Daily Wabash Express, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 31 March 1889 — Page 5

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WE ONLY PLAYED AT LOVE. We only played at love, you see, And yet to-day the memoir, Like faded tea roses' scent, to me

Comes Boating hazy,

A a fleecy clouds across tbe moon, Left out upon an afternoon, Or as a waltzer bean a tune

Amidst the mazy.

1 bad to bold ybur band, you know. Became the -'stage work" bad It so I wonder did I let It go

Without a pressure? __ Thus la It even things that were, Remembered, make our pulses stir. Nor even wisdom can demur

To call them treasure.

Not seven months had passed In turn .. .. Ere you were married so I burn These "acting" letters here, and turn

To other fancies

I

But still 'tis very sweet to me, This finished little comedy I'm glad we played at love you see,

And took our chances. —[Drake's Magazine.

SECRET OF MRS. SHAND'S CELLAR.

[London Truth.]

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Mr. and Mrs. Shand bad lived Wickatead Orange for several years before the fatal fire which, for the time, kept that out-of-the-way spot on every tongue. In their early days the Shsnds had had a considerable establishment, ^butof late years their circumstances ft ad been greatly reduced. Mr. Shand had failed in business, and bad descended in the commercial scale to the nondescript vocation at- a '•commission agent." His horses first went most of the laud formerly held with the grange followed and then the servants bad \een dismissed one by one until the taff of the domestics was reduced to a taid-of-all-work and a man who came '.casionally to keep the garden in order id do odd work by the job.

A.n out-of-the-way spot it was, truly, ough within three miles of Croydon, okstead itself iB the merest rural nlet, consisting of churcb, parsonage, shop and a few cottages. The ige stood a quarter of a mile from tillage—an old farm house, only parmodernized, and far more pictur9 than cheerful In every way as bad 56 as could well be found for a seri•e. bably even those who remember igic events which grew out of it '. *ve forgotten the circumstances of itself. It is necessary, then, to

them in some detail. 1 irst alarm was given about 5 a. m. efore daybreak one morning in ^iby William Hewitt, the odd-job

Mve referred to. Hewitt lived in

a4&

about three hundred yards #|om tbe grange. He was out ^Attending to a sick child, and

w#^sted

ti

by the glare 4n the win­

dow the time he reached the houta al

ack

of the premises was well iere was no help immediately aviilTo despatch amounted mes-

8en^-oydon

and call the fire bri-

long business, and by the

time ^men

an(jengines

arrived the

P®rt OlhouBe where the fire had was completely gutted, appened, that por small wing which had recently, having a l»illard-»now tablelees) and some smaller le'nte

on

the ground floor,

and two rooms above. It was under a ete

rooft

was detached by

the origin^

Wall

of the house, and

contained iarate staircase. Probaowing t,Be facte the exertions of the neighbnd the firemen sufficed to prevent Hire gaining any hold on the main bug. Unfortunately, however, Mr. Sh, w8a on this particular night sleeping himself in this wing, g' The fact wst discovered until all possibility evtf attempting his rescue ?s was past. A/ scarcely recognizable remains, fou on the following day, 'placed the faf the unhappy man beyond all doul J, The inquestiioh followed threw litstle light on ti origin of the calamity.

Hewitt's eviice pointed to the fire having origiod in a little room opening out of tl billiard room, used as a store-room, ^d situated immediately under the rm where Mr. Shand slept. He persistethat'he first saw the glare in one or tv of the ground floor windows, thouf in that case the fire must have spreacvith extraordinary rapidity. Hewitt waihe only witness of any importance. he maid-servant, Jane Goe: ..... ling by nars bad had a fit immediately -. after her cape from the house, and

waa Bti]| uit

to attend the inquest and

Mrs. Shan, though the inquiry was ad­

joumed foher attendance, was not able IA. to give thiroourt much assistance. The fol'owing pasagefl in her evidence, however, acqured some importance from the subseqient development of events:

By the Coroner—Did Mr. Shand

J: usually sleep in this room? Not usually, but he had done so for two or three nights befori the fire.

Besides this bed-room, we have been told that there was another room, which served as a sort of study and smokingroom? Yes. and as a workshop. Mr.

Lond of carpentering and had

a lathe there. He frequently worked there late. I think the fire must have originated there.

