The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-10-16
FULTON COUNTY NEWS.
THE CONFESSION
OF
DAVID LEWIS
THE NOTED
JIGHWAYMAN AND C0UNTERFElTER.
rHE CONFESSION

Shortly after she awoke from
fhis refreshing slum ber, we pre-
,ared to commence our journey
anew, and continued with a slow
nut constant gait, through circu-
itous bye.roads and unfrequent'
I'd paths, until we reached Alba
nv in the evening just as the city
clock had struck seven. Not for
qetting the promise of marriage
which | had contracted in the
most solemn manner, and made
under circum stances that re-
ouired more hardihood of villainy
to break than l possessed at the
worst period of my life, l imme-
diately bespoke of the lanlord of
the house at which we put up a
private apartment, and went in
search of a minister, who soon
made his appearance and per-
formed the ceremony in a mean
and shabby tavern at the extrem-
ity of State street. AS soon as
the services were over | prepar-
ed to pay the minister his fee,
and having mixed my good and
bad money together, 1 unfortu-
nately presented him, through
mistake, with one of my ten dol
lar counterfeit Burtingtons, but
the generous man, much to my
surprise, objecting to the large
ness of the proffered gratuity,
returned the note and refused in
the most positive terms to accept
of more than two dollars, which l
instantly handed him in silver,
which at that time had begun to
grow somewhat scarce. Melinda
now appeared for the first time
to wear q more cheerful counte-
nance than she had done since
her elopement. The performance
Of my marriage promise had sat
isfed her scrupulous delicacy and
removed a heavy weight of ankle
ty and distress which seemed to
press upon her spirits.
1t was evident, until this took
place, that her chaste mind filled
with fears and doubts of my sin
certify, had suspected me of the
base design of taking advantage
Of her unprotected situation.
Improper and guilty as my
general conduct had been vi
cious and profligate as was my
Course of life in other respects !;
and impure and sensual as might
have been my depraved propensi-
ties, | always had the highest re-
spect for female virtue. The fact
is | entertained for Malinda as
pure passion as ever warmed
the breast of man the lovely girl
not only had won my affections,
but she had completely secured
my gratitude and gained my con-
fidence. Although vicious my
self, | respected and admired vir-
tue in her, and had / only follow
ed her excellent advice and prof
tied by the instruction which re-
peatedly fell from her lips, l
would not be languishing in Jail
upon the bed of death as | now
am, ashamed to live and yet a.
fraid to die. Malinda possessed
every mental endowment and
personal charm, and had she not
been so unfortunate as to meet
with me before years and expe.
rience had matured her judg-
ment, she would no doubt have
made a happier marriage with a
more worthy man, aud become
the mother of children proud to
acknowledge their father instead
Of being ashamed to own the au,
thor of their being. Her pleas
ing person, her light and flowing
hair, the brightness of a complex
ION that equalled in whiteness the
new fallen snow, the rose of beau
ty and the bloom of youth that
mantled her cheek, and, above all
the exression of a blue eye vieing
from mildness with an April sky,
molstened as it was with the dew
OF heavenly charity and shaded
With the longest eyelash | ever
oeheld, were sufficient to capt.
Vate man whose heart was less
warm than mine. But destiny
Ilau welded her tn Tuin uhan sh