EBENSBURG, PA., THURSDAY; SEPTEMBER 21, 1865.
NUMBER 49.
"LIST OF POST OFFICES.
Post OjJic. Post Master,. District,.
1 ... - Steven 1 Evans. Carroll.
K Springs, Henry Nutter, Chest.
ZmJa-h, A. G. Crooks, Tajlor.
Ta J. Houston, Washint'i
Bresson, ' pv.neKtir
JCresso , -tx,- Ttn.mnanr. Ebensburer.
Timber, C.Jeffries, White,
fc uxia J- M. Christy, Gallitzin. .
ft-. town I.E. Chandler, Johnst'wn.
rltto M. Adlesberger, Loretto.
v nater A. Durbin, Monster.
5.U-Sle Andrew J Ferral, Susq'ban.
sTAu 'usUne, Stan. Wharton, Clearfield,
r, I George Berkey, Richland.
ScalpLevel, Je0igftn, Washt'n.
jSonman, George B. Wike, Croyle.
jSummerhill, XM'Connell, Washt'n.
ir""1!: J. K. Shryock, S'merhill.
CHURCHES, 31IMSTERS, &c.
rresiyterian-Uty. T. M. Wilson, Pastor-
reaching every Sabbath morning at 10
n,1 in the evening at 7 o'clock. Sab-
... e o nVlnck. A. M. Prayer meet-
nir every Thursday evening at 6 o clock.
Methodist t-piseopainurcn .
: Upt. J. PeBSHIXQ. As-
istant. Preaching every alternate feabbath.
lornincat 10i o'clock. Sabbath School at 9
'clock, A. M. Prayer meeting every w canes-
ay evening, at 7 o ciock.
Welch Independent Uev Ll. It. Powell,
... r,., -l.infT ovprr Sabbath morninc at
30 o clock, and in tnc evening ui "u
feabbath School at 1 o'clock, P. M. Prayer
jnieeting on the first Monday evening of each
fmonth ; and on every Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday evening, excepting the first week in
rach month.
Calvinislie Methodist Rev. Moboan Ellis,
pastor. Preaching every Sabbath evening at
? n..r SaKKtli Srhnnl fttU o'clock.
Ck. M. Piayer meeting every Friday evening,
i 1 o'clock, society every iuesuj ccun.K
Vt7 o'clock.
I Disciples TIkt. W. Llovd, Pastor. Preach
ing every Sabbath morning at 10 o'clock.
1 particular isaptists Kiev, uayiu
jpastor. Preaching every Sabbath evening at
o'clock. Sabbath School at at 1 o'clock, P. M.
f Cjtholie Rr.v. R. C. Christy, Pastor.
'Services every Sabbath morning at 10. o'clock
nd Vespers at 4 o'clock in the evening.
EBCKSIIVRG MAILS.
MAILS ARRIVE.
Eastern, daily, it 12.00 o'clock, noon.
Western, at 12.00 o'clock, noon.
MAILS CLOSE.
E?.sifrn, daily, at 8 o'clock, P. M.
Western, " at 8 o'clock, P. M.
KaTha mails from Newman's Mills. Car-
l rT
ro!ltOH-n, &c, arrive on Monday, Wednesday
ir.f. PrMttv of &h wk- lit 3 n'rlock. P. M.
cve F.bensbnrg on Tuesdays, Thursdays
i.id Saturdays, at 7 o'clock, A. M.
RAILROAD SCIIEDUJLE
CRESSO.V STATION.
West Bait. Express leaves at 9.17
A. M
A. M.
P. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
Phila. Kxprees
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
II
10.07
9.58
8.38
8.13
4.30
8.50
1.43
7.03
6.32
10.57
Fast Line
Mail Train
Pitts. Erie Ex.
Emigrant Train
EnM rhila. Express
p. sr.
" Fast Line
Day Express
" Pitts, Erie Ex.
" Mail Train
'Doo't Etop.
A. M.
A. M.
P. M.
A. 31.
COUXTY OFFICERS.
Judges oj the Courts President Hon. Geo.
Tavlor. Huntingdon ? Associates, (aporca W.
Eaaley, Henry C. Devine.
rroinonotary Joseph M JJonal 1.
Rtgiittr and Recorder James Griffin.
Sheriff James Myers.