Why? Because there was a great deal of varnish, turpentine, shavings and other inflammable material about, and there was a small stove which I had often told him was dangerous.

You da not think, then, that the fire originated on the ground floor? No. The atore-ftom, where Hewitt says that he first Baw tuj fire, was kept locked. I had the key. "Mie room had not been opened einoe th*-norning

0f

ous day, and tnert^^

the previ­

nothing

inflam­

mable there to myQ0Wie(jgei

Mfe^thave

waa all the information elioited at the inquest, which ended in a verdict of "Accidental death."

As not unfrequently happens, however, there was other evidence not far off which gave a much more serious complexion to the occurrence. And there waa another body in the background, far lees easy to satisfy than a coroner's jury. .That body was the Monument insurance company. The deceased man, Isaac Shand, had been an agent of this company, and he had effected on his own behalf considerable insurances in the office. Hia life had been insured only three months before his death, for an additional £1,000, making his policy in all one of £5,000, and he had a policy on his furniture and household effects for the sum of £1*500.

A week had elapsed since the close ol the inquest, when Mr. Capper, the managing director of the insurance company, entered the office of Mr. George, the company's solicitor, in respone to an urgent summons. "We have got some further evidence in the Wickstead case," said Mr. George, "which I felt it necessary to communicate to you at once, for it has a very ugly look about it." "Arson?" quered Mr. Capper. "If it's that, it's worse, as you know, replied the lawyer. "Just listen, and draw your own conclusion. We have interviewed Jane Gosling, the servantgirl, who, as you remember, was too ill to appear at the inquest. Here is her statement, as our man toojcit down from her own lips." *On the night of the fire I went to bed early, about ten o'clock. That was before my usual time, but missus came into the kitchen and hurried me off. She seemed in a very bad temper. I had not heard any quarrel between her and master, but master went up to his study before I went to bed. 1 slept in the attic in front of the bouse, at the opposite end to where the fire was. After I had been asleep a little while, I heard moving about and voices. Not knowing what the time was, I opened the door and listened. I heard missus' voice down stairs in the direction of tbe study staircase. I thought I heard master answering her. My door creaks when opened, and I 'suppose missus heard it, for presently she came upstairs, listening. I got back into bed and pretended to be asleep, and heard missus come up stairs and listen at my door for a bit, and then shut my door and go down again. Presently I heard her go to her own room and shut the door, and then everything was quiet and I went to sleep again. Before 1 went to sleep I heard the clock in the hall strike 1. I don't know how long I slept, but I was awoke before daylight by hearing a door open and some one move down stairs. I felt frightened and nervous like, and got out of bed again. I saw a light in tbe hall at the bottom, and I went a little way down stairs. I saw then that the light was right at tbe end of the passage, by the billiard-room door. It might have been in the storeroom. I heard some one strike a match two or three times. Then I heard a door shut—it sounded like the storeroom door. 1 saw missus come out into the passage and shut and lock the door at the end of which leads to the billiardroom and the study stairs. I hurried back as fast as I could when I saw her, and after waiting a minute shut my door again and got into bed. I was very cold and uncomfortable and could not sleep, and I lay shivering until I heard a ring at the bell and some one calling out 'Fire!' That was Hewitt. I jumped up and opened the door, and the smoke came rolling in, and I can't remember anything else until Hewitt came and helped me out. After I got out of the house I had a fit, as you have heard. I should think it was about twenty minutes or half an hour after I saw missus down stairs that I heard Hewitt ring." "Phew!" ejaculated Mr. Capper. "That's worse than anything I suspected. What do you make of it?" "What do you make of it?" asked the solicitor.

