The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-06-10
CHAPTER III,

night, and had seen nothing of the
kind. Some impulse restrained me.
Il would not go SO far as TO say twas
murder, interrupted sturdy bOatman.
u have been about here great many
years and | have seen some queer
things. should hardly call this muir
der"
1t was a life taken away. whether
YOU call 1t murder or not, said the old
man.
May be-but am not sure. | have
seen many mad with misery, but muir
der is "A rare thing
What is ity' | asked.
"A child, sir - only little child,n
said the sturdy boatman. The body of
a little child found drowned of the pier
here
Now, why should start, and trem-
bic, and grow sick at heart2 What had
It to do with me? ! knew nothing of
any murdered child, yet great drops
formed on my brow, and my very heart
trembled.
"A little child found drowned" re-
peated; but how do you know it was
murderedy 1t may have fallen into the
water
ut was not old enough for that, sir, :"
said the elder boatman, lit is but fair
little mite-a baby girl; not more than
three weeks old
All, why did the beautiful, desperate
face | had seen the night before fash
before my eyes then? The boatman
went on
1T is plain to my eyes that it is
murder; although the child Is but a
tender babe; all the greater murder for
that, bigger child might have helped
itself. this one could not"
Tell me about it2' | said.
All. if my heart would hat stop beat.
ing, or il the beautiful, desperate face
would but fade from my memory.
1t was James Clayton who found it,
continued the old man. He was at
work in the jetty this morning when he
caught sight Of something moving up
and down with the waves; at first he
thought 1t looked like an old rag. and
he took no notice Of il, then something
about it attracted Lis attention more
and more. He went nearer and found
that it was grey and black shawl. that
had caught on some large hooks which
had been driven into the wooden pillars
for some purpose or Othcr--a woman 8
shawl. sure as could be, some lady. he
lhoughl, had dropped il over the per
and it had caught on these hooks below
the water. jim was pleased he thought,
If worth anything, he might get triile
~ reward for II; II not, he might take
it home TO his old mother.
"lle took his boat TO the spot, but,
sir, to jim surprise, he found 1t was
not only a shawl, but a bundle; he
thought he had found treasure, and
hastenedto get it quickly off the hooks.
1t had been caught more tightly by ac-
cident than il could have been placed
there by human hands. Ii was tight on
the hooks, and he had 10 tear the shawl
to get il off. He lost no time opening
1t, and there was little, fair child,
drowned and dead.
1T was not a pleasant sight, sir, on a
bright morning, when the sunshine was
dancing over the waves. Jim said his
heart turned quite faint when he saw
the little white body-snch fair little
mite, sir it was enough to make the
very angels weep, Some woman. sir
Heaven forbid that it was the mother
some woman had dressed il in pretty
white clothes. 1t had a white gown,
with lace. and soft white wO0llen cap
on the little golden head. A sorry
sight, SRA sorry sight, Jim said that
when he thought Of that little tender
body swinging TO and fro with the waves
all night, he could not keep the tears
from his eyes.
1T was meant TO sink, you see, sir"
continued the man, with rough energy
lit was never meant TO be caught.
But the great God, He is above all, and
lie knows the little one was not to sink
TO the bottom like lead. 1t is true, sir,
and murder will out"
"But is nothing known?" | asked
"Surely such thing could never be
done without someone seeing or know
ing something about it,
II am afraid, sir, no one knows but
the one who did il. Some woman, sir.
had dressed the little thing-a man
would never have thought of the soft
wooIlen cap. And can tell you anoth-
or thing, SRA man would never have
killed a child like that; not that | am
UNFOLDING men $500 some of them are
brutes enough--but do not think any
man would throw little babe into the
water. When woman is bad, she IS
bad, and there is nothing vile enough
for her"
thought Of the beautiful and des-
perate face, Heaven grant that she
might have nothing TO do with this!
AM yet-the black and grey shawl?
whereabouts was ity" ! asked.
He pointed with his hand to the very
spot where she had stood.
Just there" he said. ut was there
the little bundle was thrown, and there,
just below the line Of the jetty, it was
caught by the hooks" =,
Tie identical spot where she had
stood. Oh, beautiful, despairing face.
what was hidden under your mask OF
stonep
"You should go on the pier, sir, and
see for YOURSELF" said the old man.
"The superintendent Of the police Is
there now; but they will never find out
who did that Women are deep when
they are wicked, and the one who did
this was wicked enough"
ITO b Constnuedl