District Attorney. Philip S. Noon.
County Comminionen- John Campbell. Ed
ward Glass, E. Dunuegan.
Clerk to Commijuinntr. u':n:. tt o.u
ler.
Treasurer Isaac Wike.
Clerk to Treasurer John Lloyd.
roor Home Directors Gtorg M'Cullougb,
Otorge Delany, Irwin Rutledge. g '
ill; ITou"T"?urr-GeoTgt C. K. Zabm.
Thnlr T,T:Ihm J" Wins, Francis P.
rierney, John A. Kennedy.
County Surrfyor.-lUnrj Scanlan.
Coroner. .. William Flattery.
V o Common Schools J. F. Condon.
BOR. OFFICERS.
Justice, of tKtAptARGIti;
Edmund J. Waters rnSCn Kinkead-
Y","7C' T- Roberts
School . 3'
''oyd, David j j '''P S. Noon, Abel
,--TOGeo w Oatman.
T A -lurn8 I'eat
iCaf r'Richard R- Tibbott, Robert D.
Marrar ttneil Isaac Crawford. James P
02; Kitte11' H- K W. George w!
fT Crt . van'' Jno E' Scanlan.
apt. Murray.
4 r ks, &c.
?ett iV ;m nL,?d?e No- 312 A. Y. M.
. v" wuiu, ai O CIOCK,
? 2t.roJf 5"d Lkdee No. 428 I. O
VedliSlJi rU-ow"' Hft. Ebensburg,
'r,BP "'8n'an? Division No. 84 Sons of
Krr7 Satur7 eening: "u
r SUBSCRIPTION
'THE ALLEGHANUN
$2.50 L ADVANCE,
v ?0 AT THE END 0? THB YEAR.
Reported especially tor The Alleghanian.
THE PAUL-SUNDAY MURDER.
Trial or David Riddle Tor the
Ulurder of IIIss Folly Paul, In
Croyle Tp., Cambria County,
June 7, 1SG5.
In the Court of Oyer and Terminer for Cambria
County, Sept. Term, 1865. Hon. Geo. Tay
lor, President Judge; lions. II. C. Devine and
O. W. Easly, Associate Judges.
The Jurj iD this case was empanneled
on Saturday, 9th Sept., and was locked
up in a body, in a prirato room, until the
conclusion of the trial of John Ream for
murder. Roam's case finally , disposed of
Tuesday, 12th Sept., and the case of the
Commonwealth vs. David Riddle, indict
ment murder, called up.
The names of the jurors are as follows :
Robert Botle,
Thos. J. Davis,
Joseph Daly,
Joseph Geis,
Elbbidge Stiles,
David W. Lewis,
Robert Evans,
Rees J. Llotd,
Thomas M'Breex,
David Peter.
David Roland,
Lewis IIoovkb,
THE COUNSEL.
The counsel appearing in the case are:
For the prosecution, District Attorney P.
S. Noon, R. L. Johnston and George
jNI. Reade, Kqs. ; for the defense, John
Fenlon, John fcj. Rhey, and A. Kopelin,
Esqs.
FIRST DAY TUESDAY, SEIT. 12tH.
The prisoner, David Riddle, brought
into Court at 2 J o'clock, p. m. Arraign
ed in the usual form, and pleads "Not
guilty."
District Attorney Noon opened for the
prosecution in a speech ot about niteen
minutes Icng'h.
THE PRISONER.
David Riddle is a man 33 or 40 years
of age, rather tall of stature, and slinily
built. He is blind of the left eye, which
gives his countenance a somewhat unpre
possessing aspect. Rcyond this, there is
nothing peculiar in his appearance. In
Court, he is nervous and uneasy, appa
rently noticing tho minutest circumstance
transpiring.
THE EVIDENCE PROSECUTION.
Michael Stibolisky, sworn : Live in
Croyle township; was acquainted with
Polly Paul ; she lived near me ; saw her
dead is her own stable on the 7th June,
1865 ; 6l.e was lying on her back ; there
were wounds on the back of her head.
uc. uaraner, amrmed : Assisted in ma
king a post mortem examination of the
body of Polly Paul; found wounds on
her head, &c. ; suppose them to have been
inflicted with a club; the wound on the
back of the head would cause almost in
stant death ; this on tho 8th or 9th June
last.
