The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-02


could not remove it from the house. either by
day or by night. without the risk of being OBJ
served by the neighbors. Many projects en-
tered my mind. At one period / thought of
cutting the corpse into minute fragments and
destroying them by fire. Atanotlgr reSolv ed
to dig grave for it in the floor of the cellar
Again, deliberated about casting it in the
well in the yard-about packing it in q box, as
II merchandise, with the usual arrangements,
and so getting porter to take it from the
house. Finally hit upon what considered far
better eXpedient than either of these. l deter
mined to wall it up in the cellar, as the monks
OF the middle ages are recorded to have walled
up their victims.
For purpose sach as this the cellar was well
adapted. Its walls were loosely constructed,
and had lately been pastered throughout with
a rough plaster, which the dampness of the at
mosphere had prevented from hardening.
Moreover, in one of the walls was projection,
caused by a false chimney, or fire place, that
had been filled up, and made to resemble the
rest of the cellar. l made no doubt that L
could readily displace the bricks Mt this point,
insert the corpse, and wall the whole up as be-
fore, so that no eye could detect anything sus-
picious.
And in this calculation I was not deceived.
BY means of q crowbar [ easily dislodged the
bricks, and having carefully deposited the body
against the inner wall / propped it in that po-
sition, while with little trouble / relaid the
whole structure as it originally stood Having
procured mortar, sand and hair, with every
possible precaution, / prepared plaster which
could not be distinguished from the old, and
with this very carefully went over the new
brick work. When l had finished, l felt salts
fed that all was right. The wall did not pre-
sent the slightest appearance of having been
disturbed. The rubbish on the floor was picked
up with minutest care. / looked around tri-
umphantly, and said to myself, "Here at least
then my labor has not been in vain"
My next step was to look for the beast which
had Of IN cl,a1,
for had, at length, firmly resolved to put it to
death. Had / been able to meet with it at the
moment, there could have been no doubt of it
fate; but it appeared that the crafty anima
had been alarmed at the violence of my previ
Gus anger, and forebore to present itself in my
present mood. 1t is impossible to describe, or
to imagine, the deep, the blissful sense of re-
lief which the absence of the detested creature
occasoned in my bosom. 1t did not make its
appearance during the night, and thus for one
night at least since its introduction into the
house, soundiy and TRANQUILITY slept; aye
slept even with the burden of murder upon my
soul!
The second and third day passed, and still
my tormentor came not. Once again breathed
as a freeman. The monster, in terror, had fled
the premises foreveri should behold it no
more! My happiness was supremei The guilt
of my dark deed disturbed me bat little. Some
few inquiries had been made, but these had
been readily answered Even search had
be discovered. / looked upon my future felic-
ity as secured.
Upon the fourth day of the assassination, a
party of the police came over unexpectedly
into the house, and proceeded again to make
rigorous investigation OF the premises, Secure,
however, in the inScrutabiiity of my place OF
concealment felt no embarrassment what
ever. The officers babe me accompany them
in their searth They left no nook or corner
UNEMPLOYED. AT length, for the third or fourth
t;me they descended into the cellar. quiv-
cred not III a muscle. My heart beat calmly as
that OF one who sleeps i'll innocence. walked
the cellar from end to end. / folded my arms
upon my bosom, and roamed easily to and fro.
The police were thoroughly satisfied and pre-
pared to depart. The glee of my heart was
too strong to be restrained I burned to say
if but one word by way of triumph, and to rem
der doubly sure their assurance Of my guilt
lessness.
Gentlemen" said at last, as the party as
cended the steps, "I delight to have alayed
your suspicious. l wish you all health, and
little more courtesy. Bye the bye, gentlemen,
tliis-this is q very well constructed house."
(In the rabid desire to say something easily
scarcely knew what uttered at all.) II may
say an excellently well constructed house.
These walls-are you going gentlemen ?-these
walls are solidly put together" and here,
through the mere frenzy of bravado, raped
heavily, with cane which held in my hand
upon that very portion of the brick work be-
SNSNS ~N@SS
bosom.
But my God shield and deliver me from the
fangs of the arch-fendI No sooner had the
reverberation of my blows sunk into silence,
than was answered by voice within the
tomb! by cry at first muffle6 and broken,
like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly
swelling into one long, loud and continuous
scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman-a
howl; a wailing shrek, half of horror and
half of triumph. such as might have arisen only
out of hell, conformity from the threats OF the
damned in their agony and of the demons that
exult in the damnation.
Of my own thoughts it is folly to speak.
Swooning, staggered to the opposite wall.
For one instant the party upon the stairs re-
manned motionless, through extremity of ter
ror and of awe. In the next, a dozen stout
arms were toiling at the wall. 1t fell bodily.
The corpse, already greatly decayed and clot-
ted with gore, stood erect before the eyes of
the spectators. Upon his head, with red ex-
tended mouth and solitary eye Of fire, sat the
hideous beast whose craft had sedueed me into
murder and whose informing voice had con-
signed me to the hangman. had walled tho
monster up within the tomb.
What the War Cost in Labor.