Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-01-09

IWluuoeoH. IeOple were dppdIleu
at the heinous crime which the inves-
LEGATIONS of Solomon Slocum had
brought to light, and, moreover, by
wonderful dispensation of fate,
brought home to himself.
There could be no doubt upon the
subject; for, upon close investiga-
ton, a hammer had been found under
the bones in the bag plainly branded
with Christopher Slocum's initials.
With the murderous weapon he 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 Gel
lar, 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 concerned him! He the son of a
murderer, and his own son to bear
forever the dark blot of that stigma.
John Bowan had forbidden his daugh-
ter to receive the young mans atten-
tions, though Jessie cried and declar-
ed that she did not see why Joe
should suffer for sin not his own,
and that she was willing to marry him
and help him bear the disgrace if need
be.
One day, about six months after
these events, a well-dressed, jolly
looking gentleman stopped at the Ea-
gle Hotel at Twiddleton. AS the SER
want took his horse he looked curl
ously, and with 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 listened with interest to what
was said.
''Place improved since I was here,
five-and-twenty years ago. Who is
the landlord now?''
"Myself, sir-Thomas Grasty," re-
sponded the host with dignity.
''Ahl what has become of old
Chris. Slocum?"
''Dead, sir, years ago That's his
son. pointing to seedy and defect
ed-looking individual passing slowly
along the street-"Sol Not like the
strapping young chap / remember.
Times seem to have gone hard with
him."
''Ah, sir, he's had enough to
change him !"
And, in accordance with his now
established habit, Captain Grasty re-
galed his guest with the whole story
of the discovery of the CHASTITY re-
mains in the cellar, and the subse-
quent awful revelation concerning
them.
To his utter astonishment the gen.
tleman after listening attentively
broke into uncomfortable laughter.
$50 they accuse poor old Chris. OF
robbery and murder do they?''
Undoubtedly the young man was
murdered, sir!'
''Perhaps not. / am Doctor Allen
Drewry, no ghost, but, as you see,
substantial living flesh. Ha, ha ~
In less than an hour the news haC
spread through the village like wild
fire. Everybody knew the story
how Allen Drewry, when about tt
commence his medical studies, had
by his uneonquerable disposition te
''fun and fiirtation," gotten himself
into a serious scrape with a lady Of
uncertain age, who unfinchingly
claimed to be his promised bride
and how her middle-aged brother haG
discovered him in his vacation retire
ment at Middleton, whence he haC
| escaped at a moments notice, leav.
ing his effects to be forwarded by the
sympathizing landlord, whom he hac
taken into his confidence.
Among these effects was certain
skeleton, which the embryo medica
student had filched from the dilapi
dated grave of some person unknown
in an ancient and neglected buria
ground near the village. Christophel
Slocum had been afraid to send this
on with the rest of the "effects'' anC
had hidden the box in the Bowan eel
lar, lightly covered over with earth
awaiting the students orders for 8
safe, special conveyance. But ht
had never claimed the bones; ant
there they had been until their unfor
tunate discovery, quarter of cen
tury after.
1t was wonderful how pleased peo
pie were at the late revelation o
|
Chris. Slocum's innocence, and hi.
sons and grandson's freedom from
the stigma which had weighed heavi
| ly upon them. AS to the revenue of
fences of poor Chris, folks nigh
wink at that. So they hastened t.
make all the reparation in their pow
er for the injustice they had beer
guilty of; and Joe's and JESSIE
wedding was quite grand affair TO