Cro?s-examined : Judge the wounds
were made with a club because the kin
was not much broken.
R. S. Bunn, M. D., amrmed : Made a
post mortem examination of body of
Polly Paul ; her death was caused by
blows inflicted with a bludgeon or club :
found wounds on the back part and right
side of head ; wounds sufficient to cause
almost instant death ; thi on tho fore
noon of 9th June.
Jos. W. Myers, Esq., sworn : Held an
inquest on the body of Polly Paul ; she
was lying on her back in her stable
when first saw her : from what I could
see, judge she had been knocked down in
the front part ot the stable and had been
dragged to the back part of it; Riddle
was brought before me to receive a pre
liminary hearing; he told me he had not
been in this couuty for six years.
John Funk, affirmed : Have been ac
quainted with David Riddle for ten or
twelve years ; was at bummerhill on 7th
June last ; the road I went is called the
Jackson road: it was between cne and
two o'clock when I left Sunimerhill ; met
a man on Leidy's hi'l, about two miles
from Polly Paul's house; ho had on a
slouch hat, pulled down over his eyes;
bade him "good evening;' he did the
same, and went on ; cculd not sav posi
tively that defendant is the man ; ho
looks like him ; arrested Riddle in Jeffer
son county ; he did not say anything
about the murder to me; found' him on
North river, about seven miles above
Rrookville.
CroBs-ex?.mined : Have seen no one since
that looked like the man I met that day ;
arrested Riddle on the 22d June last ; he
made no resistance. -
Elizabeth Slonaker, affirmed : Was ac
quainted with Riddle some time ago ; had
a conversation with him, John Ream and
Newton Jones one Sunday afternoon sev
eral years ago; they said that Polly Paul
had a heavy pocket-book which they
would like to have; told them to marry
her and get it: Ream said he could get
it an easier way than thit he could kill
her ; Riddle said he would go halt toward
killing her.
Cross-examined : Ream said Polly Paul
was too old and ugly for hinv to marry ;
that he would rather kill her and get her
pocket-book that way ; this was when
Riddle said he'd go "half with Ream.
Mary Burket, sworn : Never saw Rid
dle before.
Rachel Wagner, amrmed : Was in Eb
ensburg on the 7th June last; know
Riddle ; met him thai day opposite Mr.
Fen Ion's ; had no conversation with him ;
he was going towards Crawford's tavern ;
it was between 9 and 10 o'clock in the
morning; he had soldier pants on j did
not see him afterwards.
Cross-examined : Live in Jackson tp. ;
had been away for some time, and was
going home; had seen Riddle five or six
years before ; don't know what kind of
coat he had on ; he had on an army cap
and striped vest; he had no mustache; I
was about thirteen years old when I saw
him before ; told persons before he was
arrested that I saw Riddle in Ebensburg
the 7th June.
Mrs. James, sworn : Live in Cambria
township, on the turnpike; was at home
on the 7th June last ; two men passed my
house that day; ono was in his shirt
sleeves; the other had a blouse on; the
ono in his shirt sleeves had soldier pants
on ; it was between 3 and 4 o'clock in the
afternoon; live four miles from Ebens
burg; know where DaviV mill is , live a
quarter of a mile from that; there is a
road from there to Polly Paul's place,
which is about fix miles distant.
Cross-examined : After I heard of the
murder, thought these men might be the
murderers; they both koto black hats,
noc very tall ; did not see their faces ;
they called for a drink; told them to go
to the next house for one.
Lewis Rodgers, sworn : Believe I saw
Riddle, in Ebensburg within the last four
months ; never saw him to know him till
last Saturday.
Cross-examined : My impression is the
prisoner is the same man; a blue hat he
wore and his blind eye attracted my at
tention. Joseph James, sworn : Was in Ebens
burg on the 7th June last ; couldn't say
I met Riddle.
Timothy R. Davis, affirmed: Came to
Ebensburg on the 7th June last; about
half a mile beyond M'Vieker's, saw two
men sitting by tho roadside; one of them
laid down on his faco as I approached-;
when I saw Riddle before 'Squiro Myers,
thought ho was the man I had seen lying
on his face; it was between one and two
o'clock ; know where Miss Paul lived ;
from where I met them, would take the
road they were traveling to go to her
place; the man sitting up bad on a kind
of black scuffed coat.
