Year: 1861

tated TO make the hrst movemet, hostile
or otherwise. There was half formed
supposition in my mind, that if stirred
there would come upon me an onset, by
the incubus that could not withould,
this hesitancy to action partly over
come by the circumspect rising of my
left arm-it was free. / moved my
right instatly, and contemporaneously
with that movement the weight upon
my face was removed to my neck. A
little more stealty investigation, still
fearful of an attack by an insiduous enc
my, and found that my right hand and
arm as far as the elbow was temporarily
paraylzed, or in that condition called
sleep; that the hand was cold and with
out sensibility, and it was with that OBJ
ject had rested upon my face.


OF course was much elated at the
discovery, and ashamed that l had been
80 easily alarmed at an accident that was
susceptible of so easy an explanation
In order to give my wife an account OF
the absurd occurrence. i turned over,
my present position being a reclination
upon nay back. In my relief, consequent
upon what / considerec a correct explain
alton of my fright, the weight upon my
chest had been forgotten; now the change
Of my position recalled it very unpleasant.
ly and inopportunely, even before had
touched my wife.


Imagine, if you can, the result of this
sudden knowledge that my oppressor
had not been explained away. Then how
quickly all the reasons which had been
carefully rsvolved from the mental per-
plexities in which had been entangled,
were effectualy controverted, and how
absolutely mysterious and fanatic horror
again swayed the sceptre.


There was, then, being or thing in
the room that did not belong there, new
er had been there previous to that night,
and my deductions were faulty. The
result was that | lost all control over my
passions-that was lashed into fury
Of despair, by the fear of the presence Of
supernatural being.


Clasping the object upon my breast
with my left hand, with my right nerved
with terror, knowing no restraint, and
numb to oil sensation of pain by reason
of paralysis struck heavy, treacherous
blows. 1t had soft hair, and at this /
pulled and tuggcd, in this paroxysis o:
horror, in my great agony of mind l
shrieked for aid-notwithstading my ef-
forts encountered no rcsistance-and call.
ed Jesse to awaken. There was no re-
sponse. The passive submission to blows
OF tho object grasped in my left hand,
was extraordinary-the silence OF my
wife unaccountsble.


Then for the first time during the
struggle did think of Jessie's renarlSs-
bic sound slumber, and connected with
the burden. l could not separate the
identity of my wife from that Of the OBJ
ject ofmy vengeance.


Pushing the weight aside, l leapsd
from the bed and lighted the gas.


My wife was dead.


1t was her head-that | had so often
fondled, playing with its silken tresses-
kissing those dear lips-looking into
those lustrous eyes-that had so conf
IDENTIFY reposed upon my breast. Yet not
more than five minutes had elapsed since
my awakening.


/ can not believe that l am her muir
derer, even, though the law so seals me
with the crime.


But the arm, now SO shrivelled and
withered into its present form, came not
so by a punishment from heaven. After
my condemnation, doubling as did my
agency in her death; yet hating the in
strument that had known no pity or
gentlcness in its blows, held it, the
arm, as sacrifice to my dead wife, in
the fire, until the flames snapped its life,
blackened its beauty, aud burned out ol
it the semblance of human form.


These are the reasons why hate it
and have hated it since that night.
am thankful that my stay upon earth il
so diminished. When you have lived q
life of solitude such as mine, with doub
such as mine for an invisible companion
you too would gladly seek its conclusion


The convict died that night. The prison
warden confirming the truth of the con
vict,s narrative, adding that the marks o
blows upon the body of his wfe--the ab
sence Of all cause to create sudden death
-and the unfavorable testimony Of man!
witnesses who had interrupted thei
amusement the evening previous Il
wifc's decease, wero formidable argu
ments against the innocence Of tho con
vict


If tho convict's story was true, and
had no reason to believe it was false, j
was certainly an instance of remarkable
completely of circumstances sufficient Il
embarrass both Judge and jury. Il wa
doubtless q case Of unintentional murder
comitted by the convict in q state o


frenzy--originated and finished nnder tn


influence OF superstitious mind, to-


easily excited by such situation IS tha


in which he had been placed.


BREAKING THE IcE.-Ws copy thi


pretty little rhyme from the n. Y. Sun


day Times, thinking that il may, perhaps
,. .x., A b,o,, ~ ks skfnl vnunr M