The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-04-05
rHve.

/ from ia corpse with a feeling of horror.
Nouli nave risen to my feet, but my
knees smote together, my frame shook
with terror, and | fell upon the body in
Il swoon.
When | recovered, | found myself
several y.lds from the corpse, while
several of my companions around me,
were chatting my implies with their
hands, and sympathizing with me for
the loss of my friend none suspected
Willis had been murdered; there
was but one opinion concerning the cause
of his death; TO- every one believed that
that it could have resulted in no other
way, than the accidental discharge of his
rifle. There was the powder upon his
temple, and his HAIR was singed by the
/ flame"
Overcome by his emotion, and ex-
hausted by the recital, the murderer
ceased for some moments. There was a
terrible struggle going on in his mind,
and | Involuntary rose from my seat,
concluding thai the narrative was ended
Motioning me, however, to be seated
with a desperate etfor' he resumed.
followed him to his home, and saw
the distresses Of his aged parents; stood
at the grave and wept tears of penitence.
The friends OF the deceased were pleased
at the exhibition of feeling which | man
Tested, and some even came to console
me-his murderer! have no doubt you
wonder that God did not strike me down
at the grave-it would have been justice.
But listen. Not long after this occur
renee, there was religious meeting held
in the neighborhood. | was constant
Attendant thought to drown my feel
ings by catching the excitement, if pos
sible-but worse still! knew that if
there was shadow of suspicion on the
minds of any one, this last act of damn
ing depravty, would effectually remove
it, and place me beyond discovery. l
was one among the first to attach myself
TO the church. My talents seemed to re-
qure more-I defled the sanctum sane
forum; | was ordained minister of the
gospel of Christ; performed the funeral
ceremonies over the remains of the pa
rents of Willis Ray!
Conscience whispered in my ear, "Base
villain! these two has your infamy borne
to the grave-yOu are the murderer OF
the innocentr' 1 prayed the most earn
estly, but my blasphemy was only cheap
ing up wrath for me, against the day of
wrath" Burning eloquence rolled from
my lips, as | pronounced the danger and
ruin into which sin plunged mems souls,
driving them into that hell where no
peace could possibly enter. | had felt
the pang in my own heart, and l knew
from dreadful experience, something OF
the nature of a hell! There was no escape
for me n this world, nor in the next and
when sometimes, | would rush from the
pulpit;-th fiend whispered, perhaps
you might atone for the past, by turning
one soul from danger and eternal DEATH"
Delusive hope!
| saw my Anna-nO, not mine-fOr her
pure spirit could not weigh with one SO
base as |. | saw her pine away, until at
last she sunk into the grave, to follow
her parents and her betrothed. AN
other vlctimr' whispered conscience. |
would have plunged dagger into my
heart and be rid forever Of the terrible
sspectres around me-but could only see
a hell in the failure, and my cowardly
arm twice failed to strike. could not
endure the hell that was within me, and
feared to leap into the hell that was be-
meath me. | could no longer remain at
home. [ have hurried from place to
place to find repose, but could find none.
Those horrible images of the dead ever
fitted before me to mock and derlde me,
when | would seek for happiness; and
the murdered spirit of Willis Ray, with
his hands uplifted, as l saw ajm stand
before me- Great God! | eX aimed, he
leans over me! The guilty Itch shook
with fright as thought his eye lis would
have started from their sock.
ellis clutch is upon my 'roat. he
gasped, for his face was BIZ. e"ed, and
his neck swollen Hastily u.doing the
bolt | called to the attendants in hur-
ried tone. to assist me- Already were
thew in the room, ana with united effort
succeed in holding down the maniac.
Again he cried out in a ice that
chilled our blood: "take the Oh! take