The Cecil Whig., 1885-12-05

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more'n half hour since | sot it in my
chips. God mighty in Heb'n-'
At that moment a scream piteous as
it was piercing was heard. Sheals ran
back into the house and Edy with ut
most speed possible made for the
woods.
need not relate in detail the nee
essary sequels, the recapture of Edy
that night at the Cages, and the death
two days afterwards of Mrs. Sheals- The
poor woman, before dying, had be-
| sought her husbands forgiveness for
her own shortcomings, and for the
frlendless negro whom she admitted to
have been provoked by herself to des-
peratlon. Much of her dying agony
and of her husbands horror was
soothed by the consultations and coun-
sells of good old Mr.. Sandford, ofwhose
church they were members. The be-
reaved husband, when the death and
the funeral were over, went sadly back
to his duties, and in calmness awaited
the operation of the law. Adkins, the
owner of Edy, saying he was not going
to pay for a dead niger, refused to en-
ploy counsel, words and conduct that,
Notwithstanding the Nervousness of the
crime, were regarded by all rejecting
persons with some disgust. People
could not but talk with some admira-
ton of the young lawyer whom the
court assigned to the defense, who
after several consultations with Edy and
her husband, boldly announced in pub
lie, whenever the case was mentioned
in his hearing, his belief in her inno-
cence. But, OF course, as they knew,
all lawyers talk in that way, the younger
they are the more boldly. Edy pro-
tested her innocence of the deed,
though she admitted to al whom she
| conversed with that she had hated her
employer, and many time had wished
her dead for her cruel treatment. 1t
was proven by her husband that out of
the bottle in which the poison from the
Jamestown Commonly called jimson)
weed was found she had gotten sugar
for cup of coffee she had made for
him before his departure on that morn
ing, but his testimony was believed by
none among the whites. Sheals at the
trial, pale, reserved, answered all ques-
tions calmly and without show of re-
sentiment, never once turning his eyes
toward the defendant. Many praised
his torbearance, but some attributed it
to the recollection Of the incongruity
and infelicity OF his conjugal relation.
| When the verdict was announced few
minutes after the case bad been sub
mitted to the jury, he sighed, ieitt the
courtroom, and after receiving the
congratulations of his acquaintance on
the maintenance of the majesty of the
law, mounted his horse and rode away.
The defendants counsel was compli-
mented for his pathetic appeal for the
benefit of his client of any possible
doubt, an appeal of course vainly
made.
"What does dcy say, marster? in
Quired of him Shade, the husband.
"Guilty, my man, guilty. I'm sorry
for your poor wife, and you, too
can is dey gwine to hang Edy, mars
tero,
''Not doubt, not single doubt
about that, Shade
"Well, befo' God, dat oman nuver
pizened Miss Sheals.' Then he added
in whisper as if speaking to himself:
"Ef dey hangs her fer whut she nuyer
done, dey'll harter hang me for sumfin,
show 'nough.'
He rose Immediately, took from his
pocket silver dollar, rendered it to
the young man for his voluntary ser
vices, and seemed little hurt by his
declining to receive it, and was not
seen, except at momentary intervals,
for several weeks afterward.
Henceforth Sheals made his abode,
like other unmarried overseers, with his
employer. The latter, bewailing his
pecuniary loss, was touched by an offer
from Sheals to bear portion. Unex-
pected as such an offer was, Mr.. Adkins
neither accepted presently nor de-
clined. He had a daughter living upon
a tract of land that he had set off to
her upon her marriage to a husband
who had died some months back, and
he had been considering what further
provision should be made for her. 1t
was probably the apparent fitness Of
things that gave rise to report only
few weeks after the murder that the
widower and widow, with the appro-
baton of the latter's father, were at last
thinking of seeking consolation for
their separate bereavement in the most
natural OF all ways. For what little diff
ferences there might be in social rank
were believed to be compensated by
the mans already acquired property
and habits that were certain to lead to
further rapid acquisition. Sheals indeed
had one time sought, and in vain, this
lady's hand, but, and especially since
the death of her husband, had been
scrupulously polite in his department
towards her.
Touched by the friendlessness of the
negro woman, the provocation that it
was proven she had received, by the
evident anguish of her husband, and
the earnest appeal of the young counsel,
l