The two men looked at one another in silence for a moment, and Mr. Capper's lips seemed to frame the word "murder." "If she fired the premises," he presently continued aloud, "in the way this evidence suggests, she was going not merely for the insurance o!. the furniture, but also for the insurance on his life." "JuBt BO. That's the serious part of it, and that's why I sent for you. You see this is a very different thing from arson, with an unpremeditated murder growing out of it." "Very different. Dare we raise such a charge on the evidence we have?" "It is not only Gosling's evidence, remember. In the first place, let me call your attention to the way the girl's statement fits in with Hewitt's evidence. You may remember that he said at the inquest, that, after ringing the beil, he broke in through one of the ground-floor windows, and then found Mrs. Shand on the staircase partially dressed. Yet she had made no attempt to arouse Gosling, and what is more remarkable, she never said a word about her husband until Hewitt had got Gosling out of the house, and was on the point of going off for further help. You will remember, too, bow anxious Mrs. Shand was at the inquest to negative Hewitt's evidence that the fire originated downstairs." "Very true!" assented the manager. "But, in addition to all this, we have now come across a mors striking pieoe of evidence. A large barrel of paraffine was always kept in the stable. Hewitt had charge of it. He is positive anew barrel bad been opened only a day or two before the fire, and that not more than a gallon of oil had been drawn "from it. Yet on the day after the fire the barrel waa found all but empty. Wait: That is not all. Among the debris, which we had sifted after the fire, the salvage men found a small galvanized iron can. This can Hewitt identified aa having been used solely for drawing off the paraffine from the barrel, and he is positive be left it in the stable the day before the fire." "That is very strong, certainly," said Mr. Capp9r. -'Now let me add something to it. I told you that we knew Shand was hard up and that we BUBpected him of misappropriating premiums. We have now found out three

l&Die vuwo uuwieuge. ^here any special miuma. we nave now iouna outtnroe reason for Mr. on®1'sleeping by him- oases in which be

OAIT wiuii ueu* ralgia and sleepleea116®® w6eks .loo.!™ that reason.

WBB

of this

be®!®r.hj

The corone^Didbeevere^

^What ^iS^wmetimw mo'rp?

knowjthat ^^^^"{luhis^t morphia in his bea rwtu the witness y«&re of sge,

Mrs. Shand. »ougn J^~tnd

Was still an attractive

Irs.

&aBU"

of

had

aelf? He had ^"^'bled with neu- and not accounted for it. His wife must have known something of the state of affairs—possibly that ruin was actually banging over both of them." "That is material," said the solicitor, "but, of cours9, it only goes to motive.

9

I only

one

tive woman, and one

woman

^miTSho look doubly attract:h nqe womm wn« coroner waa a ive in

those

I BQU UO

And that, therefore,

no more questions.

wmm

rHE

received money

The question will turn with a jury, as far as I can see, mainly upon the statement of Gosling's, supplemented by Hewitt's evidence. What I want you to consider is whether on that evidence YOU taketfire prepared to lay a charge which must

O-

the end amount to one of murder." (There is afire olaim here," said Mr. poer, "a claim for three hundred this odd, as well as the claim upon evidipolicy. There being unmistakable have ip( arson, I do not see that we "Veijl tentative but to fight." "Now I Wod," replied the solicitor.

Mr. G\how to proceed." grass grotwaa not a man to let the Jer his feet Two days

later Mrs. Shand was in custody on a charge of anon. .. The evidence against her wbM came before the magistrates stantially that indicated in the fore««ng conversation. Only one fact was wlded to it, but it was a fact not without significance—namely, that less than before the fire the prisoner had paokea up a quantity of jewelry and portaDW valuables and dispatched the box containing them to London. The I?6®®*** effect of the evidence was irresistible, and the experienced barrister retained for the prisoner showed his appreciation of it by reserving the defense, flint Shand was accordingly committed for trial—and on the double charge of mur-. der and arson.

Mr. George, the insurance oompany solicitor, had expressed his opinion that the verdict would nepend mainly on Jane Gosling and so the result proved. The famous case of "The Queen vs. Shand" made the name and fortune ol Mr. Croesley Sharpe, and made it chiefly by reason of the masterly way wbicn, without exactly breaking it down, the advocate contrived to discredit Jane Gosling's evidence. The girl was the first witness called for the prosecution. Before she left the box Mr. Croesley Sharpe had shown out of her own mouth that she had left her last situation with a bad character for truthfulness that Mrs. Shand had twice reprimanded and threatened to dismiss her for small offenses a day or two before the fire and that the girl had on two or three previous ocoaaions bad "fits" of an hysterical and epileptic character. The whole manner of the witness under cross-examination created a bad impression, and the case for the prosecution was consequently under a cloud from the first. Hewitt's evidence in regard to the barrel of paraffine was also signally discredited. The man swore positively that the barrel had only been opened three or four days before the fire, and he was equally positive that he had opened it the day it waB delivered upon which the delivery note was put to him, dated exactly twelve days before the fire. A still more remarkable fact was elioited from Jane Gosling—namely, that on the evening before the fire she bad seen her master go to the stable and return carrying the iron

