Locomotive, Volume 44, Number 2, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 February 1858 — Page 1

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r,Jr'-; ELDER & HARKNESS,; "The Chariots shall rage in the streets, . they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the llshtnings.''-AW.um,it, 4. fPrinteis and Publlehcre.

VOL. XLIV.

T II K , O COJIOTIVE IS PRINTED AND PUBLISHED EVERT SATURDAY BY ELDER & HARKNESS, At their Book and Job Printing Office, on Meridian Street, Indianapolie, Ind.. opposite the Post Office. ';' TKKMS One Dollar your. Twenty-five Cents for throo months. Six copies t otio nililress for one year, Five Dollars; thirteen copies one year for Ten Dollars, IPT! invKr ii.LCiSKs.JJI No pnpur will be sent until paid for, and no paper will lo continued after the time paid for expires, unless '"look onT ma thk doss. All mall and county subscribers can know theirtinie isout lieu they see a large cross marked on theirpnper, and '.hat is always the last paper sent until the subscription is renewed. tms or uTiiTiim: Onosqitaro, C linos. or loss, 250 ins,) for I wcok 0..1fl for each sulson,iiont Insertion .... . .0 25 for three month V...3.N n for six months -. 5.W 41 it for one year, without alteration H.(M) t for onoyenr, with frequent changes 12.00 . A small reduction made on larger advertisements. 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Artiflciiil Teath, from one to a full set, Inserted on Plutinn, Gold, or Silver. . Particular uttonlini given to regulating, cleaning, and extracting Teeth. KtheT given when required. All work wnrranted, and charges reasonable. Office 2d story Fletcher & Woolloy's block, No. 8 Kast Washington street. Oct. 24-tf , . J. P. HI LI,. 0. GOLDSMITH. J. D. HIIL Fruit um Oraiamciital Nursery. THR nndersfjrned have established themselves in the Nursery business on the well known Nursery grounds formerly occupied by Aaron Aldrcdge, a few rods east of the corporation line, Indianapolis. We have on hand a general assortment of fruit trees, of such varieties as are best adapted to our soil and climate. The trees are of the very best quality. Also a very fine stock of Ornamental Sbrbbery. Jfj3 We are now ready to fill all orders promptly. Address, - HILL, GOLDSMITH 4- CO., , nov7-'57-tf .... Indianapolis, Ind. WOO LEN, YARNS OF THE KESTT QUALITY, Manufactured, at Kicliinoiid, Indiana, ' ' FOR RALE, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL, AT .. WILLAKD'S. October 24, 1857. ( Important to Young Men !!! 1 V YOU WISH TO ACQUIRE A COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE of IS 00k K.ccpi-15 in all its branches, attend IIAYDKN'K 3IEKCANTILE COLLEGE, . At Indianapolis, win-re each student is drilled at the desk, step by step, until he has mustered the entire routiueof an accountant's duties, and Is fully qualified for taking charge of any set 01 books. yjThe Evening Session has commenced. If you wish toEvening Session has commenced. If you wish toV course this winter, you should enter soon. ulur containing full pnrliculurs. address the Frio- 1 J. C. HAYDEN, Indianapolis, Ind. , com pi jte a co 101 a cireu cipal, oct!7-ly JOSIAH LOCKE. ERIE LOCKS. JLOCKH & BKOTHElt, : INS!' RANCH AGENTS. N. W. Cor. Washington and Meridian st's, over Uunlop's Store, IUHMPOI,IS,IDllKA. nARTFOKI) IXSIJIMNCE CO., of Hartford Conn., Nett Assets, 854?,82fl 74 Home Insurance Co.. of New York, Nett Assets,. 8";2,823 00 Phoenix Insurance Co., of Hartford, Conn., Kelt Assets, 309,149 94 Farmer's Union Insurance Co., of Athens Fenn., Nett Assets, 237,138 82 City Fire Insurance Co., of Hartford, Conn., Kelt Assets, 201,085 49 New England Life Insurance Co., of Boston Mass., Nett Assets, 1,074,826 95 CharterOak Lite Insurance Co., of Hartford, Conn., July 4, '57 1-y Nett Assets, 495,702 29 w. k. KEYS. JAS. II. SKY BOLD. C E N X II E -51 A K n L K VV O K K S ! KEYS tV S E Y B O L, D , Wholesale and Ketall Dealers in ' ' ITALIAN AND AMERICAN MAEBLE! Meridian St, Opposito tlio Post Office, Indianapolis, Ind. OUK stock of Marble Is selected with great care, und is superior to most of stocks any whore. Those who wish to purchase choice kinds are invited to visit our works. Orders to auv extent, and for any kind required, will be f rnished on short notice. All work executed in the best of workmanship, and of tlie most approved order nnd style. IVJoillllllfnt.K. liravn Ntniip.. Onilntor.. Tuhln.Tmic B .... I 1 ... . I . ' conslantly on hand, or fumislied to order. . N. H. Persons wanline nnytliins in our line, will find it to their interest to give us a call before purchasing elsewhere. Keniember opiiosite P.O. inay23-ly K. J. BALDWIN & CO., J E W E L E R S. No. 1 Hales House. rilHAXKFUL FOK PAST FAVORS, would respectfully bee I leave to inform the public that they are still on