The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-12-27

CORPSE, hCCOuuUtu DIlelly lUI tne uSlhJ VI
his arrival, and expressed himself ready
that the solemn rites should begin.
The concourse of people assembled was
very large, and was composed of all
classes of the community, for the widow
had been honored equally by high and
low. The church-yard was at but an
easy walking distance, and thither they
proceeded on foot. The body was low
cred into the grave close beside where
the young pastor had been 30 recently
laid, and in the address which followed,
a simple and feeling allusion was made
to the affection, as of mother and son,
which had subsisted between the two in
life, and to the mingllng of their dust in
death. AS the service closed, Jane with
drew from the arm of Sheriff Merrill by
which she had been supported, having
repulsed that offered by George Slade as
the procession left the house, and knelt
silently by the grave. She was allowed
to remain undisturbed until the coffin
was hidden by the first layer of fresh
clods, and then George, to whom the
duty seemed with propriety to belong,
stepped forward to draw her away. She
elevated her hands for moment as If in
prayer, and then fixed her eyes upon
him with an expression of solemn re-
buke, which none who beheld it could
ever afterward forget His countenhnce
changed, but, as he retreated to his place,
he quickly concealed it with the white
handkerchief, which he had been using
with the lugubrious gestures suitable to
the occasion.
"Help me, o Father to relieve my
soul of the burthen which, In thy myste-
rious will, has been cast upon it ~ such
were the words, which in broken muir
murs were heard to escape from the lips
of Jane, and arising from her knees, she
added, in loud, clear tones, as if her ad-
juration had won her the strength she
invoked; "stand forward, George Slade!
here above the dust of him whose
blood was split by your hand, pro-
nounce you q murderer !"
The handkerchief dropped from the
grasp of George, and his face grew ashy
pale; but commanding his voice, he
said, in his blandest tones, "Poor girl
poor girl her mind is still unsettled ~
"Not SO, George Slade," responded
Jane, in the same manner of lofty reso-
luton which sent conviction at once to
those who, all their life, had known her
timid and truthful character "my mind
did, indeed, fail me for time, for, train
ed as it was to fear the commandments
of my Maker, how could 1t remain firm
under the secret knowledge of crime so
black and grievous ?-when knew that
to betray it would send to the grave the
being l loved more dearly than my own
life ?--but now 1t is restored to me with
q power it never before possessed, and in
good season to work out the retribution
which just Judge demands, and L re-
peat the words which never could have
spoken while her body, even though
lifeless, was upon the earth-I accuse
you, George Slade, of the murder of
Lewis Walton ~
The guilty man looked wildly about,
and moved backward a few PAGES through
the crowd, but when he felt the strong
arm of the sheriff upon him, and saw
that the assemblage pressed closely
round, he knew thatit was as impossible
to escape as it would be vain to resist,
and made show of voluntarily surren-
dering himself prisoner.
rba eanao l;o,, o,oo toJ H. A. ..o...
the church-yard fully equalled that fol-
lowing the discovery to which it was
consequent. The most anxious curiosi-
ty prevailed throughout the county, for
the details which had been expected
from Jane, were, according to the advice
of Sheriff Merrill, reserved for himself,
and for such functionaries as were requi.
site to prosecute the case. Yet notwith-
standing this precaution to prevent any
unfavorable bias of the public mind
against the accused, his conduct since he
had appeared in the country had been SO
reprehensible, and the character of Jane
was so much above suspicion, that no
one seemed to have doubt of his guilt.
Even had 1t been otherwise, new and
unexpected testimony, corroborating her
assertion, would have gone far to settle
the question. The blood.stained hand
kerchief found with the key of the par.
sonage, was identified by storekeeper
of N, as one which he had sold to the
reputed criminal, a few days preceding
the murder.