Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-08-08
Mechansbwn Frederick County, Maryland Thursday, August g. 1885,

1t is the strangest thing I ever saw
or heard Of I declared. 1T actually
fills me with horror. Why, I should
dump the thing out DOORS
He shook his head, a look Of alarm
on his face.
mo, no. he cried. 4 would not part
with it for anything
That day when parted with Claude
Mortimer I was so fully convinced that
there was terrible secret locked fast
in the man 8 breast, and that in some
way the black lily was connected with
the secret. How this could be l could
not imagine; yet something seemed to
tell me that it was so.
From that day l Stunned Claude
Mortimer, for I felt that there was a
dreadful STAIN upon his hands. Of this
l had no proof; yet in an unexplained
manner l was convinced that it was
true.
Two months passed. and one night a
terrible thunder storm passed over Up.
ington. The morning came, bright and
beautiful, and at an early hour Claude
Mortimer negro servant brought a seal.
ed envelope to my door and delivered
it into my hands. He said that his
master had aroused him in the night
and had given him the envelope. with
the request that he bring 1t to me the
first thing in the morning.
With shaking hands and presenta-
ment that some terrible event had hap.
pened, l tore open the envelope.
I am a murderer! l have resolved
to make this confession to the world,
and to morrow I will be found dead in
the room where l am now writing, while
the thunder bellows in the heavens and
the Jagged llghtnings rends the dark
ness asunder. The brand OF Cain is on
my brow, for I slew my own BROTHER
l will make confession as brief as pos.
sible, and then comes-death ! On the
day preceding the fatal night when
Victor Mortimer was murdered he and
I had quarrel concerning our fathers
will. In rage 1 left the house and
departed, mounted on the horse which
was given me by my father some years
ago. Twelve miles away l stopped for
the night, putting up at sleepy little
hotel.
When lretired to my room thatnight
l sat at my window until all WAS still
about the house. Then terrible I'M
pulse seized me. Beneath my window
was low slcping she'd. With but lit
tie trouble climbed out upon it and
reached the ground. I had seen a
horse feeding in Il neighboring pasture,
and by the aid of an occasional gleam
of moonlight which stole through the
clouds succeeded in finding and capt.
uring that horse. As l led him out of
the pasture I noticed a tong iron pin
by which the gate was fastened. This
| took with me. Within the hour l
rung at the door of Mortimer Hail.
There were no servants in the house at
the time, and Victor came to the door.
He asked who was there and l answer
ed.
'Unexpecting, he opened the door and
| stepped in. He was holding light
in his hand. AS he turned to close the
door struck him with the iron pin on
the back of the head, putting all the
force l could into the blow. He fell
dead at nv feet! Then, in order to
make it appear that the crime was COM
mltted by robber, took his jewelry
and money. l hid the iron PIN in
a safe place, and on the horses back
fled away through the night like the
crime stained thing that was.
What followed is we'll known. l
was recalled to the scene Of my terrible
crime. Iplayed my part we'll, and no
one suspected me.
The iron pin with which commit
ted the murder troubled me most. l
feared that it would be found, and fin
allv buried it in the very bottom of a
large pot in which stood lily in full
bloom. Then had the lily placed in
my room, SO that I might always stand
guard over it. Two days later ] notic-
ed change in the appearance OF the
flower. l thought it was dying, but 1T
was not. Slowly it turned black, ;Vnsl
the small tongue in The center became
blood red. l watched the change with
a feeling of horror that cannot be de-
scribed. 1t seemed to me that the thing
was trying to tell of my terrible crime.
Hundreds of times j have been tempt
ell TO DESTROY it. but something always