hand'with their usual full assortment of every thing in thu way of Watches, Jewelry, Silver Ware, fcc. Wo wish it distinctly understood that we do not keep the'lowpneed, bogus Watches and Jewelry, Kntlen ui, for iinetion sales; but will guarantee to sell good, honest articles as low as can possibly be had elsewhere in the West. OurSiler fareis warranted equal to Coin; our Watchei bound to go and keep time, and all our goods just what we represent them to be. "iiiiuti rooi i-au ami examine lor yourselves. . - We hiiye the best Wat. iimxker in the country in our employ, so bring on your Watches. ' fob2-tf QUEENSWAKE. I KKCT importation per Ships '-Northland" and"Mnsongus," !HI Crates in Store, assorted in White Iron Sir,.. I) Hilling Ware, new styles; . Tea do do Toilet do .' do Dishes; Bakers, &c. , "g"ilf K- 16. West WagWHgton'itroit. House, Sign and Ornamental Paintin. "!" mow prepared to make contracts for Painting in al7"its branches, and those who entrust work to m miv b. nl! red of it being satisfactorily done. 1 wonlTrSctrnHv solu it of those who intend to have P,i,,ii?.ll a resI'cctr "'7 m i 1,0 ,he be8t w orli lhe cheapest cl arg?, 18 trdrs for si);n Paili11?. ,rompl executed i.y the best workmen, and in all cases warranted Lli9factory. 7

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INDIANAPOLIS,

From Grahams Magazine for March. HAM MURDOCH'S CONFESSION. ' ' ' BY EDWARD SPENCER. I have preferred to let the fnllowlngennfession stand exactly as It was written sonio mistakes in spelling, and a few of the grosser gratnatical errors being alone corrected for though necessarily coarse and rnde ii; ninny places, there is a genuine sincerity and earnestness about it that would suffer from any attempt at alteration; and, being convinced that desperado and ruffian though ho was, there was an under current of kindliness in Ham Murdoch's nature, I nm exceedingly unwilling to run any risk of losing a chance to impress the reader with the same conviction. Let the rentier tlierefnro peruse the last words of an unfortunate social pervert witli all the consideration due to one in his circumstances. K. S. Martin's Nest, Md., 1858. Doctor, They Lave given mo a good lamp, pens, ink and paper, and a little table Lere, in my cell, expecting mo to write my confession, as they call it, so that they may make money out of it, by my shame. and every dirty boy cry " The Last Words and Con-1 iession ot Ham Alurdocb. But 1 11 fool them. You've been clever to me, doctor, and to show you I aint so hard but what I can fuel grateful, I mean to seal this up when I've finished it, and direct it to you with a good-by, to do whatever you- choose with it. Yes, this is all the dying confession Ham Murdoch's going to make. And it's easy to tell why. There are two ways of making a confession, as everybody knows ; one is when a fellow wants to make believe he dies game, and rollicks off a whole lot of stuff, truth and lies mixed together, to make himself out a hundred times worse than he is. But I tell you, doctor, the roan who does that is the biggest coward of all, and if he does go up the gallows without shaking, it's brandy and notliis own lugs that is the cause. Another sort put in a whole sermon-like about repentance, and being sorry, and telling young men to take warning by their example, and all that sort of thing, but it's all gammon. Only an ignorant nigger is fool enough to think he's going to heaven, because he's said his prayers when he finds ho can't get a pardon. Besides, none of them tull the truth. They make themselves out worse or belter than they realty are, all the time. But this is neither here nor there. I'm not going to make any regular confession myself, because people wouldn't bolivo it, any how you could fix it Besides, everybody knows all about me, or thinks ho does. Everybody knows I've been a real high-tlyer in the burglar way, and have cracked more places than most men of my age. Everybody believes, of course, that I've killed dozens of people, and all I could say to the contrary wouldn't show a wrinkle in my favor. Well, they're welcome to their belief; it don't hurt me a straw, though it did use to trouble mc, in court, to hear every man call me a " blood thirsty villain," and all that sort of stuff, and to see the women stretch their heads almost out of their bonnets, to get a sight at the '.' great robber and murderer," Ham Murdoch. You never did, though, and if it will make you think any better of me, why, I'm free to confess that I never shorted any man's life but one, and that's what they're going to string me up for ; and, so far as that affair is concerned, I don't think I'm as much to blame as they make out, and maybe, if I'd had a good character, or plenty of money, I'd got off a good deal cheaper. I did more for " Crinky