Constitutional Whig. [volume], March 06, 1827, Image 4

About Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832

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tiutn ih f .A m 1 ork Morning Chronicle*
ith mitre than ordinary pleasure we call tin* reader's
attention in t:>e following t>**:«titifttl poem. It is the pro
i.nc.tuit ot \ lady as yet not seventeen, a resident of one
id our western coumie.-. We trust that we shall he pre
sented witli many mote flowers from the rich garden ot the
west.
2\>r the Mtrain" CL,.:>.r -
ROMANCr.
->o more the .sound of revelry
Is heard within the loid.’y ha".
/. • i warrior's jest and maiden's ; j e
And minstrel's son? have sunken a".
A. louder note is heard afar,
'Flic clarion eiy calls on to war.
And that deep deathpcal stills the strain
That «-hoecl from those walls again.
Minstrel! thy harp enn charm no more,
Maiden! thy dream of bliss is oVr;
Thy warrior starts in haste to grasp
The battle sword, and flings aside
Ti:-.- last fond agonizing clasp
Of her he vow'd to make bis bride.
No thoughts are now for love and tine!
Young glory points bis destiny
Where waves on high the banner cro<t
And the tude war-ciy lulls to rest.
tricep on bine lake—a lonely one
Is gazing on thee now;
OVr whose young heart the wave of Ufa
Flow’d calm and bright as thou —
T he iay ttiat lit the stream is gone,
A ml it glides on, dull, dark and lone.
How proudly stood that warrior knight.
How joyoudy the sun-beam's play' i
V* hen glittering steel and armour fright
liespoke him fur the fight array'd.
The plume upon his ens pie was fair
Ami one bright jewel bound i; there,
A’or e>r io monarch's diadem
lies shone a brighter, purer gem.
'i nat ivaninr pass’d to meet the foe.
'1 lien cmnc the mingled din of str.: •,
And steel to steel in deadly blow.
And lire close grapple—life to lif*.
’i ne battle tide rush'd darkly on
O'er many a proud and lofty one —
And clang of sword—and crash of sj'**ar
One mighty tumult struck the. car.
AVherc'cr the deadliest conflict broke,
Where'er the camion's thornier woke,
That warrior met the fight,
Till backward sunk the Piemen's Iraki
Like the iccnil of ocean’s wave—
Then upiick—impetuous o'er tsir* plain
•Stiil foremost mid the victors brave
That wanior led the victor hand;
And blood—red blood was on his ban 1,
And blood was on his plume of snow;
!'"t ah still bright the gem below.—
How pure that jew el must have been
To cross each dark am! deadly scene,
And mingle in such fierce affray,
A ct pass unstiiled and bright away.
‘•And now the virtm’s chaplet bring,
We’ll twine it on his brow’’—
Its dark green honors sure will fling
A shade upon the gem below.
Ah no—it sparkles bright and clear
Tito’ to his heart perchance le-.s dear;
And though the laurel steals a -ay
Remembrance ofits pearly ray,
It cannot chase that gam nu.ty
Aor sully o’er itspuiity.
ll.uk— where the menu-beams brig.. 1:3’ site;)
Ljion the waveless sen,
What spirit forms tlieir vigils keep
In notes of music softly deep?
It is tlo/ voice fair Italy.
Oli never let thy sorcery come
Ac»o«s the wanderer's career—■
l‘il teach him to forget bis horns
And the toft blue eye wcaping there.
1
That warrior bravr, now treads the halls
Where Syren songs of pleasure flow, i
The fairy chaplets deck the walls,
And bright eyed beauty smif-s below.
A thousand blazing lustres stream,
Bright as the meteor of the pole,
Joy crossM tiie wild enchanted dream
And flungliis fetters o’er the sou).
That warrioi plucked the sweetest flower,
The brightest wreath was twined for him,
Rut ’ucath the witchery ol that hour,
All—di ! the gem beneath grow dim!
Deep was the magic of the scene,
A rosy circle bound his brow—
Still all forgotten and unspeii
The gem was pure and blight below.
Ami when the flower has pass'd away
And the fair form of beauty gone, j
Iveymid the touch ofiluil decay
Still will that jewel sparkle on.
iiat was its ray ‘;i pearly fair
Ml time and chance and change above?
fives woman bad:-, it spaikle there,
• a emblem of a woman's love.