Rebecca Leidy, affirmed : Never saw
David Riddle before they brought him
to Summerhill; was at home on"the 7th
of June last; one man overtook me on the
road just above our barn; hadn't time to
see if he had a bliud eye ; this man has
much the same appearance of tho one I
met, only that one was heavier, I think;
this was about 4 o'clock.
Cross-examined : It is 8 miles from
Ebensburg to our place.
Samuel Paul, sworn : Lived in Jackson
tp., about 4 miles from Polly Paul's, on
the Jackson road ; on the night of the 7th
June last, two men called at my house
about eleven o'clock, and asked the road
to Johnstown ; one was in his 6hirt
sleeves ; they said they had come to the
forks ot the road, and didn't know which
one to take ; they came from the direction
of Polly Paul's.
Cross-examined : Was in bed when they
came. Further examination elicited no
thing of importance.
Mrs. Jackson, affirmed : Reside in
Jackson township; Was at home the 7th
June last; two men stopped at our house
in the night; they inquired the road to
town; reside at the cross roads; it was 12
o'clock at night; one was dressed in dark
clothes, and the other was in his shirt
sleeves ; the one that spoke to me was
over five feet tall ; the other appeared to
be taller ; told them to go straight on ;
they started and took the wrong road;
called them back and told them they were
wrong ; they were carrying something like
a carpet-sack ; it was a nice moonlight
night ; it is 7 or 8 miles from there to
Johnstown.
Martin Funk, sworn : Had never seen
Riddle till I arrested him, on the 22d of
June; Riddle then told me he hadu't
been iu Cambria county since the year of
the frost about 6 years ago.
Martha Morgan, sworn : Live adjoining
lands with Polly Paul; recollect the day
of the murder; there were no men at my
house the night of the murder; think I
saw Riddle the Saturday night after the
murder at my place; he was just going
into the cellar of my house wheu I saw
him; didn't see any ono with him, but
heard talk in the cellar; do not know
what they were doing there; we had no
thing in the cellar; live between Summer
hill and Miss Paul's, about one-fourth of
a mile from her house; the murder occur
red on Wednesday ; this was the night
Polly Paul was buried ; it wa just at dusk ;
I think that is the man (looking at the
prisoner,) that I saw going into the cel
lar. The cross-examination dieted nothing
material, except that the witness saw two
men leaving h?r barn in the morning,
early, after sleeping there, as she thought,
all night, one of these men being the
same she had seen enter her cellar.
Capt. A. M'Vickcr, sworn : Reside in
Cambria township; was at home the 'af
ternoon tho murder took place; there
were two meu came up and asked me for
a drink, and one of them asked for a
"piece;" one had a blouse on ; Riddle is
One that was there ; they said they had
been soldioring ; were paid off; but out of
money again ; am satisfied this man is one
of them ; they went west, on the pike ;
it was between one and two o'clock in the
afternoon ; I know about where Miss Paul
lived ; you could go by Davis' saw mill, or
by Peter Berg's ; Riddle was in his shirt
sleeves j bttt had a coat thrown over his
shoulder.
.. Crots-examined : Am certain this man
is one of them ; knew his face as soon as
I saw him ; I wouldn'tswear he was blind ;
h had a cap on ; he had blue pants on ;
heard of the murder the next morning ;
was not in town that day.
In chief : He tried to keep his face
from me all the time; when he reached
for the piece, he turned towards me more;
I am satisfied he (ths prisoner) is one of
the men that were there.
Daniel Dunmire, affirmed : I reside in
Croyle tp., within a mile of Polly Paul's;
think I saw her on the 7th or 8th of June,
killed ; she appeared as if she had been
dragged in the stable after being killed ;
she was lying under the trough on her
back, and her eyes open ; she looked
frightful ; we found Catharine Munday
under an apple tree; she appeared to have
been struck by a right-hand 6troke ; found
a club on the ground uuder the apple tree ;
(clubs shown and identified;) the beds in
the house were all tossed, about on the
floor; the top of the bureau wa3 torn off,
the drawers taken out, and the contents
strewed on the floor.
Commonwealth rests.
THE DEFENSE.
