THE TIMES NEW BL00MF1ELB, PA., Al'ltlL 3, 1877.
A WOMAN'S VOW.
A LAWYER'S STORY.
CONCLUDED.
EVEHY professional niftn will umler
itand me when I nay I whs glad to
hear this. Hitherto the girl's w him and
the murder apponred to me two event
connected only by the accident of occur
rence on the same day. Now there was
but one mystery to solve.
Whatever success I have bad In my
practice has been due to my habit of
basing my theories upon the known
character of the parties Implicated, and
not upon more palpable accidental cir
cumstances. Left to myself now, I
speedily resolved this case into a few
suppositions, positive tome as facts.
The girl had been present at the murder.
Hue was net naturally reticent ; was in
stead an exceptionally confiding, credu
lous woman. Her motive for silence,
therefore, must have been a force brought
to bear on her at the time of the murder
stronger than her love for Merrick, and
which was still existing and active. Her
refusal to meet her lover I readily Inter
preted to be a fcarof her own weakness
lread lest she should betray this secret
to him. Might not her refusal to marry
liltu be causal by the same fear V some
crushing disgrace or misery which
threatened her through the murder, and
which she feared to bring upon her bus
Iwrnd ? 1 he motive I had guessed to be
utrong as her love ; hnt If it were her
lover" Having stepped from surmise to
surmise eo far, I paused to strengthen
my position by the facts. There were
but two ways In whicli this murder
could have prevented her marriage
through Merrick's guilt or her own. His
innocence was proven ; hers I did not
doubt after I had again carefully studied
her face. Concealed guilt leaves Its se
cret signature upon the mouth and eye
in lines never to be mistaken by a man
who has once learned to read them.
Were there but these two ways ? There
was a third, more probable than either
J'rar. At the first presentation of this
key to the riddle the whole case mapped
itself out before me. The murderer had
wealed her lips by some threat. Ho was
wtill living, and she was in daily expec-
' uition of meeting him. Bhe had never
neen his face, but had reason to believe
him of her own class, (this supposition
I based on her quick, terrified Inspection
of every man's face,, who approached
her.) Now what threat could have been
wtrong enough to keep a weak girl silent
for years, and to separate her from her
lover on their wedding day I I knew
women well enough to say, none against
' herself; the threat I believed hung over
Merrick's head, and would be fulfilled if
she betrayed the secret, or married him,
which, with a weak, loving woman,was
equivalent, as any man would know, to
betrayal.
I cannot attempt to make the breaks
in this reasoning solid ground for my
readers ; it was solid ground for me.
The next morning Bearsley met me
on leaving the breakfast table. He held
an open letter in his hand, and looked
annoyed and anxious.
"Here's a note from Merrick. He
sailed a week sooner than he expected
has left New York, and will be here to
night. If I had only put the case into
your hands earlier ! I had a hope that
you could clear the little girl. But it's
too late. She'll take flight as soon as
he hears he As coming. SchefTer says
it's a miserable, bloody muddle, and
that I was wrong to stir it up."
"I do not agree with Dr. SchefTer," I
naid quietly. " I am going now to the
library. In half an hour send Miss
Waring to me."
" You have not yet been, presented to
her?"
"So much the Utter. I wish her to
regard me as a lawyer simply. State to
her as formally as you choose who I am,
.liid that I desire to see heron business. "
I seated myself In the library ; placed
jmmi and ink, and -some legal-looking
document), selected at random, before
me. Red tape and the formal pomp of
taw constitute half Its force with women
and men of Louisa's calibre. I had
hardly arranged myself and my materi
uls when the door slowly opened, and
she entered, fehe wasalarmed, yet wary
To see a naturally hearty, merry little
iKMly hubjected for years to this nervous
strain, with a tragic idea forced into a
brain meant to be busied only with dress,
cookery or babies, appeared to me a piti
ful thing.
