Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1885-01-03

VII Is n0rrlDie L1lng. SIT. Out IL HAS
been DONE replied the boatman
CHAPTER III.
1 cannot tell why the word ''murderv
struck me with such horror. stood
looking at the old b0atman like one
struck with disrnay. was on the point
of saying that it was quite impossible,
for had been on the Chain Pier last
night, and had seen nothing Of the
kind. Some impulse restrained me.
II would not 90 so far as to say it was
murder, interrupted sturdy boatman.
81 have been about here great many
years, and | have seen some queer
things. J should hardly call this muir
der.n
s.It was life taken away, whether
you call it murder or not, " said the old
man.
MAY be-but | am not sure, I have
seen many mad with misery, but MUIR
der is rare thingp
"What is it?' asked.
IA child, sir only little child
said the sturdy boatman. The body OF
a little child found drowned off the pier
here"
Now, why should start, and trem-
Bile, and grow sick at heart? What had
it to do with me? I knew nothing of
any murdered child, yet great drops
formed on my brow, and my very heart
trembled.
"a little child found drowned = I re-
peated; 'sbut how do you know it was
murdered2 1t may have fallen into the
water"
ut was net old enough for that, sir,
said the elder boatman, it is but fair
/ little mite-a baby girl. not more than
I three weeks 0ld.'
All. why did the beautiful, desperate
| face had seen the night before flash
before my eyes then? The boatman
went on
ut is plain to my eyes that it is a
I 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.
ssTell me about it?'' said.
Ali if my heart would but stop beat
ing, or if the beautiful, desperate face
would but fade from my memory.
lit was James Clayton who found it, ~
continued the old man. "a 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 it looked like an old rag, and
he took no notice of it, then something
about it attracted his attention more
and more. He went nearer and found
/ that it was a grey and black shawl, that
! had canght;on some large hooks which
had been driven into the wooden pillars
I for some purpose or other-a wOman'S
: shawl, sure as could be; some lady, he
thought, had dropped it over the pier
and it had caught Oh these hooks below
the water. Jim was pleased; he thought,
if worth anything, he might get trifie
of reward for it; ii not, he might take
\ it home to his old mother. IL gs4g
'sHe took his boat to the, spot, but,
sir, to Jim's surprise, he found it was
not only "a shawl, but bundle; he
thought he had found treasure, and
/ hastehed to get it quickly off the hooks.
1T had been caught more tightly by ac-
cident than it could have been placed
/ there by human hands. 1t was tight on
the'hooks, and he had to tear the shawl
to get it off. He lost no time opening
it, and there was little, fair child,
drowned and dead. .
at was not a pleasant sight, sir, on
/ bright morning, when the sunshine was
dancing over the waves. Jim said his
heart turned quite faint when he saw
the little white body such a fair little
mite, sir it was enough to make the
very angels weepi Some woman sir
Heaven forbid that it was the mother
I Some woman had dressed it in pretty
white clothes. 1t had a white gown,
Tiwith lace, and a soft white woollen cap
!, on the little golden head. A sorry
I sight, SRA sorry sight! Jim said that
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
I He knows the little one was MOTTO sink
. to the bottom like lead 1t is true, sir,
and murder will OUT
+ sssBut is nothing known?'r I asked
j'rsSurely such "a thing could never be
done without someone seeing or know
ing something about it.. es8
II am afraid, sir, no one knows but
the one who did it. Some woman, sir,
had dressed the little thing-a man
would never have thought OF the soft
woollen cap. And / can tell you an0th-
er thing, SRA man would never have
killed;a child like that; not that am
upholding men some of them are
brutes enough-but j do not think any
man would throw a little babe into the
water. When a woman is bad, she Is
bad, and there is nothing vile enough
for herr
thought of the beautiful and des-
perate face. Heaven grant that she
might have nothing to do with thisl
And yet black and grey shawl2
.a'sssWhereabouts was it2n / asked.
He pointed with his hand to the very
spot where she had stood.
just there. he said. 1T was there
/ the little bundle was thrown, and there,
/ just below the linesof the jetty, it was
caught by the hooks
The identical spot where she had
I stood. Oh, beautiful, despairing face
I what was hidden under your mask Of
stone?
sIss' You should goson the pier, sir, and
| see for yourself, said the old man.
1.-THE Superintendent Of the police is
/ there now; butlthey will never find out
| who did that! Women are deep when
| they are wicked, and the one who did
| this was wicked enough.
There was a slight suggestion on the
\ part of the little group as toslthe MORN
| lag being aIdry onel We parted on very
| satisfactory terms. .ye.sss. 1870.
4 went "a the pier, and under the
I wooden shelter where I had sat last
nioht ! saw q on 1.-the superintend-
tlx5h Sk4 Hii s1f n ri s9ff,3Sss s s.