The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-01-13
My Secret.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso-
NJ ciauonl
was awakened by quick words and
hurried footsteps outside my window.
| arose and looked out Evidently
something had happened, for l saw
people moving about, nearly all OF
them with horror depicted In their ex-
pressions
My colored man, Sam, was coming,
carrying my heavy shoes He had
taken them from my door, opening
on to the porch, for the purpose of
blackenlng them.
whats up, SamT | asked as he put
down the shoes.
"Why, haben't ryo' heered, Marse
Tom? Yo' uncle done been murdered
I'm de night"
"My uncle! Heavensv'
lost no time In putting on my
clothes. Nathan Clingham, my uncle,
had made a will, / knew, leaving his
plantation and what other property he
possessed TO me. As soon as l was
dressed went TO his house and found
the neighbors In charge. At my APP
pearance all fell back, giving place to
me. My uncle had been killed with
an ak, and several hundred dollars
which he had with him were missing
There was no clew to the mystery.
My first act was TO summon doctor
TO learn how long my uncle had been
dead. He gave It as his opinion that
the period was not less than two hours
nor more than three. saw at once
the Importance of quick pursuit. l or
ganized party at once and sent them
In every direction. J. with several
men and boys took the road running
past the plantation and, sending>a part
of my force southwark, led the balance
northward.
Coming to a place in the road coin
cldent with the northwest corner OF
the plantation, Isaw fresh tracks that
had evidently been made by some one
who had left the plantation at that
point. / stopped TO examine them.
Long 1 looked at them, bending my
face down over them rather TO con-
ceal the terror that was ih me than to
get a close view. Then arose and,
staggering TO the side OF the road, lean
ed against the fence.
whats, the matter with your ask
ed Steve Burton, one Of the party.
you're white as ghost"
'I'm sick. must go home. You fell
lows go on"
"All right" said Burton. Better
take one OF the boys with You"
II don't want any one. I'll be all
right presently"
They insisted, but wouldn't have
any one with me. They helped me
over the fence, and I made a bee line
for home. When l saw them turn
around the base OF a hill, where they
couldn't see me, ! ran. never stopping
tai i reached the house and had gained
my room. Then sank into chair
with a Thank Godw tv
And what was 1t that so suddenly
threw me into such condition?
had on the shoes that Sam had
blacked. From the heel OF the right
shoe the lowest layer OF leather was
gone, leaving six protrudlng nails
The forward part OF the sole OF the
left shoe l had cut with an ak while
chopping yrood The moment had
caught sight OF the tracks in the road
knew they had been made by my
shoes. There were the indentatlons OF
the six nails, and the cut In the toe
had left its mark IL this discovery
were made by those tracking the muir
derer, 1t would be proved that had
- 10. 20
session Of the property he had willed
me. took or the shoes, hid them and
put on another pair. Then / began TO
think.
First, the murderer had seen my
shoes on the porch and 1t had occur
red to him that, since he must leave
his tracks, 1t would be safer to leave
the tracks OF my shoes than of his
own; second he had either come back
after using them and was probably
now on the plantation or he had a
partner; third, he was not Sam. II
was more sensible to believe that Sam
had taken the boots TO black after the
murderer had used them than TO be.
lieye that ne had committed the muir
der himself for he had been owned by
our family in Che days OF slavery and
was very much attached both to my
uncle and to me.
The question with me wns what
should I do. TO make known that my
shoes had been used by the murderer
would be equivalent TO putting my
neck In halter. And the shoes
should destroy them7 If / did and
1t was discovered that had done 80.
would be In danger. II the shoes re-
mained intact, We're found and COM
pared with the tracks, | would swing
for murder
1 took the shoes from their hiding
and placed them with my other pairs.
a committee hunted all over the plan-