Ead

araffine can, whiob, sbe believed, he then taken up to his workshop. With regard to Mrs. Shand's jewelry, it was shown for the defense that it was packed in a tin deed box belonging to Mr. Shand that some papers and small valuables of his were also put into it that be himself wrote a label for it and that it was consigned to his office in the city and taken by him to his bankers. "Was that," asked Mr. Sharpe, "evidence of an intent to commit arson? If BO, it was evidence not only against the prisoner, but against the man she was charged with murdering. So was the evidence about the paraffine. It now appeared that if the paraffine had been used for incendiary purposes, it was so used by the deceased man himself. If the prosecution were logical, they would have to contend that this supposed crime was carried out by the prisoner in conjunction with her husband, who, in order to defraud an insurance company, had arranged to set fire to his house and burn himself alive!" And so on, and so on.

The result was that, although, as the judge told the jury, the case was not free from suspicion, and there appeared to be some mystery behind which was not fully cleared up, the jury at once acquitted the prisoner without leaving the box, and Mrs. Shand was carried out of court in a dead faint, but a free woman.

Late the same night James Shand, Isaac's younger brother, was .closeted with the widow. "Eleanor," he said, "now tell ine, for heaven's sake, the meaning of the extraordinary statement which you handed to me in the prison." "Nothing, nothing! Consider my position. I was mad." "Mad, indeed," returned James Shand, "if you thought that such a confession as that could help you. But let me ask you, Eleanor, do you expeot me to believe that an innocent woman would attempt to prove ber innocence by inventing such a monstrous tale as that?" "What?" cried the woman. "Do you —dare to insinuate noir that I am guilty?"

Shand turned aside and said nothing. "Listen, then," said Mrs. Shand. "There is this much foundation for the statement I

Bent

Mrs. Shand continued to reside at Wickstead grange, though, when James pressed her to sell the place, She always said that she intended to do so as soon as her arrangements were made. Partly at her brother-in-law's suggestion, however, she had engaged a lady to live with her as companion. This laay was aMiss Curtis, a middle-aged woman of tact and intelligence, and a distant relation of the deceased Mr. Shand.

Although Mrs. Shand had no idea of it, Miss Curtis was in constant communication with Jamee Shand. In fact, Jamee supplemented out of his own pocket the modest salary which Mrs. Shand allowed her companion, the understanding being' that the lady was to keep a constant watch on Mrs. Shand's actions and health, and report to him as occasion required.

It was Christmas eve, the Christmss after the fire at Wickstead. Jamee Shand was in his office in Billiter street, busily preparing for his Christmas holiday, when Mies Curtis waa announced. "Well," said Mr. Shand, after they had exohanged the compliments of the teason, "and how is Eleanor?" "I have been rather uneasy about her," replied Miss Curtis. "I want to ask whether you heagl of her expecting to see or hear from anybody this Christmas?" "No," said Jamea Shand, who waa desirous of getting an absolutely independent statement "Why do you ask?" "Because she has been dropping hints on the subject from time to time for several weeks past. At first she spoke in a mysterious way that rather puzzled me. But during the last two or three daya ene has been referring to it constantly and without any disguise." "How do you mean? What does die say?" "That in the course of a d«y or two, on Christmas day probably, ah* will hear good news from some one whom I know that, perhapa, he will eonte him­

call

.you: Isaac is alive.

Within a few weeks I: will prove it to you. Ilr

Some seven months had elapsed since the trial. Although, in the interval, the widow had more than once referred again to the subject, the promised proof of the extraordinary statement with which she had startled her brother-in-law had not been forthcoming. James Shand was a matter-of-fact man of business. Seeing that his sister-in-law duly proved her husband's will, and obtained the money insured upon his life, he very soon came to the conclusion that her statement was a passing hallucination, born of tne mental excitement occasioned by her troubles.

-pERKE HAUTE EXPRESS. SUNDAY MORNING. MARCH 3t, I8b8.

self at any rata, that ha will write thai •hahas bain axDectincto ase tumor hear from htm^^ SrS* montha,bath* has promised that it ahaH not later than Christmas^ and ao on. She apeaka so confidently that die evidently balievee in what aha aaya, and it all aounds so natural that it woald not have attracted my attention but for ooe-cir-cumstance." "And what ia that?"

