Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-02-25
A MENTAL CRIME.
A Jealous Girl Commits Murder
in Her Heart.


Sitting here tonight, the possesso
OF great wealth, respected and envie,
by the neighboring people. am We
more wretched than any convict be
hind prison bars.
For l carry in my breast the knowl
edge of an awful crime.
l caused the death Of three human
beings; yet no one on the face of Tn,
earth has ever suspected me as the an.
thor q that terrible tragedy.
Sometimes think it would relieve
the fearful burden on my soul if suspi.
cion did point its finger at me; and so
tonight | have resolved to write out
the whole story just as it occurred; to
paint myself in all the hideous colors
Of the murderer that am.
After | am dead, let people read the
story and bestow upon my memory
the scOrn il deserves.
was but twelve years old. and he
was fifteen, when my mother married
his father. and / was taken TO the
Pines-to this very old mansion where
i am now sitting-to reside; his father.
my stepfather, Colonel Monroe. had
never seen me until ! came there to
live.
had been at boarding-school when
he met, courted aNl married my
mother. They went upon quite au eX-
tensive tour, returning to the Pines in
June, and then | was brought home
oil I
mer EVENING" The ground were all
ablaze with roses as | drove up to the
stately old mansion. Colonel Monroe.
my mother and Sinclair Monroe. my
stepfather's son, stood on the vcranda
90 welcome me.
After greeting my mother, she led
me to Colonel Monroe.
This is your new papa, dear Az
mes, she said. "whom | hope YOU will
love very much; and this is Sinclair.
your new brother
Sinclair bowed with strangely pol
ishcd air for so young boy. thought.
and smiled. i noticed that his face was
very handsome and proud and almost
cold until he smiled. Then IL was radi-
ant as the June day itself. Colonel
Monroe took my hand and leaned
down and scrutinized my face.
E" Bless my starsr he cried out in. a
hearty voice, ''what beauty we have
here! A perfect gypsy queen! Come.
Sinclair, / should think YOU would like
the chance TO kiss such cheek AS
thatl'
Sinclair blushed slightly. and came
forward and shook hands with me then.
but he did not kiss me. As we stood
there facing each Othea. Colonel Mon
roe placed n hand on either head. "a
handsome couple, Sybyl," he said, adj
dressing my mother. "a handsome
couple, surely. 1 think we will have TO
plan 10 keep them always with US. |
should like TO see them man and wife.
some day
"And so, indeed, would l." my
mother answered, smiling, '.but IL Is
early TO think OF that, Colonel. Let
time do its own work Then she led
me away TO my room.
From that time | began 10 think #
myself as Sinclair MOnroe's wife. We
speak idle words in the presence Of
children, and forget them, brt the
seed takes root in the young mind and
silently grows into harvest for good
Or evil.
] was 10 remain at the Pines and re-
q Give my education from private
teachers. Sinclair was only home for
his vacation, and in September he re
turned TO college. We were playmates
and comrades all through the long
bright summer We used 20 ride two
little ponies which his father had pre-
sented us with soon after my arrival, |
and one day Sinclair show ed me the |
broad acres Of his estate.--the one which |
would be his when he attained his ma |
jority. 'I shall build a splendid house |
there" he said. pointing 10 n noble |
nminence which overlooked the city, |
just below US. 80 house larger, oh, ten /
times larger than the Pines. and shall |
live there In the summer and 90 10 the |
,ity in the winter. | hate the country |
IN the winter
As we rode back rcveled IN dreams
lf the future, when ! should reign a
lneen over that splendid mansion.
40 years passed on the idea strength
med n l4ly mind Sinclair and were
Ilways together when he was at home.
ie made me his cOniidante In all his
'ollege cscapades, and we corrcsponded
onsiantly. To be sure, he always adj
lrcssed me as ISIS, an abbreYiation
4 sister. suppose; and he never kissed
no in his life,y save when he como
omc or upon his departure. Yet 1 al
rays thought OF him as my future hus-
aud, and / planned my life according I
Ny mother was poor widow when
olonel Monroe married her. She had
arely means enoughto eke out our ex- 4
cnses, but she was very handsome and I
She had what people /
alled "a way with men, that was z
reslstible. She fostered the idea that a
was 20 be Sinclair's wife. One day r.
10 and were driving together about ],
10 Estates, and she turned 10 me and /,
nllcd aud said: /,
F" How strange Il Ia, ma petite, that
ln and J. fWo ponnllcss creatures that N
pffc % few years ago. VIII one day "a
ssrss both these splendid estates for b
fe4 eWn, Il lellke fairy story, NJ