Stove" than anybody else would have done, I know, and he and Phoebe both knew that I was not a fellow to let any man fool me about my firl. -, Besides, I aint certain that I meant to kill him. struck him hard, I know, but my hand aint used to giving love-taps at any time, much less when I'm mad. But I didn't mean to say a word about that affair. Steve is dead, and I m to pull hemp tor it, and it s all in the newspaper, so tliat you can judge best for yourself. I meant to tell about another thing altogether, sometiling that I think I needn't be ashamed of, even it was to be told in church. It s about the only good thing I ever did, I do believe, and I think I ought to be proud of it. I reckon it's about seven years ago since it happened. I was friends then with " rowdy Joe," as they used to call her, a girl that I really believed loved me, bad as we both were. 1 had plenty ot mon ey then, having made a good hit in crack style, and, as I had thrown tlie cops off the track altogether I made it fly very fast. I'm a decent-looking man, as everybody knows, when I choose to look so, and can wear shiny clothes as well as any gentleman. As for Joe, she used to be a splendid-looking woman, and she knew how to dress and act like a lady when she had the money. Well, when we two were together, and dressed up, we were as respectable a pair as needs be, and we used to walk about the streets arm-in-arm, so that mighty few people would have guessed what jailbirds we really were. You may be sure though that some of the polite counter-hoppers suffered by us, for of all the lifters I ever saw, Joe could do the exquisitest piece of work. I've seen her many a time carry off a whole piece of silk right before a man's eyes, and he never once suspicion her. But I don't mean to tell you about prigging now, though it was her stealing habit that brought about the whole affair. You see, it happened this way : Me and Joe was walking on the street one day, dressed as decent as a lleverend and his wife, and I was talking to her about a piece of crack work I meant to do in a night or two, when she caught my hand, quick-like, and said, " Look there, Ham," nodding her head toward a young woman just getting into a carriage in front of a store door. I'll swear she was the prettiest creature I ever see in all my life. If I was a man of schoaling and could write poetry, she would just a been the first I'd have made verses to. She had great big bright eyes, not exactly blue, but nearer that than any other color. I never aw such eyes in my life. They looked full of something that made me somehow feel ashamed of myself, and they seemed so innocent that I don't really believe she knew what sin was. Then her hair curled all round her face, as if she had so much she didn't know what to do with it, and her hps I'd a gone to the States Prison a year, if she'd have let me kiss her. There was a little boy on the front seat of the carriage, maybe three years old, and I knowed he was her child, from the way she looked at him, and smoothed down his clothes. " Aint she pretty J" says I to Joe. " Nonsense," says she, cursing for she would swear, and worse than anybody I ever heard ; women always do when they so down hill, especially such as have been well brought up, as Joe was I mean, come of good stock. " I didn't mean you to look at the lady," (she didn't say lady, though,) " but at the ring on her finger; it's a real diamond, and a splendid one, and I mean to have it, so look at it." , I said nothing, though I felt pretty much crossed, for you see, doctor, iust then I thought of the mighty difference between the two women, as if one belonged to Heaven, and the other was on the high road to the contrary but I looked at the ring as I walked by. I think it was from over the water, for they havn't learned to make such fine work on this side yet. Joe said she. was going to follow the carriage, and find out where the lady belonged, as she left me, and I walked on, flunking about the difference between the two girls all the time. That night Joe came home to my crib, and said she'd found out where the girl lived, and that I must plan to get the ring for her, for she had set her heart upon having it. I knowed it was no use making any fuss about it, for she would have just gone and left me, and like as not peached, so I told her I would undertake the job as soon as I could fix the points of the thing. She told me where to go, how many were in family, how many servants, and which was the woman's room she always was the devil for finding out things, that Joe, and could plan a nicerlay than the sharpest cracksman I ever saw. The next dav I besan to look at the place and see how I could get in best, and so for two or three days

EYD SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1858.