Misa Curtie paused «nd wont on in a lower tone:

A

"I dare say you will laugh atmy fancy, butBomething in her manner, in bar tone of referring to thia individual, impresses me with the idea that aha ia alluding to—Isaac. Do you think it can be a delusion?"-

Jamee Shand did not quite know What to say, but made what effort he could to pooh-hooh Miss Curtis' auggestion. "Perhaps," continued the lady, "I should not have entertained that idea but for the other fact of which I have told you before—th^ noise in the cellar. "Ah! she still hears that, does she?" aaked James. •She has heard it, or thought she has heard it, more frequently than ever during the last w*ek—especially at night The night before laat aba woke ma op to aak if I could hear it Of course, I could hear nothing. Last night aha woke me twice. The second time she said ahe must go down and see what it was. I had the greateat difficulty in preventing her. When £jistened at the door and insisted "that Tmere waa not a sound to be heard, she grew quite angry, declaring that there waa a perpetual rat-a-tat-tat rat-a-tat-tat like a double knock at the hall door, only down in the cellar." "Extraordinac2»s«B all JameaShand could say. "You see, Mr. Shand," Misa Curtia went on, "there can be no doubt after this that ahe is subject to one delusion, and, if to one, why not two? The result is that I am greatly alarmed. I am not of a nervoua disposition, but to be waked up two or three times in the night to listen to the noise in the cellar would upset anybody. I am looking forward to to-night very anxiously, and I think that it is time that some doctor who understands these things was called in to see her."

Mr. Shand could hardly object to this. So after Bome further conversation it was arranged that Mrs. Shand's regular medical attendant should be communicated with, and that he should call in any further advice he thought neoeasary. With that Miss Curtis left.

James Shand had a small but feetive Christmas party that night at his oomfortable residence at Blaokheath. The livelier amusements of the evening were over, the gueets who lived near had gone, and the remainder the oompany were Bitting around the fire in the amoking-room, the ladies having followed the gentlemen thither. Besides the host and hostess, there were only present Mrs. Shand's sister, the gentleman she was about to marry, and a lady and gentleman, old friends of the family, who had just returned from abroad, and who have nothing to do with the present narrative.

As not unfrequently happens when people

Bit

around tbe flre on winter's

evenings, the conversation soon assumed a ghostly and supernatural hue. One or two mysterious experiences were retailed a first or second-hand, and presently a demand waa made upon Jamee Shand for a story. "Oh, do, please, Jamee!" pleaded his sister-in-law. "Something to make our flesh creep."

The idea of prosaic Mr. Jamee Shand making anybody's flesh creep raised a general laugh. Perhapa the laugh put the master of the house upon his mettle. At any rate, remarking that if he could not tell a storv he could, at any rate read one, he presently unlocked a drawer in his writing-table and produced a parcel of manuscript written on a number of sheets of notepaper strung together.

He then proceeded to read the following narrative, which he

Baid

he would

MADNESS OB CRIME?

With the moet awful fate that can befall man or woman hanging over me, I take up my pen to make known to you the truth. It seems to me that in full confession lies my only hope of escape. Whether that be so or not is for you to judge when you have read my atory. I beseech you, herefore, follow it attentively.

The trouble which has brought me to this began long ago. As you know, John never recovered from tbe disaster which first brought him down in the world. With a fresh load of debt thus accumulating over our heads, our position became desperate how deeperate, however, I scarcely knew until John communicated to me the wild plot which haa ended as you see. This waa bis plan: An addition, as large as we could afford to pay for, was to be made to the inaurance on his life. He was then to disappear, under oircumBtances which would raise a presumption of hiB death, and to make hia way secretly to one of the colonies. I was to prove his will obtain the insurance money, and join him as soon aa all doubt or suspicion had blown over. So far, I no not know that there was anything out of the common in the fraud. It was in the scheme for supplying a fiotitious proof of bis own death that my husband displayed suoh perverse and horrible ingenuity.

About two years ago, on the death of my Uacle Angus, sime few of his goodB and chatties, including varioua odds and ends (gjHt his surgery, for which no purchaser could be found at the time, were aent to us. Among them waa—how the very mention of the thing makea me shudder now!—a human akeleton, which my uncle had kept in a case in a corner of his room ever einoe he resigned his professorehip. For thia ghaatly object John conceived an unaccountable fancy, and he had it taken to hia workBhop, with a view of studying the construction of the bones. To me, however, it waa, from the first, an object of unspeakable terror and aversion. I insisted on his putting it out of the way, and ultimately it waa removed to the large cellar which runs under the house at the billiard-room end.

