The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-06-20

and thus for one night at least since its in
PRODUCTION into the house | soundly and
TRANQUILITY slept; aye, slept even with the
burden Of murder upon my soul
The second and third day passed, and
still my tormenter came not. Once again
| breathed as a freeman. The monster,
in terror, had fed the premises forever |
should behold it no more My happiness
was supreme The guilt of my dark deed
disturbed me but little. Some few in
quiries had been made, but these had been
readily answered. Even search had been
instituted, but of course nothing was to be
discovered. [ looked upon my future
felicity as secured.
Upon the fourth day of the assassina-
tion party of the police came over unex-
peetedly in the house, and proceeded again
to make rigorous investigation of the
premises. Secure, however, in the inscru-
liability of my place of concealment l felt
no embarrassment whatever. The officers
bade me accompany them in their search.
They left no nook or corner unexplored
At length, for the third or fourth time,
they descended into the cellar. Iquivered
not muscle. My heart beat calmly as
that of one who sleeps in innocence. l
walked the cellar from end TO end. l
folded my arms upon my bosom and roamed
to and fro. The police were thoroughly
satisfied and prepared to depart The
gee Of my heart was too strong to be re-
tained. | burned to say, if not but one
word, by way of triumph, and to render
doubly sure their assurance Of my guilt
| lessness.
''Gentlemen," | said at last, as the
party ascended the steps, II delight to
have allayed your suspicious. wish you
all health and little more courtesy Bye
the bye, gentlemen, this-this is a 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, gentleman p
these walls are solidly put together" and
here, through the mere phrenzy of bravado,
| raped heavily with cane which | held
in my hand, upon that very portion of the
brick work behind which stood the corpse
of the wife of my BOSOM
But may God shield and deliver me
from the fangs of the arch fend No
sooner had the reverberation of my blow
sunk into silence than | was answered by
a voice within the tomb by cry at first
muffied and broken, like the sobbing of a
child, and then quickly swelling into long
and loud continuous screams, utterly anon,
alous and inhuman-a howl, a wailine
shrek, half of horror and half of triumph
such as might have risen only out of hell
conformity from the throats of the damned
in their agony and of the demons thai
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 stair:
remained motionless, through extremity o
; terror and Of awe In the next, dozer
stout arms were toiling at the wall. 1t fel
bodily. The corpse, already greatly de
cayed and clothed with gore, stood erec
before the eyes of the spectators. UpoI
its head, with red extended mouth ant
; solitary eye of fire, sat the hideous beas
whose craft had seduced me into murde
and whose informing voice had consigne'
me to the hangman. had walled tn
monster up within the tomb.