niore. I found I could enter by the yard gate, pry ( vjrt.u a iwjivuuu wmuow, suu uiuu wic way was cicar to gut up stairs. Unco in the lady s bedroom, where she and her husband slept, with the boy in a trundle-bed at the foot of their, (Joe found that out,) I would have to quiet them all w ith chloroform, so as to get tlio jewelry and silver. It was a ticklish business, but I was used to it, and didu't much mind, only I hated to steal into that innocent creature's room, that's a fact I don't know how it was, I'm not squeamish, but I'd have done most any thing in God's world for her. Well, I planned to look around one day more, to see if any thing new was on, nnd then to do the job iu regular good style the night after. t I went round there early in the morning, and the first thing I saw was crapo on tlio door ! I was never so taken aback in all my life. I went back to my crib right off, and sunt Joe to find out what was up. She wasn't goue long before she came inagain, and told mc the pretty lady was dead, but for allthatshe meant to have the ring. , It seems the tiling chanced some' how this way : tho day before the lady was in good health, but full down at dinner in a kind of sudden fit, of what sort tlie doctors couldn't rightly say, but she never moved any more, and in an hour she was gone. I felt queer, 1 tell you, to think that one as pretty and as good as her should have to go in that stylo, when a bloke like me could stay longer than he wanted lo. I asked Joe what she meant to do, but she only told me she'd fix it, got some money from mc, and went out It might have been four hours before sho come back, and then sho was awful Hurried. She set down and didn't say any thing for about five minutes, thou she spoke up short and quick, and said, " I've seen her." " What !" says I, " aint she dead alter all ?" " Yes," says sho, " but I saw her in her own house, where she is laid out" " Then you've got that ring, I reckon," says I, feeling kind of eickish to think what a devil Joe was, fori knew she'd been there to steal that ring from the pretty lady's corpse. " No," says she, getting mad, " I haint got it, but I'll have it, or die trying." When she told mc how it was, and just show you what sort of a woman she was, I'm minded to give you tho state of the caso in a word or two. It seems Joe went round to the house where the dead young woman was, opened the door like one of the family, and walked right up-stairs into, the front bedroom where the pretty creature was laid out It happened that there wasn't anybody in the room at the time, so Joe goes right up to the dead girl, and the first thing sho sees is that ring. She did'nt make no bones about it, seeing that time was precious, but begun right away to slip it off of. the finger. While she had the hand in hers, she hears a step right behind her, and looking round, who should she see but the husband, mighty pale, but frowning black. He caught hold of her shoulder, and, says he : " Who are you, and what arc you doing here !" ... This would have fetched almost anybody right up standing, but Joe was the cutest girl on a surprise I ever heard tell of. " Oh, sir," says she, dropping on her knees, and bringing the red to her face in a way some women have, " oh, sir, pray pardon me. I know I havn't any right here, in her room, she so pure and angel-like, and I so wicked, but-but she was so good and kind to me, indeed I couldn't help come to see her once before they put her in the ground," and then she goes on to tell him a story about they being school mates together, ltea -she was young and hadn't waned, and how, after, when she had fallen, and grown to be a low, vile creature, and all her friends had forsaken her, and sent her to the dogs, his angel-wife that's what she called her had gone to her and tried to raise her out of the mud, got her a home, gave her money and decent employ, and that sort of thing ; so how could she help trying to get a last look at her best and only friend ? All this I know she said in that devilish deceiving way that made her the artfulest creature living ; and the poor fool took every word for gospel-truth, (seeing it was just like what his wife would do,) and got tender-hearted toward her, and promised to see that his wife's charge was not allowed to fall throuoh. And then she asked in a hesitating kind of way if she might go to the funeral, and he promised he would see she got a good place, after wliich she camo away. . I felt kind of afraid to ask her, but I did : " You aint going to the funeral, Joe ?", " Ham," says she, looking at me full in the fece with that devil's eye of