South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-11-11

had doubtless slaughtered his innocent
victim; and whether it had been done
for the sake OF money. or to prevent
the betrayal OF the secret of the cellar,
remained the only point open to doubt.
Poor Solomon Slocum how had his
glory departed! Would that he had
never interfered with what had not con.
cerned him! lie tho son of murder
er. and his own son TO bear forever the
dark blot o! that stigma. John Bowsn
had forbidden his daughter to receive
he young mans attentions. though Jcs-
sic cried. and declared that che did no.
see why Joe should suffer for a sin not
his own. and that she was willing to
marry him. and help him bear tho dis
grace, IL ne,d be.
One day, about six months after those
events, q well>dr-ssed. iolly.looking.
elderly gentleman stopped at the Eagle
Hotel IN Twiddletou. AS the servant
took his horse, lie looked around curl
ously and with a sort of smile, at the
transformed house and its new sign. A
group of idlers were collected, as usual,
on the long, low piazza, and there lis
tened with interest 10 what was said.
Place improved since / was here,
some five and twenty years ago. Who
is the landlord now p
Myself. sir-Thomss Grasty,' re :
sponded the host. with dignity.
'Ah What has become of old Chris
Slocum p
Dead, sir, years ago! That's his
SON. pointing to seedy and dejectcd-
looking individual pessing slowly along
The street.
Sol Not like the strapping Young
chap | remember. Times seem TO have
gone hard with him.
All, sir, hos hsd enough TO change
him
And, in accordance with his now es-
lablished habit. Captain Grasty regal.
81 his guest with the whole story of the
discovery of the CHASTITY remains in the
cellar, and the subsequent awful revela.
ton concerning them.
To his utter astouishmen, the gentle.
man, after listening attent;vely, broke
into uncomfortable laughter,
SO they accuse poor OH Chris OF rob.
berry and murder, do they 2
Undoubtedly the young man was
murdered, siF.'
Perhaps not. | am DR.. Allen Drew
nv; no ghost, but as you see. substan.
tial, living flesh. tia, ha!
In less than an hour the news had
spread through the village like wildf5e.
Everybody knew the story; how Allen
Drewry, when about 20 commence his
medical stu lies. bad. by the unconqaer,
able disposition to 'fun and Irritation, >
gotten himse into serious scrape with
| lady Of uncertain age, who unhinch-
ingly claimed to he his promised briGe !;
sud how her determined mid,ile-aged
brother had discovered him in lis vaca-
tion retirement at Middleton. whence
he had escaped ct a moments notice.
leaving his effects ID 10 forwarded by
the sympGlhi2ing landlord, whom lie
| had taken into bis confidence.
Among these effects was certain
| skeleton, which the embryo medical stu
dent had flched from the diiapidate d
grave OF some persoo unknown, in an
ancient and neglected burial ground
near the village. Christopher Slocum
had been afraid 10 send this on with the
rest OF the effects and had hidden the
box in the Bowan cellar, lightly covered
over with sarth, awaiting the student ;
orders for safe special Conveyance
But he had never claimed the tones {;
and there they had lain until their un i,
fortunate discovery, quarter Of q CEN
fury after.
1t was wonderful how pleased people
we're st this late revelation or Chris
SlOcum's innocence, and his sons and
grandson's freedom from tho stigma
which hal weighed 50 heavily upon
them. As to the revenue oGense of
poor Chris. folks might wink at that.
So they hastened TO make all the rep
aration in their power for the injustice
! they had been guilty OF; and Joe's and
Sessie's Wedding was quite grand az &.
fsit for Twiddleton.
It's always best 20 lot other folks
consarns alone, and mind your own is
The moral now carefully inculcated by
Solomon Slocum upon the tender minds
of his grandchildren,