V Miss Waring V" reducing the ordi
nary courtesies to a curt, grave nod. 'Bc
Heated, if you please." I fumed over
my papers slowly, and then looked up
ut her. I had, X saw none of the com
mon, feminine shrewdness to deal with;
need expect no subtle devices of conceal
ment ; no clever doublings; nothing
but sheer obstinacy, which is an unlntel
lectual woman m on resource. I would
ignore it and her boldly assume full
possession of the ground at the first
word.
" My errand to thU house,MisH Waring
Is In part the investigation of a murder
in IH54, of which you were the note wlt
iip that of Houston Slmms" "
I stopped. The change In her face
appalled ine. She had evidently not ex
pected so direct an attack. In fact,
Beardsley told tre afterward that it was .
the first time the subject hud been
broached to her in plain words. How
ever, she made no reply, and I proceeded.
In the same formal tone :
" I shall place before you the facta
which are in my possession, and require
your Assent to such as are within your
knowledge. On the afternoon of Tues
day, October fi, 1854, Houston SI mm
left the Pine Valley station, carrying a
valise containing a large sum of money.
You "
Hhe bad been sitting on the other side
of the table, looking steadily at me. She
rose now. She wore a blue morning
dress, with lace ruffles and other little
fooleries In which women delight, and I
remember being shocked with the
strange contrast between this frippery
and the speechless dread and misery of
her face. She gained control of her
Voice with difficulty.
" Who has said that I was u witness
of the murder V she gasped. " I always
explained that I was in another part of
the wood. I went to aunty Huldah "
" I'ray do not interrupt me, Miss
Waring. I am aware that you were the
witness the sole witness In this mat
ter." (She did not contradict me. I was
right in my first guess she had been
alone with the murderer.) " On return
ing fiom your nurse's cabin you left the
direct path and followed the sound of
angry voices to the gorge by Mill's Spring
" I did not go to play the spy. Helled
when he sold that," she cried feebly. " I
heard the steps, and thought Colonel
Merrick had come to search for me."
;' That matters nothing. You saw the
deed done. The old man was kllled.aud
then robbed, In your sight" I came to
ward her, and lowered my voice to a
stern, Judicial whisper, while the poor
girl Blirank back as though I w ere law
itself uttering judgment upon her. If
the had known what stagey guess-work
It all was ! "When you were discovered
the murderer would have shot you to
insure your silence."
" I wish he had. It was Thad who
would have done that. The white man's
way was more cruel oh, God knows It
was more cruel I"
(There were two then.) I was very
sorry for the girl, but I had a keen pleas
ure in the slow unfolding of the secret,
just as I suppose the physician takes do-
light in the study of a new disease, even
if it kills the patient.
" Yes," I said with emphasis. " I be
lieve that it would have beeu less suffer
ing for you, Miss Waring, to have died
then than to have lived, forced as you
were to renounce your lover, and to
carry about with you the dread of the
threat made by those men."
" I have not said there was a threat
made. I have betrayed nothing," She
had seated herself some time before by
the table. There was a large bronze
Inkstand before her, and as she listened
bug arranged a half dozen pens evenly
on the rest. The words she heard and
spoke mattered more to her than life or
death ; her features were livid as those
of a corpse, yet her hands went on with
their mechanical work one pen did not
project a hair's breath beyond the other.
We lawyers know how common such
puerile, commonplace actions are in the
supreme moments of life, and how selti
dom men wring their hands, or use
tragic gestures or indeed words.
" No, you have betrayed nothing," I
said calmly. "Your self-control bos
been remarkable, even when we remem
ber that you believed your confession
would be followed by speedy vengeance.
not on your bead, but Colonel Mer
rick's." She looked up not able to speak for a
minute. "You you know ally"
" Not all, but enough to assure you
that your time of suffering is over. You
can speak freely, unharmed."
Her head dropped on the table. She
was crying, and, I think, praying.
" You saw Houston Slmms killed by
two men, one of whom, the negro Thad
you knew. The white man's face was
covered. You did not recognize him.
But he knew you, and the surest way to
compel you to silence. I wish you now
to state to me all the details of this
man's appearance, voice and manner, to
show me any letters which you have
received from him since" (a random
guess, which I saw hit the mark)" in
short, every circumstance which you
can recall about him."
She made no reply.
