Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1885-01-30

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The great bell sounds again accom-.
panied by the smaller bells OF the pilot
and the steam boat glides out into the
channelto resume i,er southern voy.
age.
Uncle Owen who IS anxious to be
home again. walks huriedly through
the sleeping village. rubs his heavy
eyes, and starts up the long hill to his
house. The ascent as we have intima-
ted was very gradual. and the broad
carriage drive was smooth and cover.
ed with small white stones, making the
drive very beautiful.
The traveller yawned as he entered
the road. with woods on either side.
He had gone about half the distance
home. when he paused What was
that dark object lying in the read II
must be a man. Was he asleep or
drunk :
With no little curiosity Uncle Owen
advanced to his side. He was lying
on his face, with his left arm folded
under his foreht ad. and great heavens
there was pool Of blood which had
run on. from under his breast. Mr..
Redgrave dropped his valise with ar
exclamation OF honor.
MY Godn he gasped, there has
been murder done here
For moment he was too much
Mortified to speak or move Then By
powerful effort he stopped and raised
the awful thing. turning it over so the
face might be observed. He dropped
II and uttered cry fuller of horror
:han any that had yet escaped his
lips.
ats Abner Harding, my lawyer.
murdered almost in sight of my house.
Then naturally came to his mind
what was the cause of the murder.
The inside pocket of his coat turned
wrong side out, plainly indicated that
robbery had accompanied the nur-
der.
Mr.. Redgrave left the ghastly corpse
lying in the road as he had found it
and fastened homeward.
4 must keep this from Alice he
muttered TO himself. MY poor dar.
ling could not endure such horror as
this. Oh my God and so near my
own house He reached the dool
and rang the bell. Tom, Dick. Steve,
he shouted. Then he remembered
that these worthless slept in their quar-
tiers, and that only aunt Susan was ir
the house he ran to the negro quar-
tiers and reused dozen dusky planta
ton hands.
'Gar.a-mighty Uncle Owen gaspe6
Tom rubbing his eyes what's de mat
ter?'
Murder Tom, murder Uncle Over
answered. MIR. Harding the lawyel
has been murdered
'Whar' whar' massa 2 asked half :
dozen darkies.
Right in the drive between here anc
burlington. Some of you 60 dow
there and stay by the body but dom
touch it. Others 60 the village TO
the coroner and sheriff.
The negroes were mortified but hur
ried away. Uncle Owen turned to en-
ter his house when he noticed whit,
robed figure on the front piazza. i
was his wife and by the pale rays Q
the moon he was certain he never sa,
winter, or more ghostlike face.
What is it g Alice asked IN an aw
inspiring whisper.
"Hush my dear do not ask p sal
Uncle Owen.
oh but l must know. Somethin
terrible has happened
Il had as well tell her the Who'll
TRUTH said Uncle Owen. She mus
come to know it all, sooner or late
any way. Then speaking aloud h
said "Be calm my dear do not ag
tate yourself, but Mr.. Harding"
Mr.. Harding what of him z" sh
cried eagerly.
Has been shot and killed
She uttered prolonged shrek an
suooned. Her husband caught her
his arms and bore her to her be
chamber. Aunt Susan was awasene
and fastened to the bedside of ht
mistress, and all was excitement in tn
Redgrave mansion.
The doctor was summoned, for
seemed as If Mrs. Redgrave woul
never recover ioom her dea,h-lik
swoon. 1t was broad day light whe
she began to show signs of life.
Then the coroner had empannele
his jury and was viewing the dea
body.
The negroes knew of the lawyer
visit on the night before to Mr.. Rec
graves Mansion, but all thought b
had left early in The evening.
He had conversed a short time wit
Mrs. Redgrave they thought, on he
husbands business.
Mrs. Redgrave was not sufficient
recovered to be witness, and the do,
tor who pronounced this another on
of those nervous shocks, forbid an
one mentioning the subject to her.
She Is very nervous said the med
cal man. in fact her nerves hav
hardly recovered from the severe shoe
they received from the burning steam
e.. Then this awful murder 50 nea
her house has completely upset her."
The coroner,s jury concluded fror
what evidence they could obtain, tina
the lawyer had come TO his death fror
a gun shot in the hands of some pei
son TO the Jurors unknown, and tina