Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-08-13
srRANeE PHENoMENA..-Aboutf forty

STRANGE PHENoMENA..-About forty
years ago, in the western part Of New
York, lived a lonely widowed mother.
Her husband had been dead many
years, and her only daughter was
grown up and married, living at 3 dis
tance Of mile or so from the family
mansion. And thus the old lady lived
alone day and night. Yet in her con-
scious innocence and trust in Provi-
dence, she felt safe and cheerful, did
her work quietly during the daylight
and at evening slept quietly. One
morning, however, she awoke with an
extraordinary and unwonted gloom
upon her mind, which was impressed
with the apprehension that something
was about to happen to her or hers.
So full was she Of this thought that
she could not stay at home that day,
but must 20 abroad TO give vent 10 it,
unbosoming herself to her friends, es-
pecially to her daughter. With her
she spent the greater part of the day,
and to her she several times repea ted
the recitof ofhOr apprehensions. The
daughter as often repeated the assur-
ance that her good mother had never
done injury to any person, adding: II
cannot think that anyone would hurt
you, for you have not an enemy in the
world On her way home she called
on her neighbor who lived in the last
house before she reached her own.
Here she again made known her con-
tinued approximations, which had near
ly ripened into fear, and from the lady
of the mansion she received answer
similar Of that Of her daughter; "You
have harmed dome in your lifetime;
surely no one will modest you"
Here, Rover" she said TO stout
watch dog that lay on the floor "here,
Rover 80 home with Mrs. Mosher,
and take care Of her." Rover did as
he was told. The widow went home,
MIXED her COWS, took care of every
thing out Of doors, and went to bed
as usual. Rover had not left her for
an instant. When she was fairly in
bed, he laid himself down upon the
outside, and as the widow relied upon
his fidelity, and perhaps chid herself
with needless fear, she fell asleep.
Sometime in the night she awoke,
being startled probably by a slight
noise outside the house. It was SO
slight, however, that she was not aware
of being startled at all, but heard as
she awoke a sound like the raising Of
a window near her bed, which was in
room on the ground floor. The dog
neither barked nor moved. Next
there was another sound az if some
one was in the room and stepped eau
tiously on the floor. The woman saw
nothing, but now for the first time
felt the dog move as he made a violent
spring from the bed, and at the same
moment something fell on the floor
sounding like heavy log. Then fol-
lowed other noises like the paving Of
a dogs feet, but soon all was still
again, and tina dog resumed his place
on the bed without having barked or
growled atall, The widow lay awake,
suffering, yet not deeming 1t best to
get up. But at last she stepped out
Of bed and struck light, and there
lay the body Of a man, extended on
the floor, dead, with large knife in
his, hand. The dog had seized him
by the throat with a grasp Of death,
and neither man nor dog could utter
a sound till all was over. The man
was the widows son-in-law, the hus-
band Of her only daughter. He COW
erted her little store Of wealth, her
house, her cattle, and her land; and
instigated by his sordid impatiencs, he
could not wait for the decay ofnature
to give her property up to him and
his, as the only heirs apparent, but
made his stealthy visit to do deed Of
darkness in the gloom Of the night.
A fearful retribution awaited for him.
The widows approximations, commune
Gated to her mind and impressed upon
her nerves by what unseen power we
know not, the sympathy of the woman
who loaned che dog, and the silent
but certain watch Of the dog himself,
formed chain ofevents which brought
the murderer's blood upon his own
head, and which are difficult to be ex-
planned without reference TO that prov
idence who numbers the hairs Of our
heads, watches the sparrows fall, and
shapes our ends, roughhsw them as
we wallpapers Weekly.
ss- Side by side in the Drug Store