"My dear Miss Waring, you need
have no fear on Colonel Merrick's ac
count. The law baa taken this matter
out of your hands. Colonel Merrick is
protected by the law."
'"Oil did not understand," meekly.
To be brief, she told ' me the whole
story. When she reached the spring
she had found the old man bleeding and
still breathing. He died in her arms
The men, who had gone back into the
laurel to open the valise, came back up
on her. The negro was a desperate
rhatacter, well known in the county.
He had died two years later. The other
man was masked and thoroughly dis
guised. He had stopped the negro when
he would have killed her, and after a few '
minutes' consultation had whispered to
him the terms upon which she wan al
lowed to escape.
" You did not hear the white man's
voice y"
" Not once."
" Bring me the letters you have re
ceived from him."
She brought two miserably spelled and
written scrawls on soiled bits of poper.
It was the writing of an educated man,
poorly disguised. He threatened to meet
her speedily, warned her that he had
spies constantly about her.
' That is all the evidence you can give
mey
All." She rose to go. I held the
door open for her, when she hesitated.
" There was something more a mere
trifle."
" Yes. But most likely the very thing
that I want." -
" I returned to the spring again and
again for months afterward. People
thought I was mad. 1 may have been ;
but I found there one day a bit of red
dish glass with a curious mark on it."
"You have it herey"
Site brought it to me. It was a frag
ment of engraved sardonyx, apparently
part of a seal ; the upper part of the
head was cut upon it ; the short hairs
curving forward' on the low forehead
showed that the head was that of Her
cules. Some old recollection rose in my brain
beginning, as I may suy, to gnaw uncer
tainly. I went to my room for a few
minutes to collect myself, and then
sought Beardsley.
He was pacing up and down the walk
to the stables, agitated as though he had
been the murderer.
' Well, Floyd, well I What chance is
there ' What have you discovered '"
" Everything. One moment. I have
a question or two to ask you. About ten
years ago you commissioned me to buy
for you in New York a seal an Intaglio
of great value a head of Hercules, as I
remember. What did you do with it V"
" Gave it to Job SchefTer, William's
father. Will has it now, though I think
it is broken.
" Very well. What have Dr. Schefl-
cr's habits beeii lately,by the way f Was
he as fond of turning the cards as the
other young fellows y"
" Oh,-yes, poor boy I There was a ru
mor some years ago that lie was fright
fully involved in Baltimore that it
would ruin the old man, In fact, to clear
off his debts of honor. But it died out.
I suppose William found some way of
straightening them out. -
"Probably. Where is Dr. SchefTer
now y I have a message for him."
" In his room. But this matter of
Louisa Waring "
"Presently. Have patience."
I went up to the young man's room
After all, the poor wretch was dying, and
to compel him to blast his own honora
ble name seemed but brutal cruelty. I
had to remember the poor girl's wasted
face and hopeless eyes before I could
summon courage to open the door after
I had knocked. I think he expected me,
and knew all I had to say. A man in
health would soon have known that I
was acting on surmise, and defied me to
the proof. SchefTer, I fancied, hod been
creeping through life for years with
death In two shapes pursuing him, step
by step. He yielded, cowed submissive
at the first touch, and only pleaded feebly
for mercy.
The negro hud been his body servant
knew his desperate straits, and dragged
him into the crime. Then, he bad loved
Louisa; ho was maddened by her ap
proaching marriage. The scheme of en
suring her silence and driving Merrick
away was the Inspiration of a moment,
and had succeeded. He only asked for
mercy. His time was short. He could
not live beyond a few weeks. I would
not bring him to the gallows.
I was merciful, and I think was right
to be so. His deposition was taken be
fore his uncle, who was a magistrate,
and two other men of position and
weight in the community. It was to be
kept secret until after his death, and
then made public . He was removed at
once to his. father's house.
On Colonel Merrick's arrival that eve
ning, this deposition was formally read
to him. I do not think it impressed
him very much. He was resolved to
marry Miss Waring in spite of every
obstacle.
