Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-06-22

WAS 1T MURDER /?

by the bedside gazing intent
" and somewhat anxiously at me.
What is the matter?'' | asked, sit
ling up in bed.
1T is time" she answered in a
strange manner, ''for some one TO ask
what is the matter, and no one has a
better right than Yourself to answer"
She gave Il nod and look which
clearly indicated that some explanation
was expected from me.
Don't you remember wandering
out Of the house during the night y
my wife asked.
"No."
| had no recollection of it, not the
slightest, but | was not astonished, for
| had always been somnambulist,
and once when young ! nearly broke
my neck by falling down stairs while
under the impression that | was in a
woods gathering wild flowers
1t seemed that my wife was awaken
ed at 8 in the morning by the noise
caused by the banging on the garden
gate. She discovered that | was not
in bed that the hall door was open
and that | had evidently just left the
precincts of the house by the gate.
Before she had time TO give an alarm
| had returned to the gate, which |
had carefully opened and then closed.
| held in my hand something that
looked like small bludgeon. 1t was
one of those old horse pistols which in
days of yore so often adorned ancient
walls and served as a reminder that
lhe grandfather had either fought
against the French or the Spanish
Main or had at least taken part in the
of Nelson.
Having closed the gate, carefully
shut the hall door, locking it and fast
ening Tie chain. | ascended 10 a top
room and carefully replaced the pistol
n a case, put it on shelf in cup
board, which | locked, and decended
% my room | put the key in draw
.r.
Ny wife was the witness to every
action, but, as my eyes were open, she
was doubtful whether | was asleep,
awake or half asleep Having, as
with the gate, the door and the pistol
rase, seen that the bedroom floor was
secured, | quietly turned out
The gas, which | had lit, and got into
bed. When awoke, il was to ask
What is the matter ~ and to find
hat | myself, was expected to answer
The question. But was as completely
ignorant OF my somnambulistic adven-
lure as if had never been born.
The incident troubled me. To un.
lock cupboaids and take rusty pistols
out of forgotten eases, and then to
wander ont into the darkness of the
night like a ghost, was a distinct and
an alarming development of my sleep
walking propensity.
| had hard work TO convince my
wife that was dead asleep at the
time. But her incredulity has long
since disappeared, and with it all the
gayness Of spirit with which it was ex-
pressed and accompanied.
The next day | sauntered in our
old churchyard. There was only one
man | dlsliked in all the country
round, and that was the gravedigger.
As rule, | have OF tax collectors,
because. in quiet sort of way, they
discharge disagreeable but neces-
sary 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 chuckle, as much rs
to say, aye, aye, my good man, your
turn will soon come ~
He got drunk. 1t was reported
that he was in the habit of heating his
wiie-a poor, pathetic object, who, at
a busy season, brought his dinner TO
the churchyard, where it would he
eaten by the side Of an open grave.
Old Grubb had no friends, and few
acquaintances even, in the barroom of
the Rose and Crown. lie was shun-
ned by man and beast, and in his
presence | found myself.
| ven;ured to address him with all
the respect | could command.
"a new grave, Grubb 2" asked.
Who i. dead now?'
"Who do you think p was the sruii
response.
Il cannot guess, for | did not know
any one was i'll.
Didn't ye? suppose We didn't,
and | suppose We did not care. Yet
they told me this morning there would
be stir in the village about it. Bah.
She'll be quietly laid here before this
time tomorrow aud as soon forgotten
as the rest of EN-" Saying, which he