* di vomit not —’twill closest cling
M * . •> nil is d;,j|r hn t sorrowing,
'A d! gild for thee life':; stormy wave
And beacon thee beyond the grave®
_____ tVORNA.
JUfffeeUftueonrj jjjjjrpavtnicnt.
From .Vushcdlc JVali'mal Manner, of January 1 1.
JJEAFCTlAMFVj CONFESSION.
'Vo have read, with much interest, (he long promis
ed publication, which lias recently made its appearance
ill Kentucky, entitled the "Confession of Jeroboam
O. Beauchamp, v:hp vats r ecoiled at Frankfort, Ky.
on the 1th of July. I fivJG, for the murder of Col.
Solomon /*. Sharp ’• It is an octavo pamphlet of a
huiit K50 pages, wiittun with great plainness and sim
plicity, in a:i energetic, hut loose, incorrect style, dis
playing some knowledge of mankind, great coolness, i
perseverance, airl decision of character, and no small !
obliquity of moral principle, united with many bono- 1
rahle ai I elevated sentiments and feeling. It i*-, an '
unblushing avowal of the most cool, deliberate, and i
unbending system of revenge and of blood thirsty vio- j
Icnco. Not an admission of guilt, not a compunctious |
visiting of con,eierico, is to he discovered throughout
all its details of crime. The statements of facts
•<io minute and plausible, and although coming
fi run a condemned felon, whose character anil a
vowed conduct entitle him to hltlo credit; although
abounding with adventures almost tno lomantic for
real It to, they cannot be read without interest, are!
scarcely, we imagine, without an inclination of the
mind to regard ♦hem as tiue. Considering the cir
cumstances under which >1 must have been written,
ll.i pamphlet ill- plays in if author no inferior intellect
but \uv. sentimenCs it express' , and the mimes it bold- 1
ly avows, ir,.r,t excite the abhorrence and call forth
i!ie in Iigmit.ii m every virtuous mini. As the work
has been but little read in Tonne; ec, and as the
transactions to which d irbil-s have excited very ze
ncral interest, wo h-vo felt it to bo ,„)r d Ky as cate
rers for the public la te, to ,b vote a bw columns to an
account of lbs content* amt some catiuct. «io.n its pa
grs.
Thc a"\hnr ,ir''?n5 " "h King fiat he j, condemned
to ♦.!•. a no the,, proceed, with re -;«■». 11„ the character
r>l Ins n iri.i'iv. :
“I shall abandon all studied style, ! h:,j] „rly jn
i ' >nic language r oid hr.'. . I do cot regard to dir.
My hie has moved all who too J allied to me, by ei
tl.er tics of kindred or friend,tup, more (ban it hasnio.
I -un afi lii'l. | 'ie for puisuing, what the dictate
of my clearc d and most del.bcro'c judgment bad de
termined it was at least justifiable in me to do, if not
joy duty to do and for which, no guilty p ing of con
pi.if.nco I.a1 t v or yet ieproved nto, oi fho • ci*am pros.,
pci of denth to, :r me fc I Uic icgref; and if mv ,
(Ji atb fc-rl>rs a resp<r| f<„ the laws of my country, rny ,
rxaiupb will brj not lev, serviceable, in fm- hing a re
r; ‘ t tor the* ■ law?of hoi.< r, to ».-vei- r. j|,«. viG.'ation 1
: ' !,-b' -f bit,!: / rj ftce- lit
J nr seuwmcnts an.i lei here avontu ate repeat
ed !y expressed throughout the work, and, no doubt,
actuated the writer in the commission ot the horrid
act of assassination, in which lie seems to exult and
glory. Hegites a hriet narrative ot the prominent
events of his early life; Ins education at school. Ins
professional studies, his first knowledge of t 'ol- Sharp,
Ui«kh:s petsevering and ultimate!* siicce- .lu! effort to
nPPbme acquainted with Miss Cook, his future wife,
the source ol his crimes aud the chief cause of Ins un
timely end. lie says,
‘•Mingling with my acquaintances of the bar at Glas
gow, and those attending the com Is there from Bow
‘•nggreen, I was attracted .by a general burst of gene
rous indignation amongst them, towards Col. Solomon
I’. Sharp, of the bar, horn Bowlinggreen, for the sc
duction of Miss Arm Cook of that place. 1 was ac
‘ quainter! with Col. Sharp personally, and somewhat in
timately too, for being greatly delighted with his clo
1 qnence, and designing to study the law myself, I had
; his acquaintance, and had expressed sumo
thought of endeavoring to place myself in a situation,
where I could study under his direction. I should
; iiavc mentioned to him mv wish, hut for this very story
about Miss Coo.c. ' uiv, I was not personally acquain
ts "‘ill' Miss t. ook. I knew however the Coox fami
ly by character, and I had heard the gentlemen of the
; i’.u of my acquaintance from Bowlinggrccn, speak of
; ten in high and enthusiastic terms of Miss Ann Cook
.or intelligence, &c.—and the mote specially, when the
execration of Col. Sharp fur her seduction, was in the
iiigh tone, to which it was lirst carried amongst them.
