The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-11-23

WAClC IL Pdl CCA W chO" sAAO
ivory of her throat; it lay in amorous
folds, and 1 was jealous of the in
sensate silk. I took her hands and
unrolled before her the scroll of my
heart; yet, knowing that I could not
afford such rich fabrics, was goaded
to desperation. She wished them, and
I saw from her manner that, if I
would marry her, there must be no
delay.
The pitiless barrier of poverty arose
in frightful immensity. My mother
still lived, and showed no evidences
of ill-health. What devils love calls
up! AS 1 lay awake one night in the
effort to peer beyond the. hindrance
to my marriage, I could see only one
hope of its removal, and this was the
death of my mother. 1t is horrible
to recall the blackness of my soul.
To the exclusion of all else, one idea
| now possessed me, and it. grew into
fascination so serpentine that l
| seemed to feel its clammy coils about
my body. 1t held me so captive that
forgot the torture suffered when
from a similar motive I tried to COM
pass the death of her who bore Inc.
1 only remembered that in a closet
| in the hall there was a bottle of
chloroform.
got up, threw dressing gown
around me, and, taking the fluid,
went to my mothers room. and ar
irving there halted in trembling fear
to turn the knob; but as / fumbled
for it, I found the door ajar. AS
entered, I was conscious of the ner-
vousness of haste, but in a moment
fashioned the handkerchief so that
it would hold the chloroform, and
placed it SO that it would produce a
slow stupefaction. All, heaven, I can
hear her breathe now! The sleep
| gradually became deeper. and again
I replenished the cloth. Outside a
bell rang the hour, and I took my
seat on the bed; her breathing be
came more and more faint I bent
over her: she was dead.
I thought to kiss her as I left the
room, but the act seemed such mock
cry that I tiptoed from her side as
if afraid of my dead. The morning
after, I slept soundly until someone
called me, and although I opened my
eyes and saw every object in the
room, I felt sure I was dreaming,
for the voice was that of my mother
and she was dead. AS she came into
the room, a cold perspiration oozed
from my body. Coming up to me,
she placed a hand OH my brow as
if in alarm.
"Why are you so pale?" she asked
and could not answer. l only
thought I had been mistaken in the
vial, and that my intentness in ad
ministering it's contents had prevent
ed me from noting what it contained
land yet I was certain such had moi
been the case, for as thought about
it, I could perceive the sweet taste
which always gathered in my mouth
when I had inhaled it as relief fol
neuralgia. Then thinking the whole
affair had been some horrible night
mare, 1 laughingly told her Of the
disturbance in my sleep.
"What have you thereY' I asked
noticing a large white envelope such
as lawyers use.
ga letter for you which I uninten
tionally opened" She handed me the
paper. From it I learned that by
the death of an uncle I was heir to &
fortune. There was now no obstacle
to my marriage, and bidding my
mother leave me, got up to dress
When half ready to leave my room
heard a scream, and, rushing to my
mothers apartment, 1 found her bend
ing over the bed.
edith is dead" she sobbed, and i.
black pail seemed to shroud the worlt
as 1 looked down upon her.
"But how and when?''
81 do not know. Last night sh,
came in to sleep with me. After /.
little I noticed that the window mex
the bed was lowered from the top
could not put it up without rousin.
her, and I disliked to do that, for sh'
had fallen into a sound sleep. Then
fna rino tho ir ,oicrhf yiu .
cold, I went into her room for tn
Remainder of the night
listened as one in a trance; if m,
sin had been great, my punishmen
was superlative. Before me in tn,
audible stiffness of death lay th
woman whom I loved, and for whom
[ had been willing to- become a Grim
inal. I could not look upon her, ant
as / turned from the sight of m,
work, mirror revealed how a mur
derer would look in the presence O.
his victim. My eyes seemed to star
from my head; my face was drawn
, and the lips were compressed as l.
they wore a chiselled smile of regret
The shock of so sudden a death
, acting ON brain which had alread!
sustained injury, made a maniac O
my mother and later it became neces
Sary to take her to an asylum, wher'
, left her under a celebrated alienist
Returning home, I began the sever
years of torture to which condemned
myself. Since this terrible occur
renee 1 have never been able to holt
up my head. In the continued tor
trre which I endured / thought O
self destruction; but it seemed righ
, that I should suffer, and death would
, prove a happy release.
I did not feel remorse for what
J had done, but my punishment wa
imposed because of physical dreat
i, of life. I became the slave of fear
and constitution which had beeI
abnormally strong was shattered. NJ.
> whole frame was subject to the mos
frightful nervous rigors, my hal
grew white and my hands were thos'
of palsied man. In the day I coul(
. not remain in the house, and at nigh
there was no sleep for NE; it appeared
that I must fight off hands which
J tried to hold white cloths to my face
For months my mind was in dfvi
! sion between my mother and Edith
! If my fiendish design on one had beel