The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-01

derstand the motive that led me TO this
strange crime then committed
But do not see what this has to do
with my daughter, . said Nance, ,timidly.
81 am coming to that now. Our fam
lily physician having given up the child,
as last hope and despairing effort to
save her determined to consult the
best medical skill New York afforded.
called upon several eminent physi-
clans, but found them too much engag-
ed to so with me, though they all prom
ised to attend in the morning. 1t was
quite dark when / left the coach, and
walked to the ferry, wrapping my cloak
close around me for the night was quite
chilly. Under a lamp-post saw lit
tie girl, hardly three years of age crying
lbitterly-not loudly, but in a suppressed,
terrified kind of way. surmised at
once that she was lost. The thought of
my poor stricken one at home made my
heart warm towards her. L stopped
down and raised her in my arms, with
the intention of taking her home, if 1
could find where it was-as raised her
up to the rays of gas light fell full upon
her face, and fancied that / could de-
tect a resemblance in it to my own little
darling. In an instant one of those
sudden inspirations which sway the
human mind flashed through my brain.
What if should find my child dead on
my return, could not substitute this
one in her place? 1t was an insane pro-
ject, with an hundred chances to one
against its successful accomplishment
but it was last hope to save the Far
rell estate from rapacious relatives who
had less right to it than I. This little
one was coarsely clad, but she was ro-
bust and healthy: one, doubtless, of
some poor mans brood, who had
dozen beside, who would scarcely miss
her, and be very thankful for one less to
feed.
:" Come, darling, and L will take
you home, said
"She nestled confidingly to my breast
and wrapped my cloak about her in
such manner as to hide her completely
from view. In this manner took her
on board Of the ferry boat. BY the time
reached Green Point she was sound
asleep-sleeping the heavy sleep of in
fancy. L walked hurriedly home, fear
full that she might awake; but there
'wss little danger of that-her ramble in
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L let myself into the house with the
latch-key, paused in the dimly lighted
hall to adjust my burden in such man
ner that none might suspect its pres
ence, should 1 meet any of the servants
on the stairs. knew they would not
think anything of my wearing my
cloak and hat into the sick-room, as my
natural anxiety would prevent me from
stopping to remove them until l saw
my child.
Il found the nurse alone by the bed
side, the doctor, she told me, had just
left, telling her the child could not live
till morning. He had done all he could
but while there was life there was
hope. He would call around early in
the morning. The little sufferer lay
gasping out her life. l was in time. L
sent my nurse to bed, my usual custom
on returning, to keep weary vigil to
the death cough. Worn out by long
she gladly availed herself of
my permission to retire. I locked the
door after her, placed the sleeping child
beside the dying one, and carefully drop
ped the window curtains. So far my
scheme had succeeded; but if my child
should linger until morning, and the
presence of the other be detected, and
then? Cold drops of perspiration oozed
slowly from my forehead as stood be-
side the bed and watched and waited.
An hour passed away in this dread
ful suspense. A neighboring church
bell tolled the hour of ten, and with the
last stroke, convulsive sigh broke from
the pale lips, the little frame quivered,
there was a sound like the rushing of
wings in the room, and then all was
CHASTITY still again; no sound but the
regular breathing of the sleeping child,
which my acute ears could hear distinct
ly, whilst mine lay dead beside her-I
sank upon my knees by the bedside,
and my grief went over me like a flood,
raining torrent of tears from my eyes.
But these tears did me good; they
blunted the edge of my sorrow, and pre-
pared me for what was yet to be done.