I Hut there was a young gentleman from Bowlinggreen
atlh.it lime, a room mate and bosom friend of none,
who had been intimately acquainted with Miss Cook,
and much devoted to her.*’
This acquaintance, it seems, stimulated Beauchamp
not only to detest Col. Sharp, but also to admire and
also almost love Miss Cook, whom, as yet, he haj ne
rer seen. She came, however, scon after to live with
her mother in the neighborhood of his father's rcsi
'jcijcc-, .1 bi-ciuucu pari or mo country’, with a view to
tetirc from the world and avoid the society of all. lie
determined to become acquainted with her, visited
he» house, and notwithstanding an evident desire on
her part to avoid him, persevered in his effort to sec
and converse with her, until at length, he made hci au
offer of his hand.
“She refused i*. but with such a burst of feeling, as
would have rendered her persisting in that refusal,"ten
fold more painful. Hot she told me there was an in
•operable objection within her own bosom to marriage,
hut that her heart did not find that objection in me._
In this, she long persisted, but would never tell me
what thm fatal barrier to my happiness was. At length,
I resolved to take no denial, but to know the secret
j objection. She then told mo with a firmness, which
spoke that it was the voice of fate, that the hand which
. should receive hers would nave to revenge the inju
ry a villain had done her. She said her heart could
never cease to ache, till Col. Sharp should die through
her instrumentality; that he bad blighted all her liappis
ness; ami while he lived, she would fed unworthy of
rny love. Hut, she said, she would kiss the hand, and
adore the person who would revenge her; but that uo
one else, save my self, should do it.
“.\o conditions, nor any cat tidy’ propositions she
i-onld have made me, could have filled me with so much
delight. Whenever I had contemplated a marriage with
iicr, I had always esteemed the death of Colonel Sharp
a necessary consequence. I never for a moment could
feel, that 1 could sutler a villain to live, ivho had been
the seducer of one 1 pressed to my bosom as a wife._
And to bear her thus require, what 1 had so much cal
culated on and desired, was peculiarly pleasing to me
indeed. These feelings I expressed’ to her and told
her it had been my firm purpose to take Col. Sharp’s
life, if 1 married her. She then consented to become
my wife, and in my arflor I determined to fight Colo
nel Sh * i before our marriage.”
lie accordingly went to Frankfort, where Colonel
oarp then was. and arrived there about the csmmeuce
ineut of tho session of the legislature in 1821. Ik
sought Colonel Sharp and took him to a remote spot, on
the bank of the Kentucky river. Here h* told him lie
had come, deputed by the injured Miss Cook, to lake
his life. Sharp fell on his knees and begged for
mercy, said lie could not fight any man who appeared
as t.ie champion of Mbs Cook. Heaoe.Uainp produced
a large Spanish knife and a dirk, offered * Simp his
choice, and proposed a fair fight. Sharp declined the
offer.
“Ilo then stepped hack, .a step, and I thought
trom the turn of his eye was propazin-*- to run. 1
sprang forward and caught him by the breast of J,ib
coat, and said, now you damned viilnin ton shall
die. He then fell on his knees and said, my life
in your hands, mv friend, I beg nry life, spare it for
mercy’s saKff. I let go bis coat and slapped him in
the face, so hard as to tilt him back on Ids bands.
