Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-04-23
WAS IT A MURDER?

When awoke out of troubled sleep,
I was surprised to find my wife standing
by the bedside gazing intently and some
what anxiously at me.
"What is tho matterf" asked, sitting
up in bed.
ut is time," she answered in strange
manner, "for some one to ask what is the
matter, and no ono has a better right
than yourself to answer"
She gave nod and a look which clearly
indicated that some explanation was ex-
pected from me.
Don't you remember wandering out Of
the house during the night" my wife
asked.
"No."
I had no recollection of it, not the
slightest, but was not astonished, for
had always been asomnambulist, and once
when young l nearly broke my neck by
falling down stairs while under the i'm
preston that J. was in a wood gathering
wild flowers
1t seems that my wife was awakened at
8 in the morning by the noise caused by
the banging of the garden gate She dis
covered that was not in bed; that the
hall door was open, and that had evil
dently just left the precincts Of the house
by the gate. Before she had time to give
an alarm had returned to the gate, which
I had carefully opened and then closed.
held In my hand something that looked
like small bludgeon. TWAS one of those
old horse pistols which in days of yore so
often adorned ancient walls and served as
a reminder that the grandfather had either
fought against the French OH the Spanish
Main or had at least taken part in the en-
terprises of Nelson.
Having closed the gate, carefully shut
the hall door, locking it and fastening the
chain. l assembled to top room and care
fully replaced the pistol in case, put 1t
on shelf in cupboard, which locked,
and descending to my room I put the key
in drawer.
My wife was tho witness Of every action,
full whether was asleep, awake or half
asleep. Having, as with the gate, the door
and the pistol case, seen that the bedroom
door was carefully secured, quietly turned
out the gas, which had lit, and got into
bed. When awoke, it was to ask "What
is the 1natters' and to find that /, myself,
was expected to answer the question. But
was as completely ignorant of my SOM
nambulistio adventure as If I had never
been born.
The incident troubled me. To unlock
cupboards and take rusty pistols out Of
forgotten cases, and then to wander out
into the darkness Of the night like ghost,
was a distinct and an alarming develop
ment of my sleep walking propensity
had hard work to convince my wife
her inoredulity has long since disappeared,
and with it all the gayness Of spirit with
which 1t was expressed and accompanied.
The next day sauntored in our old
ohurchyard There was only one man I
disliked in all the country round, and that
was the gravedigger. AS rule, I have a
fair opinion of gravediggers, just as have
of tax collectors, because, in quiet sort
of way, they discharge disagreeable but
necessary work. But ours was horrible
gravedigger. He squinted, and nature had
not quite finished his nose He sneered at
you as you passed, and if he saw that you
were watching him digging he would
ohuckle, as much as to say, AYE, aye, my
good man, your turn will soon comet"
He got drunk. 1t was reported that he
was in the habit of beating his wife-a
poor, pathetic object, who, at busy sea-
son, brought his dinner to the churchyard,
where it would be eaten by the side of an
open grave
Old Grubb had no friends, and few ac-
quaintances even, in the barroom of the
Rose and Crown. He was Stunned by
man and beast, and in his presence I
found myself
ventured to address him with all the
respect could command.
"A new grave, Grubbp" asked. "Who
Is dead now"
who do you think" was the ,gruff re-
sponsc
II cannot guess, for did not know any
one was Ill.
Didn't YEP I suppose We didn't, and
suppose 70 did not care. Yet they told
me this morning there would be a stir in
the village about it. BAH She'll be
quietly laid here before this time tomor-
row aud as soon forgotten as the rest Of
EN-" Saying which, he gave sweep Of
his arm to Indicate that he meant all the
occupants Of our dilapidated but pictur-
esque Metropolis.
Our gravedigger was tired and thirsty.
He had not quite finished the grave but
he declared that he would work no more
that day. He got out Of the grave by
means Of ladder, which he pulled up and
reared against the church between but.
tress and the wall
Without saying anything further he as
cended tho ladder and hid his spade in a
hole In the wall. When he came down,
he eyed me and said:
II forgot that you were looking, but
you won't tell any of them, will YEP
''What have to tells
you do, 1t will be stolen. They stole many
one till discovered that hole under the
roof. It's safe there"
He removed the ladder and flung II
among the long grass Then he put on
his jacket and lit his pipe.
We soon reached the parting Of the way.
The village public house and my home
were In opposite directions.
"You forgot, Grubb, to tell me whose
grave 1t is."
ibid II No, I did not. Well, that
grave, sir, is for my wife"
I shuddered, and with a ohuokle he
passed on toward the Rose and Crown.
Once be looked round to zee what effect
the announcement had on me. He notsd
VI --.-- -s--