" But I never would have married you
unless the truth had been discovered-
never," she said to him that evening as
' they stood near me In the drawing-
room. Her cheeks were warm, and her
dark eyes full of tender light; I thought
her a very lovely woman.
" Then I owe you to Mr. Floyd after
allY" he said, looking down at her
fondly; . :
- " O, I suppose so," with a shrug.
' But he is a very disagreeable person !
Cast-iron. VOU know, t am an thankful
yon are not ft lawyer, Paul, as my vow
not to marry you is cancelled."
What Men Need Wives For.
It is not to sweep the house, and
make the bed, and darn the socks, and
cook the meals chiefly that a man wants
a wife. If this is all he needs, hired
holp can do it cheaper than a wife. If
this is all, when a young man calls to
see a young lady,send him in the pantry
to taste the bread and cakes she has
made ; send him to inspect the needle
work and bed-making, or put a broom
Into her hands and send him to witness
its use. Such thing are Important, and
the wise young man will quietly look
after them. But what a true man most
wants of a true wife is her companion
ship, sympathy, courage and love. The
way of life has many dreary places in it,
and man needs a companion to go with
him. A man is sometimes overtaken
with misfortune ; he meets with failure
and defeat ; trials and temptations be
set him, and he needs one to stand by
and sympathize. He has some stern
battles to fight with poverty, with ene
mies and with sin ; and he needs a
Woman that, while he puts his arms
around her and feels that he has some
thing to fight for, will help him fight ;
that will put her Hps to his ears and
whisper words of council, and her hands
to his heart and impart new inspiration.
All through storm and through sun
shine, conflict and victory, through ad
verse favoring winds, man needs a
woman's love. The heart yearns for it.
A sister's or a mother's love will hardly
supply the need.
Breaking Down.
Men who often have their bauds full,
are over-crowed with business and drive
hurriedly along at it, but they may not
be overworked. We cannot always tell
when we are overworked. A man does
not always know himself no more than
he knows the strain on the mainspring
of his watch what will break it. But
there comes a time when the watch stops.
Men break bown in this way. They go
on, day after day, the pressure bearing
harder each successive day, until the
vital force gives out, and the machine
stops. It is a great pity that the indica
tions of this state of thing cannot be
seen beforehand, and if seen regarded.
It is one of the last things that men
will admit to themselves, much less to
others. They flatter themselves it is
only a little weariness of the flesh which
will pass off with a few hour's rest
when, In fact, every nerve power and
resource are exhausted, and the system
is driven to work by sheer force of the
will. When the oil on the shaft or in
the oil box Is exhausted, every revolution
of the wheel wears on the revolving
part, and soon will ruin it. The same is
true of the human body.
Physicians Puzzled.
The very remarkable case of Hattie
Brown, whose physician believes that
she has a living reptile preying upon her
vitals, has attracted the attention of the
medical faculty. Dr. J. H. Demarest
visited his patient yesterday to make an
examination with the stethoscope, his
purpose to ascertain how far a decay of
the lungs might contribute to the audi
ble sounds that Miss Brown insists are
from a living creature that is growing
and killing her. But she had eaten
very hearty breakfast, which, in her
emaciated condition, distended her
stomach, and the examination was not
entirely satlafactory.
Dr. Demarest said, last evening, that
he had no reason to change bis opinion
" It is certainly not a case of hysteria,'
he said, " because it has been contin
uously in the mind of the patient for
several years that some living object
was within her, whereas all cases of
hysteria are variable in their attacks.
I still believe that some species of rep
tile has grown within her and produces
the sensations which she so accurately
describes. As soon as she is in a proper
physical condition a further examina
tion win, l Deneve, resoive mis aouoi
into a certainty." js. x. Jieraia.
tST The beautiful hymn, "I would not
live always. I ask not to star." most persons
would suppose was written by a person of
slender vitality, whose bold on luo was so
tenuous that it parted early aud left the
mournful singer to sink into a premature
mv hut not so. Rev. Dr. Muhlenberg,
B ,
the author, still lives though upward of
eiphtv vears of aae thouch now probably
od his death-bed. He is also the author of
that inspiring Christmas hymn, "Shout
the ilad tldincs." Two such hymns are
enough to insure a hope of a blessed im
mortality.
rwThe English institution of game
preserves has been introduced into Berks
county by a local spoitsmen s association.