1 then said get up you coward, and go tiii I meet
von m the street tomorrow; and as lie" ro«c, 1 i-ave
him a kick; now said I, go atin yourself for to.rnorrow
I '"hall horsewhip you in the strre’u, and repeal it daily,
till you fight me a duel. lie then began to beg a«-ajn
called me his dear friend, in every sentence; Fold me
how miserable lie was for his conduct; said his whole
estate was at our command, and any thing we chose
to require at In .hands, if I would let him live, for his
"1 f(: and child’s sake, and then advanced ap’oin to
kneel to me. 1 told him to stand off, you villain or l
w;II take your life for the insult of offering me your
rs/.ilc. lie said he did not mean to insult me, hut
any thing under Heaven, lie would do, which 1 would
require, if 1 would spare his life. | told him it wav
unnecessary’ to multiply word5, tor lie tvnut.l it n.o
kill me or I would him, so that he had better at once
consent to fight me; and that I would give him nnv
advantage he chose as to the manner of fiMitin"-; but
figlit be must, or die. Why said be, mv dear friend
if you were to take a dirk and I bad a sword, 2 won! j
ncvci have raised i( against you. lie thru affected
to weep, and said, my friend, if John Fork had beat
fin me to death, with a stick, an.J I had had a sword, I
would never have raised it against him. Very good,
said I, Colonel .Sharp, you are about such a coward
as I was told you were. Hut, sir, if will only give me
Ibe more prolonged pleasure in killing you. For if i
don’t beat you in the streets daily, till J make you fight
me, or till I beat you to death, one or too other I will
certainly do. So now go r.lcep upon (bat, till I meet
yon to-morrow in the streets.”
Next morning, Ueaitchamp says lie bought a ho:?'
whip, with which he intended to assail Sharp, but could
not meet him, and was on cn<piirv, informed that he hail
lef* town for Howlmggreen. jiea.rrbamp aemrdingh
proceeded to Bowliuggrcen, hut Sharp had urt been
there, nor was be able to find him, not with,landin«- hr.
constant efforts for a considerable lime. At h-V"!.
Miss f'ook wmle him a letter, in order to allure burro
her retreat. He promised to come, hut faded, 'f |,e
intention was, lor her to kill him with l,e< own hand
and the phamphlet say*, “I bad learned her to fire
pi.tols; she had practised with them (ill she could phr.c
a ball with on accuracy, which were ii universally <
rpiailed by our modern duellists, would render the p, ,.
tice of duelling much inoro fa'ai lhari i* is fr« qn< n'ly
seen to he of late.-’ A( length Hearn: hamp, findin'* it
impracticable to take the life of Sharp so rally a-’’h
wished, marriri Miss Cook, resolved to accomplish his
object a3 soon after as possible, fie wrote Shat p -ryp
ral letters with fictitious signatures, begging l.uu to
'-omo t.. Hor linggieen. to attend to some important
• nd suits, and received an wen. but noF odeci i\ r ...
he wished. At length he heard that Sharp and Ins fa.
rrnty hud circulated a leport tl.at the child of Mis:
Cook was a mulatto. This determin'd him to delay
vengeance no longer. He selected the night prcced
ing the session r.f the Ieg.datnte, in the hope that po
litical motives would be a-signed for the mn der, and
that he and his private wrongs would he led si dJ of
amidst the public controversies of opposing parties._
He gave oni that he in- going to Mts-nui? ar:d made
hi-i arrangements accordingly. He however procured
a prr.ee*-; in be issued against him in order to interfe.e
wit.) his prMen.hd plans, and was advi r-d to he absent
.rum home to prevent se.virn upon him. f|e then
mentioned having some busine ss at Frankfort, an i said
ce would avail hiuwelfef ii.e opportunity to go aiiif-et-.
fend foil. Accordingly he says_
‘ I armc-J in Frankfvt .4b,.u» half an ij r... ‘
:n^. '.ou; imday n ,:M. i' .v Many mil- 3 durirg ike I
day I had ridden through excessive smoke, and had J
thereby gotten a violent head ache. I tied a spotted j
suit bandanna handkerchief mound my head. When I
! got to town l did not lake it re7' tilt 1 got lodgings.—
At the Mansion hnu-e I hailed, when a young gentle—
1 man, (Mr. Ta\ !or,) came to take iny saddlebags; he said
i ne fcaicd the chance to accommodate me would be had.
He said they were so ciowdcd, every bed they had would
j be occupied, and he feared lie would have to put me
: upon the tloor in the dining room, where he leartd I
would be disturbed by others. I told him 1 was some*
j what mnn li, and would not kite to he bioke from mv
i rest. He then recommended me to (’apt. Weisegei’s
1 tavern.