hers, " didn't I say I'd have that ring in spite ?" I said no more, for I knew it was no use ; so Joe went to the funeral the next day, dressed in black, and looking so decent that nobody could a guessed what she was. I didn't go out of the ken all that next day. I don't know why, but Joe's doings about that ring worried me so. I reckon, I never made uny pretences to being squeamish, and never was a man to flinch from any job on account of consequences, but I do say there are some things beat my power of doing, and that job of Joe's was just one of them. , . As soon as she com home and set down, flinging her bonnet totlier side the room, desperate-like, I knew she'd missed it I didn't say a word, though, only set still and filed away at a pattern key I was making. Soon she got. up, and snatching file and key out of my liQnfl flunnr f.ripm inrn tho firp.-nlaoe. " Ham Murdoch," says she, her eye9 flashing as if she wanted to cut somebody s throat, " Ham Murdoch, you're no man." Says I " No more I aint, Joe, for any such job as this you've been trying to put through." She kept quiet for about five minutes, and then she comes quiet-like, and sits down in my lap. " Ham," says she, " they've put her in a vault'' I never was so mad in my life. I catched her by the throat, and chucking her way tother side the room, said : " You she-devil ! if you say any thing more of this to me, I'll beat your brains out." But she was too much for me, after all, and had her own way. Sometimes, when I've been to a show, I've looked at the she-tiger, and thought how she would serve the keeper if she was only free, and could catch him once where she knew he couldn't get away how she would enioy it to see him cornered, and how she would kill him little by little, mouthing and touzling, and patting him, because of her hate ! Well, Joe put me in mind of just such a thing, then. She knew me out and out, and had guessed just how I felt toward the dead young woman. How I hated her for it, then. She came slowly up to me, her devil's eye all afire with what always scared nie, (and, mind you, I aint much o-iven to being scared, Doctor,) her mouth smiling in a perfect kind of malice and spiteful hate, mixed together so that I can't describe it, and her two fists clenched. "Very well, then, Ham Murdoch," said she, in a kind of slow, hissing tone of voice, "very well. We are quits on that subject. You wont get the ring huf. will. But, 1 reckon, Ham Murdoch, saw snei drawing the "words slowly out, for she knowed how they hurt me; "I Teckon, Ham Murdoch, the woman's fripnds will wish you'd done the iob, since I don't feel very kind toward her, after the trouble she's given me; and J aint afraid of consequences, here nor hereafter," ami then she picked up her bonnet and started out But I was too quick for her, then, and caught her before she got the door open. AVhen I laid my hands on lior tlipn. I felt more like doins; murder than the devil ever put it into my mind to feel before or since ; I rould have done it with one blow of my fist, and I rakpil it twice over her if she'd a flinched, I'd have killed her, certain, but she looked me study in the eye, and didn't wink nor get pale, and I couldn't strike

her; being so brave, 1 let go of her, and took my seat

again. "Joe," says I, "people hit the riu'ht nail on the head when they nick-nained you 'hull-bird.' You're worse than ever I want to bo, and that's saying a good deal, seeing my name's Ham Murdoch. Just stay here, will you, now, and give mc no more bother about it. I'll get the ring but, mind, don't say another word about it, for I'd sooner a long sight slit your weasand than do such a job." She didn't say any more, for she knew me, and knew I wasn't to be trifled with. . . . . Perhaps you mayn't believe mc, doctor, but of all the things I ever undertook, from first to last, this one hurt me most of any. It was robbing the grave-yard that put mo out, I'm certain, since most of us cracks have to get used to that sort of thing, it belonging to the protassion, so to speak, and I'd had a hand in many a dangerous resurrection for you doctors, who get more bodies out of private grave-yards than people think you know that It was something about that woman something that made me afraid of her, afraid to go near her, afraid to touch her. When I thought of breaking open her coffin, it seemed to me the same kind of thing as if I'tl gone about to handle fine silk or velvet with great greasy hands. I can't make out my meaning very clear, but may be you can guess at what I want to say. I felt mad wilh myself, just as I would have felt with any body I saw trying