This loathsome thing John now proposed to employ in tna perpetration of bis fraud. Hia scheme waa to secretly remove the skeleton to tha room where he sometimes slept to set fire to that wing of the house, after preparing a oonfiigration on auch a scale that the discovery of nothing but the scorched bonee among tha ruins should occasion no surprise, and then to make his escape aa I have already deecribed. Only, in order to facilitate hia eecapa, it waa deaireble that I ahould undertake th* actual firing of the premises.

Why did I consent? you will aak. Think of what you have heard during the last few days. At first I refused indignantly. Then it waa that ha told ma of the wont danger hanging over him, showed ma that our choice lay between this, on one hand, and On theothsir rain, ooupled with diagnoe.

The aiiamsmaiita having thua been

&

thia point, yon will understand, though tha plaoe had baw ao prepared that when alight was once applied, tha whole wing would ba.in fiamea in a few min utaa, the skeleton still remained in the cellar. For fear of a posaible intrusion into the room, we dared not bring the tiling np until the aervanta ware in bad. I may bam remark that I waa extremely auapicious of tha girl Gosling, having ing and eavee\K», that I soon aa poaaible after the girl'had gone to bed. To avoid all poaaible ride of our being observed, ha waa not to oome near me again. I waa to retire to my room he to hia.' Ha had then nothing to do but to fetch the ekeleton from the oellar, put it in the appointed place, lock the bad-room door, and make hia way out by the billiard-room window. There waa another reaaon for this. I dared not have gone near tha thing. Already my nervea were at their utmost tension. To have placed any further atrain upon tham would have incapacitated me for my ahare in the conapiracy. John himaelf waa excited to a degree which added to my alarm. Ha had Buffered acute nenimlgia during the day, and told me juat before we parted that he must take a'dose of merphia before he completed the work.

I said good-bye to him and retired. I listened at my door for the aounda of his ghaatly teak. But he was very quiet and the noise of my own beating heart drowned all else. Oh, the horrible hours that followed! The haunting sights and sounds—the visions of the nameless thing upon hia bed, the inceaaant terror of accident or intrusion! Amid an infinity of torturee euoh aa these, one, two, three, four hours dragged slowly by. Then, trembling and conscience-stricken, I stole down ataira. After half-a-dozen abortive efforta I struck alight and fired the train. In a moment—but why prolong this torture? You know the rest.

This is my story. What is to be done forme? If he only knew of my danger he could at once save me. But it was agreed that for greater security, he should hold no communication with me for three months. It may be longer. The only thing fixed for certain waa that ha ahould let me know his whereabouts and fix the time and place for me to join him, by Christmaa next at tbe latest. Now, say, is it better to disclose tbe truth and accept what must follow, or to keep silent and faoe the chanoes of my present position? I must have some one to advise me or I can hold my tongue no longer.

On the following morning the ChriBtmaa party at Jamee Shand's were just rising from breakfast when a knock waa heard at the door, and a telegram was handed to the master of the house.

:v

"A telegram on Christmaa day!" exclaimed Mrs. Shand, anxiously. "I hope it is nothing serious." "See for yourself," replied her husband, handing her the document, which ran thus:

Something terrible has happened. Come at onoe. CUBTIS. There was nothing for it but to go and, trains being few and far between on this particular day, Jamee Shand was in a few minutes on his way to find, out what waa the matter. He was accompanied by Mr. Arthur Dallas, his sister-in-law's intended husband.

The journey to Croydon was slow and dispiriting that from Croydon to Wickatead woree. A dense fog hung over the country. AB the two gentlemen at laat approached tbe grange, they saw that the blinds were drawn down in all the windows. The general aspect of the place was unspeakably gloomy and the more so by contrast with the Christmaa merriment which they had everywhere left behind.

Miss Curtis opened the door. Her appearance added to the alarm which filled her visitore. Her cheeks were pale, her eyes wild and bloodshot, her hair in disorder. She led the gentlemen into the drawing-room, apologizing for her condition. Almost aa soon, however, as she attempted to speak, her self-possession forsook her, and, sinking into a chair, ahe burst into a tempeet of sobs.