At Wciscger’s I walked into the bar room and a<kcd
I tor my horse to be taken; Same, the barkeeper, replied,
j it will bo impossible for us to take your horse, sir, wc
. could ren ive you, hut not your lioisc. J asked him if
1 there were any private heaiuu g lumt.es where 1 eotikl
j get in? lie sai l Mr. Scott, at the penitentiary, would
take me in. llell:ea proposed to semi my horse to a
i iivery stable, if I chose. However, said iic, Mr. Scott
I has a good stable, and I would recommend you to him.
j After 1 had been at Mr. Scott’s some little time, I walk*
, ed out to see mv horse fed, I had, on giving him (o
1 the servant, forbidden him to feed h:m till I should go
with him to sec it dono. After supper 1 was conducted
! to a bed room, above stairs, and took out a hook, ob
! serving to Mr. fc'cu It, I believed I would read n while.
“So soon as he loft me, 1 accoutered myself for the
i deed I was meditating to accomplish. I had provided
| me with an old ragged suitout coat, which 1 had pro
i cured long befom, and which no human being could
I proved was ever in my possession. 1 had piovid
;ed me a largo bn teller’s knife, several months before,
j the point of which iny wife had po.soued. winch no one
I c<,,ild have ever proved 1 had ever owned or had in niv
j possession.
! “When travelling in Tennessee, I had passed a clear
i ing, where a negro had left Ms oJJ wool hat sticking
j upon a stick. ] lock the hut, and splitting the end of
the stick, left a silver dollar in the place of the hat. ]
; lMU (,u niasK ot made m.:;# »; hu .j pave me, at in n steps
distance, in the dearest monu light, the exact appear
lance of a negro, so noli had my wife constructed and
; “Bed it to my face. I rut on two pair of yarn sock*, to
I preserve my feet in running, and to avoid mv being
j pursued hy the direction in which I might he heard
I running in the dark, if I had worn my sho:%. Besides
, in this way my track con! J not poV-ihly he identified
Jany where. But I took rny shoes, my coat and rny hat,
jan.i lud them down near the river, where I could mn
; and get them after the deed should be done, i had
; learned from a source, which the oiler of life would
i scarcely wring from me. whore Colonel Sharp’s house
j was. ll was the easiest thing in the world to point it
I 0,1 h w Hint a stranger could net mistake it. lie had
simply to he l.dd, it was (lie nearest to the state house,
j and almost light across the street from it.
I “J crept out of Mr. Scott’s house so easily, that al
though the family were all up and stirring about the
; house, none of them heard me; neither would they have
i heard me if they had been in the very passage, through
which 1 had to pass. I had found out Col. sharp’s long
before (he 10 o’clock bell rang. Hu was not there
when I first went. I expected lie had gone to meet
his acquaintances, the members from flreen river, at
the Mansion House. I sauntered up there and could
view the room from a distance, through the doors and
windows. 1 did not now wear my tun !:, lest the potro!
might notice me as a negro, and i would have to light
(hem, or expose that 1 was a white man masked. 1 saw
Col. Sharp at the the Mansion House. 1 had habitua
ted in) mind to philosophize and reason upon the sub
ject of killing Col. Sharp, till I thought I could kill him
with as much tranquility of feeling ns I could whip a
servant that I thought deserved a whipping; but when rny
ere crossed Bis form, all the furies of hatred seemed coin
hined in me, so much did my blood Uiiist for vengeance.
1 was almost so far bereft of my reason at seeing him,
as to put on my mask and dash right into the room, and
to stab him down in the ciowd 1 determined te as
•; nssinate him on his it turn home as scon as he left the
i tavern. Bn* while 1 had wa'ked a little way from the
view of him, ho disappeared from the room I had left
! him in, and I supposed he had gone home. 1 hastened
j to his house, hut he was not chore. I feared I inMil
: miss him, and meantime, he would get to bed before 1
: conlu sec him, it I went back to the tavern to hunt fur
! lu,n- Wherefore 1 determined t„ watch Ids house til!
! lie should come home. 1 could now, as 1 lurked
j the house, sue what rooms were occupied and
what were not, as if 1 had lived about the house. 1
| intended to attack Col. Sharp before he should "Ct ’into
: !il; house, if 1 could ascertain him ;.s he came home. I
wished Col. Sharp to know mo before 1 killed him. ]
j intended to call him from a little di.fnnce, in a low
voice, and request him to come to ..te, as he was
about to enter his liou-c. Curing him to me thus
in the street alone. I intended a. soon as I got hold of
him, to whisper to him who I was and immediately des
patch him. But while I was viewing the hack part
°l 1,10 kouse so as to know well its situation should
I fail in any, way to gd hold of Col. .Sharp before he
went to bed, he entered his house am! was in hischam*
ber before I saw him. After a moment’s reflection
I resolved to wait t il all light was extinguished about
.lie house an 1 then call the Colonel u;>. I was afraid
l>r. Sharp would also havo to he killed. For 1 knew
so soon as his brother should he killed he would turn
Ins thoughts immediately tamo But while I was ly
iiig meditating in tbs Public .Square concealed, whe
ther to knock at the door of Col. Slurp’s chamber
or at a secici door, in a dark alley, which opened
mb) a room immediately communicating with the cham
ber, Mr. B .con came for Doctor Sharp to go home
with him. This i esteemed a very fortunate tliim*-, for
I cliil not ivMi to kill him.