to corrupt and ruin an innocent child. The next day Joe and I rode out to the grave-yard, that she might show mo the vault, and I planned to do it that night, for I wanted to have the business off my hands as quick as possible. I put a short axe, a cotiplo of files, a cold-chisel, a "jimmy," my dark-lantern, a heavy "billy," and a bottle of brandy, in my pockets, together with a steel-bit or two, in case I should have to bore, and started out about half-past eleven. The grave-yard was near the upper edge of town, and I had a pretty smart walk of it bulore 1 got there. It was a dark; rainy night, and no moon, which just suited me. I had looked about pretty close, when I was there in the day-time, and knew my course all through. I went round to tlie side farthest from the gate-way, because the wall was low there, and the vault near by, only about one hundred yards from tho place were I got over. I found it without much trouble, and getting out my tools, Went right to work, knowing what I had to do; on account of having seen the fastenings by day-light. ; First, I oiled tlie hinges, so as to keep them from creaking too loud. The door was Iron, and was fastened by a bar, with a padlock and chain to it, on the outside, and a heavy double-bolted lock to the door itself. I pried the padlock open and got the bar down in short order, but the other lock gave me some trouble. I was afraid to blow it, on account of the flash, and it was too strong for my keys. However, I got at it with bit and drirer, bored a hole large enough to get in the chisel, and then managed, after a little tugging, to send the bolt back in the lock. Tho door swung easy. I looked around to see if the coast was clear, put the tools in my pocket. took a good swig of brandy, and then caught hold of ine aoor to go in. jlsui, on my woru, x was out and out afraid. J felt more like running away than going in there where she was, and for the life of me, couldn't make up my mind to do it lor more than live minutes. However, it was to be done, and I knew it was no use- for me to be stopping there, so I gave the door a swing open, stepped m, and pulled the door to beliind me, struck a light in my lantern. It was a low, damp place, with stone-shelves allaround, one above the other. There were four coflins in there, three of them old, with the cloth that covered them all mouldy, and peeled off in places. The other was right new. I would have known it anyhow, though, by reason of one ol tlie handles being pulled out, screws and all, which happened, as Joe told me, just as they were putting it into the vault I put the lantern down on the coffin, which was on the lower shelf, and looked in through the glass-plate. I declare, it made me feel all-overish, to see that pretty lady there, just as I had seen her in the street, except for her white cap and rat.npr nnlp fjipp. anrl lipv hritrhr. pvpa hpino- nlnsprl T didn't dare look at her long, "but got out my screw-bit, and begun to take the top of the coffin off for the hands were crossed so low down, that I couldn t reach them by opening the glass-lid. . I soon got the top loose, and setting the lantern on the shelf, took the whole otl. Ihen i turned to look at the poor thing again, iter eyes wereu t a Dit sunken, only shut, as if she had just fallen asleep. I threw the light full on her face, and I couldn't look at her. I put the lantern up again, and taking hold of her hand, slipped the ring off as gently as might be, and put it in my pocket. I felt glad I had come, then, for I knew Joe wouldn't have done it, as gently as I did. Then 1 laid the lid on again, and began to screw it down. But, before I got one screw back in its place, I began to get so nervous ana tremoiy mat t naaio quit, i ien nice i wouiu drop down if I didn't get away from there quick. I don't know what it was the close, damp smell, maybe so I took up my lantern, turned the glass down, and started to go out. Just as I was opening the door, I heard something that set me all ot a shiver a kind ot rustling like, not loud, but sounding very plain in that still place. I wanted to cut and run, I tell you, but I thought it would never do for Ham Murdoch to get scared in a grave-yard. So I turned back, and threw the light of the lantern around the vault, thinking maybe it was a rat that had got in somehow. But I didn't see any thing. Then I heard it again this time plainer and it seemed to come from the poor lady's coffin. Just as I was on the point of making a bolt for I was so scared, that I didu't know what I was about the whole top of the coffin slid off, and fell to the ground with a smash, breaking