Some wine stood on a side table. Jamee Shand poured out a glass. After drinking it the unfortunate lady became somewhat calmer, and 'presently, in broken sentences and with many pauses, she narrated the following story: "I told you yesterday that I looked forward to the night with dread. Little did I imagine the extent of the horror in store. "On my return I found Eleanor perfectly rational and intelligent, but yet painfully excited. She spoke again of the news she expected, running out to tbe door each time the postman came, and making no secret of her disappointment when he brought only Christmas cards. "Nothing else occurred until )ust before we went to. bed. Then she suddenly cried out that she heard the noise in the cellar. In spite of all I could do to persuade her that it was imaginary, she praeently went to the door that shuts off the cellar stops. She stood there listening. Oh! I shall never forget it 'Don't you hear?' she! cried. 'There it goes, loud—rat-a-tat—tat-tatl Now soft—tat-a-tat-tat! Jane, what doea it mean?' I entreated her not to give way to such fancies. I took her by tbe arm, led her up stairs and helped her into bed. "If she heard anything more, she said nothing of it. I was tired and quickly went to deep. Suddenly—I don't know how long after—something woke me up with a start I was horrified to find the door of the room open and Eleanor's bed empty. Taking a candle I hurried down stairs. "Before I had gone many stops I heard a noise, like one or two hard blows with a hammer. I stopped and lutoned. Then there was a fearful shriek somewhere below—I hear it ringing in my ears now —and then I heard a wild cry, in Eleanor's voice, *Oh, help! help! 1 have murdered him!' Then there was a Bound as of a heavy fall. "I flaw down atairs. Alight shone up from the cellar. I went a little way down the atope, and then I saw—oh! I cannot tell you what I saw! I feel as if 1 ahould go mad when I think of it. "There was alight in the cellar. On the floor lay Eleanor, her face upturned,, her eyee fixed, blood gushing from her mouth. In tha corner was a hideous, grinning akeleton. "One leg of thia ghaatly figure waa put forward, aa if it were about to walk. The light flickered. I aeemed to see the thing moving. My head awam. I remembered nothing more but' a aenaation of falling—falling! "When I awoke it waa daylight They had carried ma upstaira. Hewitt will toll you bow they found ma—and her. For Eleanor waa dead. I know now that aha waa dead when I aaw her on the floor."

*.

It waa true. Mrs. ShanJ^was dead. Preaantly her brother-in-law tg^dlas paid brief viait to the Then, having procured

to ua laat night written by Mrs. Isaac Shand?" "There ia no reaaon now why I ahould not tall you.that it waa," replied Jamaa. "Of course, I have long regarded it aa tha production of a diaordared mind, or I ahould not have divulged the story even to you."

HI

hope it waa," reeponded Dallas. By thia time thay had reached tha cellar. On opening tha door the truth of Mra. Curtis' narrative waa at once revealed in all ita horror. In tha cheat oppoaite the door atood tba skeleton. A ghaatly patch upon the floor showed where Mrs. Shand had fallen dead.

Dallas examined tha akeleton and tha obeet containing it tha door or lid of which had been opened and swung back. "Jamea," he aaid, "this ia tha akeleton mentioned in' your story laat night." ''Doubtless, but what of that?" "What of that? Why, the atory ia dearly true except in one particular. Isaac never placed the skeleton in his room and never left the place. Hia wife, believing him to have done ao, fired tha house. From that day to this she haa remained, al Miss Curtis tolls ua, waiting to hear from him, until laat night she came down here, opened the chest and discovered the truth. That killed her." "But why should Isaac remain in his room to be burned?" "Remember what hia wife saya about the morphia. He would not be the firet man who has overdosecLbimself, either intentionally or by acdraent." "Good God, Dallae! Then she did murder him." '%!,

THK OLD LEATHER MAN."

The Death of a Connecticut Character Who Bad a Queer Hl»tory.