John S. Rhey, Esq., opened for the de
fense at 7.30 o'clock iu the evening, in a
speech twenty minutes long.
George Davidson, sworn : Reside in
Warsaw township, Jefferson county;
have been acquainted with David Riddle
since early in the spring ; he lived in the
same house I did, most of the time ; saw
him on the 7th June last, in his own
house ; he was sick then ; saw him every
day from the 21st May up to the time he
was arrested, except on the 8th June; he
was arretted on the 22d June, about 3 a.
m.; we resided in the same houe all that
time ; went for a physician for him on the
morning of the 7th June ; he resides 4J
miles from Brookville ; they say it is 80
miles from Brookville to Ebensburg.
Cross-examined : First met Riddle on
Clarion river, in Elk county ; ho is a
married man ; so am I ; aln married to
iiis sister.""" -
William Blake, sworn : Live at Mr.
Carrier's, a mile and a half from Riddle's;
went to Carrier's in May ; remained with
him till the 5th June; on that day, went
to Riddle's ; Carrier had given Riddle a
job of clearing; he went away from home
on a visit on the 5th June, and sent me
to Riddle's, where I stayed till Wednes
day or Thursday of the next week the
week after the 7th June; then went back
to Carrier's ; boarded at Riddle's ; was
chopping in the clearing; the clearing is
about a mile and a half from Riddle's
house ; my dinner was carried to me; the
day after the 7th June, Riddle brought it
to me.
George W. Shaffer, sworn : Live iu
Jefferson county, Warsaw township ; have
lived there about thirteen vears : was in
the army till the 7th June last, when I
arrived home, after having served nine
months ; live about twa miles from Rid
dle's ; know Riddle ; was not acquainted
with him before I came home; was at
Richardsville on the 8th June; met Rid
dle on the road that day; inquired who
he was ; the prisoner is the man ; saw
him the next Tuesday and on the morning
he was arrested ; Richardsville is seveu
miles north of Brookville.
Cross-examined : Riddle lives between
Brookville and Richardsville ; it was be
tween 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon of
the 8th that I saw him; he was on foot;
arrived hme from the army on the 7th,
and saw him next day.
Elias Miller, sworn : Reside in Jeffer
son county, Warsaw township ; came
there a year ago last spring; am a chair
maker; Riddle lives near our shop; have
been acquainted with him ever since ho
came there, in the spring ; was at home
in the early part of June last; saw Riddle
at different places; saw hira on the 3d in
Brookville; think I saw him on the 5th
or 6th at our shop ; think I saw him on
the evening ot the 7th at the house I was
boarding at; saw him timo and
after that.
again
Lewis Evans, sworn : Reside in War
saw township, Jefferson county; follow
farming ; am acquainted with Riddle
have been since last January ; reside about
three miles from him; saw him on the
8th June at my place ; he came there to
borrow a scythe to cut brush ; it was about
noon; had not seen him immediately be
fore that; he complained of his health
when I saw him.
Joseph M'Cracken, sworn : Reside in
J effersou county, Warsaw township; know
Riddle; live about a mile from him; saw
him on the 8th June; fix the date by the
day the month came in on ; it was a week
from the first ; on the 8ih he passed my
place, carrying dinner to his hands; the
clearing is about one hundred rods from
my house-Cross-examined
: On the 8th, Riddle
stopped awhile and talked with me; he
paid he must hurry back home, that the
doctor was to be there to see him.
Benjamin Crow, sworn : Live in Jeffer
son county, Pine Creek township;, saw
Riddle on the 5ih June, in the evening,
in his clearing.
Charles Anderson, sworn : Reside in
Jefferson county, Warsaw township; have
been acquainted with Riddle since 23d
May last; baw him on the 24th and 30th
May, and on Saturday, 10th June; saw
him on 11th June; ho complained of his
health.
Defense rests at 9 30 o'clock, and Court
adjourns till 8 o'clock Wednesday mor
ning.
SECOND DAY WEDNESDAY.
Court called at 8 a'clock a. m., and case
resumed.
Commonwealth re-opens.
William Wagner, affirmed : Was at
Blair's tavern, in Ebensburg, on the 7th
June last; 6aw a man, and trtaled him;
he paid his name was Riddle or Ridley ;
he resembled this man, except the eye ;
he wore a slouched black hat; wore
it on the side of his head.