the glass into flinders! I couldn't stand it any longer. I shot through the door, and ran away among the bushes, as hard as 1 could tilt. 1 stood out here maybe two minutes, wondering what it was that made me so much afraid because they used to say you might as well try to scare the devil as Ham Murdoch. Then a kind of shame begun to come over me, and I argufied with myself about what it could be. 1 wasn t atraid of ghosts nor spirits, as many people are, in the least, because I nev er yet found anybody that had seen one and I knew that I was a match for almost any flesh-and-blood creature that might come at me. Thinks I, maybe it's that poor girl's husband come to watch around his dead wife's grave it's what I'd a done, had she been mine but how could he get in there ? Any how, I made np my mind to go back, and see the thing out, what ever it mifrht be. So I clinched my hand around the "billy," in case any thing should attack me, and walked back to the vault. "When I opened the door, the lantern on the floor was throwing its light toward me. I went in, closed the door to on me again, and reach ed down bt hand to pick up the ghm. Just then I heard a kind of faintish voice, but very clear and sweet, say "Charlie, Charlie ? I'm cold. Give me some more cover, please." Then the whole thing flashed upon me like lightning. The girl had only gone off into a long sort of faint, and they had buried her alive. " In ticklish times, Ham Murdoch aint a man to stop and think, he goes ahead right off, and generally does the best that can be done. So it was then. I turned the bull's-eye quick toward the coffin, and there she was, half-sitting up, and rub bing her eyes I 1 duln t give her a chance to see me, but blew the light out quick. Then I heard her say, complainingly "Charlie, where are you ? Where am I ? " I made a quich step toward her, and says "Madam, can you trust me '!" , That minute she began to scream, as I expected

NO. 2.

and I clapped my hand over her mouth right off, for it wouldn't have done for me to be caught there, of course. She was very weak, and couldn't make much noise, so I caught her with my arm as she sunk back, nnd lifted hur out of the coflin as easy as I could, on to tlio floor. She was going to faint, but putting her feet upon the cold stone pavement, brought hur to a little, and I felt her tremble against my arm. "Madam," says I again, in as soft a tone as I could use, "madam, can you trust me ?" She broke out all over in a tremble, and asked " "Oh! where am I?" Says I, "Madam, do not faint; try not to faint yet awhile. I have saved your life, and I want you to listen. Stop taste this " and I put tho brandy to her lips, making her take a good drink. "Now,"'l went on to say, "lean against me, (poor thing, she was so weak she had to do it, in spite of herself,) and I'll tell you in a word, if you can bear it You had a fit, and everybody thought you were dead, as I did, till a minute ago and " "This is the grave! Yes but how " "Stop, madam I" says I, "this is the vault. Do nov faint now, I pray you." " But why are you here ? and Charlie where " "I can't tell you all now," says I, "only I am come to save you, if you will trust me. Wrap yourself up in this coat, for it is cold, and I will carry you home." "But what" "Oh, yes," said I, "I see you do not trust me yet, madam. Take one more drink out of this bottle it will strengthen you. There; now I will show you where you are," audi struck a match against the wall. The pale bluish light had hardly begun to show the walls and damp-mould and the coffins, when I felt her heavy against me, and knew she had fainted again. I lit the bull's-eye to see what I was about took the tools out of my pocket, laid them on the floor, put hur arms in tho sleeves of my heavy coat, then wrapped it close round her, and buttoned it. I took my bowieknife from my belt, stuck it in my breast-pocket where it would bo handy, and tied my "billy" to my wrist for I was determined to carry her safe through, come what might All right, thought I now but, no I took that ring out of my pocket, and put it back on her finger again why, I can't exactly say, only I did it because I couldn't help it. Then I wrapped her little feet np in my woolen comforter, tied my handkerceief over her head, and picked hur up in my arms she was very light and , went out of the vault, blowing out the light and closmg . tho door she being still in the faint' It wasn't raining much, then, and luckily, the wind had gone down. I started off pretty fast, I tell you, for I had about two miles to go, and slim chance of meeting a hack; and I ditln't know but the poor thing might die on my hands. I ran through the grave-yard to the wall, laid lier on the top, jumped over, and pulled her down to me. Then I started off at a pretty quick trot for the city. She wasn't heavy but it was rather tiresome carrying her, being such'an unhandy bundle. I guess we'd gone on about a quarter of the way, and were getting into the built-up streets pretty much, when a watchman jumped out of the shadow of the houses, and mado a grab at me. I wasn't in a trifling humor, as I brought "billy" pretty heavy down upon his head, and he dropped like lead, without a bit of noise. 