A private dispatch received from Coroner Sutton,1 at Sing Sing, N. Y., establishes the identity of the tramp found dead on George Dell'a farm at Mount Pleasant as the famous "Old Leather Man," who for a quarter of a century haa been a character in Connecticut. It is probable that his true history will never be known, for the queer old fellow could never be induced to speak a full sentence either in English or in the language of France, of which he was a native. The atory generally accepted, although its origin is unknown, is that his name was Jules Bourglay, and that he was a native of Lyons. In early manhood he fell in love with the daughter of M. Laron, a leather manufacturer, but her father objected, aa Bourglaywas without means. Finally M. Laron took him into his employ aa a confidential clerk, this being about 1857. Business depression led to speculationa by Bourglay with M. Laron's funds until he had ruined his employer. Bourglay became insane, and after two years' confinement in a private asylum he fled to America. He first came to public attention in Litchfield county, where he tramped around doing little joba at tinkering on the pots and kettles of the farmers'wives. He wore a suit of clothing made wholly of pieces of boot legs stitched together with thongs, as a leather belt is laced. His leather cap had a visor and waa *of a military design. His boots were discarded ones, picked up or given him, and he always added heavy woolen soles. Over each shoulder was slung a leather bag, one containing scrape of food and the other pieces of* leather. Early in the history of his ceaseless tramping he established a regular circuit, beginning in Litchfield county, thence eastward to the Connecticut river (which he never crossed), then down the river valley and weetward through New Haven county to Fairfield county, and thence northward to the starting point His trip oocupied four weeks, and in fair weather was so regular that people on the route knew to a day and almoet to the hour when to expect him. For many years until this time he had not crossed into New York. He never begged, but always took whatever food or tobacco was offered him. Every attempt to draw him into conversation wholly failed.

No weather was severe enough to interrupt his ceaseless rounds and in the terrible blizzards of last year he would have perished if sympathetic farmers had not forcibly detained him. As it was he was quite badly frozen. Some time last fall a cancer formed on his lower lip and rapidly ate its way through the jaw to the throat. He was taken into custody by the Humane society's officers near Middletown and brought to the Hartford hospital on the morning of December 3. He refused to stay and as there was no authority for restraining him he was released. Tbe next morning he appeared in North Haven, thirty miles distant, wet, cold and ravenously hungry, as shown by his eatirg six bowls of bread soaked in coffee,

THK NUN OF KBNMARE AN EPISCOPALIAN.

The Rev. Joseph Cook Introduces Her to Bis Monday Audience.

Joseph Cook introduced Miss Mary F. Cusick, the Nun of Kenmare, to his audience at Boaton on Monday, stating that she was now a member of the Church of England. The announcement created some surprise and called forth decided applause among Mr. Cook's followers. Miss Ousick is somewhat beyond middle age and bears evidence of strength in form and feature. She spoke briefly, in a somewhat weak and trembling voice, as to her desire to do something on behalf of those of the clergy in this Catholic Churcb, who have become victims of intemperance. Mr. Cook then advanced, and, in behalf of the Loyal Women's League of American Liberty, gave her a basket of flowers. Then he smiled adieu to the company, this being bis last appearance here for the season.

Literally True.

He—I tell you, the PonBonbys have got a fly house Sbe—Oh, dear I thought you "said you wouldn't uae slang any more in my presence, Algernon?

He—And I'm not. It is a fly house. There are two wings on it—[Burlington Free Press.

A,

Cheerful Disposition.

Winks—Has your wife a cheerful disposition? Minks—Oh, yes very ohemful. Laat night when I waa dancing around the room on one foot, after having stepped on a tack, ahe langbed till her Bides ached.—[Philadelphia Record.

No Vse In the Blur.

Mike the Slugger (admiring astranger) —There's a fellow wot could make a heap o' money if he'd take to prize fightin*.

Sam tbe Sport—No, he couldn't I know him he's tongue tied.—[Philadelphia Rsoord.

"Black Knot."

Hack knot" ia aaid to bo devastating ilum orchards in Rose county,phio*

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Jji

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out,

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ana wer uuuug 3 pletely cured."—John W. BenSou, ft Lawrence st., Lowell, Mass.

MINTVUW O»»J Last May a large carbuncle broke on my arm. The usual remedies hail no effect and I was confined to my tau eight weeks. A friend induced mel Ayer's Sarsaparilla. Less than bottles healea tbe sore. In all my rience with medicine, I never saw

Wonderful Resul^

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Last fall and winter I was trout with a dull, heavy pain in my sidej did not notice it much at first, biL gradually grew worse until it beel almost unbearable. During the lai part of this time, disorders of the stl ach and liver increased my troubles!

—VW-

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