Cross-examined : Am positive he had
a black slouch hat on ; did not observe
that he had a blind eye ; told my father
that the man I treated had such a large
mustache that he had to put it aside to
get the glass to his mouth, &c.
Commonwealth here closed.
Defence re opens.
Chas. Anderson, again : Think Riddle
had a small beard about the 7th June.
Geo. Davidson, recalled: Riddle had
no mustache from the firat to the tenth of
June.
Elias Miller, recalled : Riddle had no
mustache Irom the first to the tenth of
June last.
Wm. Blake, recalled: Think Riddle
had a light mustache about the beginning
of June.
Evidence here closed, at 9 o'clock a.
m.
TIIE CONCLUSION.
The District Attorney addressed the
Court to the effect, that, as in the case ot
Ream, the counsel for the prosecution
agree that there is not sufficient testimo
ny to warrant them in asking the jury for
a verdict ot guilty. Ilssaid the case was
not made out beyond a reasonable doubt,
and that therefore he did not feel it tj be
his duty, nor did he look upon it as proper,
to occupy the time of the Court in argu
ing it. At the same time, he added, he
felt that in instituting the investigation
In the-matter, he had but done his duty,
and that the proceedings were warranted
by the testimony in the case, which to
Eay the least showed cause for suspicion.
In a few words to the jury, the Court
expressed its concurrence iu the view ta
keu by the District Attorney; approved
the action of the .latter in instituting pro
ceedings against the prisoner, and said
that in so doing he had simply performed
his duty ; told the jury it was the duty of
the officers of the law to use every effort,
as was being done, to discover the guilty
parties in the awful crime charged upon
the prisoner; but, since guilt must be
proven beyond a reasonable doubt, he
fully agreed with tho prosecution that
they had failed to show cause for a ver
dict of conviction, while, on the other
hand, the defense had shown by witnesses
unimpeached that the defendant was in
another county at the time of the mur
der. In view of these tacts, therefore,
the Judge directed the jury to return a
verdict from their box of "Sol guilty!"
The prisoner was then remanded to
jail, where, with John Ream, he will re
main till the December term of Court,
when the two will be tried for the murder
of Miss Catharine Munday.
New-Born Love for the Soldiers.
A few days ago, the members of the
Eighty-sixth Illinois regiment held their
anniversary at Peoria. Col. R. G. Inzer
soil, the commandant, made a speech,
wherein he paid his respects to the men
now professing to be the best frienda of
the soldiers in this wise : "This is not a
political meeting, ytt I cannot forbear
saying a word or two concerning the poI
diers friends. There are men here in
our midst pretending to be your dearest
and best friend?. They belong to a party
some of whom (I will not say all) were
not your friends when you were fighting
the battles of your country. They laugh
ed at your wounds, sneered at your scars,
and mocked the corpses of your comrades ;
they prophesied your defeat ; they hoped
for your disgrace ; they prayed tor your
overthrow and death ; they despised the
cause for which you were battling; they
were the allies ot your murderers. Now
you have reached Lome covered with glo
ry; you are welcomed by the true people
of the North ; you are radiant with suc
cess and the very men of whom I speak
crowd around you and say they were and
are your friends. Beware of them all!
They do not want to help you. When
they come to you, tell them that you can
have no confidence in their sincerity till
they bring back the thirty pieces of sil
ver, the price of your blood ; tell them to
go and follow to the bitter end tho exam
ple of their illustrious prototype."
CSsF Artemas Ward says when he hears
the eoDg, "Come where my love lies
dreaming," ho don't go ho don't think
it would be right.
JEST" Don't go there ! A "season" in
Saratoga is said to cost a man about 25,-000.
One Pair of Stockings
An old wife sat by her bright fireside,
Swaving thoughtfully to and fro,
In an ancient chair whose creaky craw
Told a tale of long ago.
While down by her s;de on the kitchen floor
Stood a bag of worsted balls a t core.
The good man dozed o'er the latest news
Till the light of his pipe went out, '
And unheeded, the kitten, with cunning pawi;
Rolled and tangled the balls about ;
Yet still sat the wife in the ancient chairs
Swaying to and fro in the firelight glare.
