYou will recover, answered
the doctor, eff you are careful.
CATER his departure my pa
ltient, looking into my eyes with
a fierce expression, said:
"'I defy you, and hate you'll
| Leave me, and never show your
self to me again.
4 "I will leave, but It's to give,
you over to justice.
81 turned to leave the room.
"'Nurse,' he called, come
back and then he implored:
Don't destroy me; you don't
know anything against me; you
could prove nothing but devoted
love-
"'Ah, yes, but | could prove
that you lied to the Coroner, and
that would involve you SO that
eventually the truth would come
}, out
| asNurse,' he asked calmly, do