1 didn't stop to see whether he was hurt he was laid up two months by it, I heard but crossed the street and turned inlo another. Two or three squares more, and I knew she had come to, by the way in which she helped to carry her. "Do you trust me, now ?" said I. - She answered, "Yes." , . "Don't say any thing, then only put your arm around my neck, to hold on better, and keep up your spirits. I am taking you home." "Do you know where to go V" she asked. "Yes, I know the very house." And I told her the street and number. That seemed to do her much good; and I knew by the way she held on to me, after' that, that she wasn t afraid ot me. A little further on, and I heard the rattle of a car riage coming toward me. Then I saw it a hack turn the corner into the street I was in, and come rat ling toward me. Can you stand here a minute, madam ?" says I. putting her down in a door-way. "If you can, I'll get that hack, and we'll get home quicker." xes, says sne, iaint-uKe. I ran into the street as it came on, and told the driver to stop and take a sick woman home. He swore he wouldn't, and tried to drive on, but I caught his horses, and told him to stop, or I'd shoot him. "(jet down, says 1, pointing my billy at him as if it was a pistol, "got down, and come here." As soon as he got near me, I knew him, and said "Murphy, open your door. I'm Ham Murdoch, so be civil. You'll yet a fare that will pay, if you keep mum, for this aint a common game." Ho was mighty civil, I tell you. I went to the young woman, who had sunk down in the door-way. isays l, "Maaain, keep up your courage a minute longer, and you'll be home. It is all right, now." lhen 1 helped her into the hack, got a horse-blanket from Murphy, and wrapped it round her; and then, thinking it would put her in better spirits, asked her to give the hack-man his directions. He stared when she told him, but didn't say any thing, driving off at a half-run, as I told him to. As soon as we got off, the poor creature began to cry, and tremble all over, wliich I thought would do her no harm, so I said nothing, only getting her to take another little taste of brandy. In about five minutes, we hauled up to her door, and the hackman gave a tremendous pull at the bell. Tlie window up stairs was opened, and a man's voice asked "Who's there ?" hearing which, the poor young woman fell all in a heap upon me again, said, "Poor Charlie !" in a low whisper, and fainted dead. I laid her back on the seat softly, jumped out feeling kind of queer myself and said to the husband "Come down, quick, here's good news for you !" He drew in, shut the window down, and I knew he would come. Thon a servant-man opened the door. "Where's a fire, John 't" says I to him. "In the parlor, sir; but " "No time for 'buts,' " says I, catching him up quick. "Here's a miracle. You must run like mad for her doctor 7ier own, mind you." " Her own . " says he, in a mighty scared kind of way. "Yes, hers, your mistress doctor and be no time about it If it takes you more than a quarter of an hous, you're a murderer ? D'ye hear ?" While I was saying this, I had taken her out of the hack, keeping her face hid under the handkerchief, for fear it would scare the man's life out of him; and, making him show the way, carried her in my arms to the parlor, and laid her down on the sofa, wheeling it up near the grate. "Now," says I to him, as he stood staring an,4 trembling, "John, jump into that hack, arid fly for the doctor." "But, sir," says he, eyeing me in a mighty suspicious kind of way, " what am I to go for ? I don't like" " You don't like my looks, ch ? Well, Mr will be down directly, and I guess he'll think I am the best looktng man in these parts when I tell him my news. John," says I, going up to him and whispering, "John, your mistress has come to life. There she is, and if the doctor don't see her before she gets over this faint, he won't be able to save her life." And I lifted up the handkerchief so as to show him her face." The fellow continued on the fourth tage.