But anon a misty tear-drop cam
in ner eye or faCeci blue,
Then trickled down in- a furrow deep
.Lime n single arop oi aew ;
So deep was the channel, sj silent th. ctro.r.
The good man saw naught bat the dimmed
e-ueam.
Yet he marveled much that the cheerful Ughfc
Of her eye had weary grown,
And marveled he m'ore at the tangled balls-
So h said in a gentle tone : '
"I have shared thy joys since our marriage
vow,
Conceal cot irom me thy sorrow now."
Then she spoke of the time when the basket
there
Was filled to the very brim,
And now there remained of the goodly pile
But a single pair for him.
"Then wonder not at the dimmed eyclight
There's but one pair of stockings to mend
to-night.
"I can not but think of the busy feet,
Whose wrappings were wont to lie
Iu the basket, awaiting the needle's tide
Now wandered eo far away ;
How the sprightly steps to a niother dear;
Unheeded fell on the careless ear.
"For each empty nook in the basket old,
By the hearth there's an' empty seat ;
And I miss the shadows from off the wall;
And the patter ot many feet ;
'Tis for this that a tear gathered over rar
sight '
At the one pair of stockings to mend to-night.
''Twas said that far through the forest wild
And over the mountain bold,
Was a land whose rivers ad darkening tate
Were gemmed with the rarest gold ;
Then my first-born: turned from the oaken:
door,
And then I knew the shadows were only four.'
"Another went forth on the foaming waves,
And diminished the basket's store ;
But his feet grew cold so weary and cold
They'll never be warm any more ;
And the nook in its emptiness seemeth to me
To give forih no voice but the moan of the
Fea.
t
"Two others hate gone toward the Setting
sun,
And mads them a home in its light,
And fairy fingers have taken their share
To mend by the fireside bright;
Some other baskets their garments fill ;
But mine oh, mine is emptier still.
"Another the dearest the fairest the best,
Was taken by angels away,
And clad in a garment that waxeth not old,
In a laud of coutinual day
Oh, wonder no more at the dimmed eye-light
While I mend the one pair of stockings tb
night." Murder.
To the Editor cf The Alleghanian :
I have juat read'your remarks on the
above caption, in your issue of the 7th
inst., and I heartily thank you for then?:
You remark, "Truly ,'it is getting that lif a
is held very cheap among us." Now, there
must be a cause for this increase of the
worst of all crimes. You very properly
intimate that it is found in the false sym
pathy that is generally bestowed upon the
perpetrators of this crime. This is; no"
doubt, the real cause. We would not
ignore the fact that the war through
which we .have just passed has had a de
moralizing tendency. War is always de
moralizing much more eo, that of civil
war, wheu its influences are felt in every
commuuity, and where all are accustomed
to talk of slaughtered thousands as butt
an ordinary affair. But aside from this;
there is a misplaced pympathy bestowed
upou the guilty that is telling fearfully
upon our people. The idea has becoinai
prevalent that it is wrong to execute car
italiy auy offender, no difference how
dark and damning his guilt ; that it is
opposed to the spirit and teachings of the
Bible. Such persons, I remark; could
uot have read their Bibles carefully upon
this point, or they would have been led to
different conclusions. If we turn to Gen
esis 9th chap. Gth verse, we read, "Who
so sheddeth man's blood,' by man shall his
blood be shed. Wa3 this law ever abol
ished " If so, when and where ? In tha
law of God as given to the Israelites,
the murderer forfeited his own life; and
it was only when tho Jews enforced this
law, with a'l other edicts of Jehovah, that
tbey secured 11 is approbation. If we
turn to the New Testament, we find this
law recognized. Paul is arraigned before
Festus upon grave and serious charges, to
ail of which he pleads, "hot guilty." lie
does nut put in the plea that they had no
right to take away his life, but on the con
trary he clearly recognizes that right, if
guilty. He says, (Acts 25th chap. 11th
verse,) "For if I be an offender, or have
committed anything worthy of death, I re
fuse not to dis." The fame Apostle else
where declares that rulers are a terror to
evil doers, and that they bear not the
sword in vain. Notwithstanding all this,
there are thousands who think and act
differently. Hence, in many places it is
difficult to find a jury willing to convict
a man of murder in the first degree, and
if convicted to find an officer to execute
S
A
n