Year: 1875

Some years ago l was present at duel
fought between young man OF the name
MacLodghlin, and another Irishman.-
Mac cLoughlin was desperately wounded
his second ran up to him and thought to
console him with the Intelligence that his
antagonist had also fallen. lie only re-
piled 81 am sorry for it it he is suffer-
ing rs much as | do now" l was struck
by the good feeling evincod in this reply,
aud took an interest in the fate OF the
young man. lie recovered, and few
years aitcrward my interest was again
powerfully excited 10y hearing that he had
been arrested on suspicion of having
murdered his lather-in-law, his mothers
second husband. He was tried and found
guilty on the evidence of II soldier, who
happened to be passing in the middle OF
the night near the house in which the
murder was committed. Attracted by
light that CLEANED through the lower part
of the window, he approached it, and
through an opening between the. shutter
and the frame was able to look into tho
room. There ae saw man in the act Of
lifting dead man from the floor, whilo
his hands and clothes were stained with
blood, lie FASTENED to give Information
Of what he had seen Mac acLoughln and
his mother were appreheuded, and the
former, having been identified by the SOL
dier, was found guilty. There was no
evidence against tho woman and she was
consequently acquitted. MacLoughlin
conducted himself throughout the trial
with determined calmness and no never
could be induced TO acknowledge his
guilt. The morning Of his execution he
had an interview with his mother; mono
know what passed between them, but rs
they parted he was heard to say: MAY
God forgive you, Mother !" Tho fate of
the young man made "A deep impression
on me, till time aud passing events etIaced
the occurrence from my mind. 1t was
number Of years altcrward that received
a letter from lady, a very old and inti-
mate acquaintance, entreatng that |
would hasten down to the assistance Of II
Roman Catholic priest who was lying at
her house, dangerously i'll, and the symp-
toms OF whose malady she described.-


Her description left me doubtful whether
the mind or body of the patient was af-
iected. Being unable to leave Dublin,


wrote to say that il the disease was bodi-
~ the case was hopeless but if mental,
should recommend certain lenitives, for
which | addcG II prescription. The priest
died, and shortly afterwUld the lady con-


ided to me an extraordinary and dread
ful story. lie had beon her cjnlessor and


intimate friend, and in moments Of doubt
produced by horrible recOllections he had
revealed to her Il secret which had been
| impaired to him in confession. llo had
received the dying confession OF Mac
Loughln, who, rs it turned out, was not
the murderer Of his father r-ip-aw, but he
had died to save the life and honor of his
mother, by whom the crime had really
been committed. She was woman Of
violent passions she had quarreed with
her husband in the middle OF the night,
and after throwing him from tho bed,


had dispatched him by repeated blows.


When she found he was dead, she was
seized with terror, and Fastening to the
apartment OF her son, called him to wit
ness the shocking spectacle and save her
from the consequences OF her crime. 1t
was ut this moment when he was lifting
! tho body and preparing to remove tho
bloody evidence OF Hs mothers guilt that
tho soldier passed by and saw him in tho
performance OF his droadfultask 10 the
priest he alone acknowledged the truth,
but his last words to his mother were now
explained. GrerHie's Nem0j,s.