Thev have leased 3000 acres of forest, field
and stream, which tley will stock with
birds and fishes. Thev pay eacU or the
fifteen farmers who own the land live dollars
a year and divide the proceeds of fines, for
"poaching" witb the farmers on wuose
territory game is killed. , ,
DR. SCHENCK'H STANDAKD REMEDIES
The standi ril remedies fur all diseases of th
'ungs r Hchenok's Pulmonic; Bvritp, Hchenek'a
Hi- Weed Tonic, knd Hehenck Mandrake 1'IUs,
sua ii tasen Before me mug are sestroyea,
speedy cure Ik elfected.
To Miami three medicines Tr. 3. II. fk-henck, of
Philadelphia, owes his unrivalled success In the
treatment of pulmonary diseases.
Tlie Pulmonic Syrup ripens the morbid matter
In the Inngs i nature throws It off by an easy ex
pectoration, lor licn the phlegm or matter I
ripeaslight cough will throw it oil, the patient
ha rent and the lungs begin to heal.
To enable the pulmonic) syrup to do this, Dr.
Scheock's Mandrake 1'llls and Hchenck's 8ea
Weed Tonic must be freely used to cleanse the
stomach and liver. Hchenck's Mandrake I'llls
acton the llver,removlng all nhstiuctlons, relax
the gall bladder, the bile starts Ireeljr, and the
liver Is soon relieved.
Bchemik's Sea Weed Tonle Is a gentle stlmnlant
and alterative! the alkali of which It Is composed
mixes with the food and prevents souring. It as
sists thedlgestlon by toning up the stomach to a
healthy condition, so that the food and the Put-
monio nyrup will make goou blood t then the
lunas heal, and the Datlent will siirelv ct well n
care Is taken to prevent fresh cold.
ah wimi wish w uuunim j.r. nenencK, miner
personally or bv letter, can do so at his nrlnelnml
nice, corner of Sixth and Arch 8ts.. Phlladel-
pma, every aionaay.
Hchenck's medicines are sold by all druggist
throughout the country. mch&apr.
VEGETI N E
VEOETINK has never fiillmt to iret .
giving tone and strength to the system Uebiiitat
ed by disease.
811 K 11E8T8 WELL.
Bonth Poland. Me., Oct., It, 187(1.
Mr. It. R. RteveilS: Dear Sir I hv tie en ilnlr
two years with the liver complaint, and during
that time have taken a great manydlfferent med
icine but none of them did me any good. I was
restless nights and had no appetite. Hlnee tak
ing the Veget.no I rest well and relish my food.
C'au recommend the Vegetlne for what it has
done for me. Yours reetfully.
. Mhs- ALBERT 1IICKER.
Witness of the above.
Mr. Ueo.M, Vaughn, Medford, Mass.
VJSaiSTINE.
Thousands will bear leitlmonv and dn It vol.
nntarily) that Vegetine Is the best medical com
pound yet placed beiore the public for renovating
and purifying tne blood, eradicating all humors.
tinpuribivs or pumoiious secretions irnm the sys
tem, Invigorating and strengthening the system
debilitated by disease; In fact, It Is, as many
have called It, " The Great Health Restorer.1' ,
Safe and Sure.
Mr. H. II. fifevens; In 1S72 vnnr Vet-eH
recommended to me, and yielding to the persua
sions of a friend. I consented to try it. At the
time, I was suffering from general debility and
nervous prostrations, superinduced by overwork
and Irregular habits. Its wonderful strengthen
ing and curative powers seemed to affect my de
bilitated system from the llrst dose, and under Its
persistent use i rapidly recovered, gaining more
than usual health and good feeling. Hince then I
have not hesitated to iriva Vpiri-line mv most un.
qunlifed Indorsement as being a safe, sure and
mweriul agent In promoting health and res tor-,
ns the wasted svstein to new life and enerirv
Veuetlne is the onlv medicine I use. and a Lin
as I live I never expect to And a better.
loursiruiy. w. ii. uiahk,
130 Monterey Street, Allegheny, i"a.
VEGETINE.
VEOETINK thoroughly eradicates every kind
of humor, and restores the entire sysiein to a
healthy condition.
. The following letter from Rev. . W. Mansfield,
formerly pastor of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Hyde I'ark, and at present fettled in
Lowell, mnst convince every one who reads this
letter of the wonderful curative powers ol Vege-
iiueasa inorougu cleanser anu puriner oi me
blood:
Hyde Park, Mass., Keb. 15, 176.
Mr. H. R. Stevens: Dear Sir About ten vears
aeo my health failed through the depleting elTects
of dysoepslit; nearly year later I was attacked
oy v P" oiu lever in us worst iorin.it setueu in
mv back and took the form of a lame deen-seated
abscess, which was fifteen mouths In gathering.
i naa two surgical operations, ny ine nest skill in
the mate but received ne permanent cure. I suf
fered great pain at times and was constantly
weakened by a profuse discharge. I alsolostsmall
pieces of bone at dilTerent times.
Matters ran on thus about seven years, till May
1874. when a friend recommended me to go to
your olllce and talk with you of the virtue of Veg
etine. I did so, and by your kindness passed
through your manutactory.noting the ingredients
etc., by which your remedy Is produced.
By what I saw and heard I gained some eonfl-,
deuce In Vegetine.
I commenced taking It soon after, but felt worse
from its effects; still I persevered and soon felt
it was benefiting me in other respects. Yet I did
not see the results I desired, till I had taken it
faithfully for a little more than a, year, when the
difficulty in the back was cured, and for nine
months I have enjoyed the best of health.
1 have in that time gained twenty-five pounds of
flesh, being heavier than ever be Tore iu my life,
and I was never more able to perforin laborthan
now.
During the past few weeks I had a scrofulous
swelling as large as my list gather en another part
of my body.
I took Vegetine faithfully and It removed It lev
el with the surface in a month. I think I should
have been cured of my main trouble sooner if I
had taken larger doses, after having become ac
customed to its effects.
Let your patrons troubled with scrofula or kid
ney disease, understand that it takes time to
cure chronic diseases, and if they will patiently
take Vegetine, It will, in my judgment, cure
them. With great obligations f am.
Yours very truly,
O. W. MAA8FTELI),
14 lin Pastor of the M. E. Church.
Prepared by H.R.Stevens, Boston,Mass.
Tegetine is Sold by ill Druggists. '
JEATHER &C.
THE subscriber has now on band at
LOW PRICES,
Good Sole Leather,
Kip of Superior Quality,
Country Calf Skins,
French Calf,
LININGS, ROANS, &c.
F. Mortimer,
NEW BLOOMJ1ELD, PA.
NOTICE. The public are hereby notified and
warned not to jnole.it, or in any way tres
pass or the rights and credits of Anthony 6u
ghart in the following property purchased by him
at Sheriff's sale, at the residence of Levi Sughart,
on the 7th day of February. 1877. said property
being left In the care of Levi Sughart. viz:
Two Cows, 4 head of Young Cattle. 1 Mower
combined, 1 two horse Wagon,. .1 Metal Plow.
Double and Single Trees, 1 Grain Cradle, Lot of
Cow Chains, 1 pair of Breasi chains, 1 pair of
Hutt chains, I Hay Rake, 1 Corn Coverer, and 1
hpreader. ANTHONY SUGHART,
Per Lr.Ti Suiubt, Agent.
Jlain. Pa-'ebruary 13. 1T7.
TESTATE "NOTICE. Noties ts hereby given
111 that Letters Testamentary on the entateol
Frederick K. l"uni, late ol Tyrone township
Perry county, Pa., deceased, have be granted
to the undersigned, residiug In KUiottsuurg, Perry
CAtprsons indebted tosald estate are request
ed to make immediate payment aud those having
claims to present theia duly authenticated lor
aetliement to
WILLIAM n. BUM. Executor.
A. hi- Markku Attorney tor Executor.
January 30, 1877.