i ^ tb *v lien I hid waited lor*^ ennnj-Ji, ns \ •unnoqcr),
j 'or J'-'ose who hud boon awakened by Hacer.’j coming
! for ,^1'- ^barp, ! prepared Incomplete rnv purpose. I
: resolve,! to knock in the alley for fear those in Hass’s
! r‘,o:"> ” h>ch as well as Col. Sharp's door opened upon
l'ic porch, might not have fiih ri asleep. IJcsidc?, I
; bnew 1 cou.d c;»3iIv !u:e Col. Sharp <piicklv to me at
i |»° barIt by feigning myself Covington, as Col.
; .-.inrp and the Covingtons weie extremely intimate.
| And il I should only lure Idin back into that alley, I
would have an opportunity to fct lmri ku >w as lie led',
i by whose hand ho received the stroke, for this ! wish.’
] c I him exceed n fly to know, and 1 would have risk' d
j a great deal to let him know who I was. I pm on w\ 1
i ma.k with fhi design, that if a candle should be hi i
I bokco Col. -sharp approached me, I would keep it on, |
;nnd as he approached | would knock the candle out I
with one hand and stab him with the other. Hut ii!
} he approached me without a light. I intended to draw \
my mask as he approached from over my fane. I’m
it was so constructed and fastened on as to be easily i
drawn away from tho face or replaced over it again.;
I heir; was no moonlight, hut the Mara gave light j
enough wherewithal to di ccru Ihe face'Wan ac- ]
j'piamiancc nn coming near him and closely no'iciiv 1
ins fj)cr. 1 die.v my da-g i and pr,d<--d to • !,"
! door. I tenoekrd three times, loud and rjuick. Col.!
'Imp said “whose then'” “< r.vington,” I replied!
/l-iir kfy < of. Sl.arpN foot was hem I upon the floor.
;l niw under the door ho approached without a light.
I dr«uv my mask from tnv face, and immediately Col.
j Sharp OJ enr d the dour I advanced into the room and
u-itl, mv lefi 1110,1 ! grasped his r-g’-.t wri t, as with an
non inn !. Tin- t i<dence of the grn-p made C’ol. Sharp
*pnng h u k, and ;r*. mg (n di o*g ,rm his wrist, he st.il i
|;-wl,r,t Covington is this-” I icj lied, “John A. C(,v’ j
mgton, ir ‘fl (h,nt know you,” aid Col. .Simp,
h-l know John \V. Covington.” “My name” aid |,
•i-.- • i A. Covington”— and a lion l the time I said
! n», >tis Sharp, whom I had on appear m the par
‘h»or a-, I entered the miter do«r, disappeared
j hho had hr come alarmed I imagine, by the huh !
<■ u hr Co|. Sharp made when he sprung hack to get ■
hi, wi wt hm: c from my gm Seeing her disappear, I
J sato to t id. '~*.nrp in a tone a though I was deeply
i mortified at h;s not knowing me, ‘ An I H-.d mu nut i
!s"ow ^Mircc-nc'ighr” “Not with y „ir handkerchief
about yrur l,cc.”..-„o C„1 Sharp. 'For the handker-I
ci.-ef wi‘ : whir n f had confined my ma-k upon my |
foich'-arj i-. f . Mill round my forehead. I then replied j
m a soft cone di,'ling persuasive tone of voire, « I omc i
'oii-.'l .fl. c I ?t*d ; j will know ir.r,’’ and rolling I
.ma by the arm, he camo readily to the door. 1 Otop
ped with one loot hark upon the lirst step out at the
door, and still holding Ins wrist with my left hand. I
shipped my hat and handkerchief from my forehead
and head, and looked right tip in C'ol. Sharp's face,
to knew me the more icadilv l imagine, by my Ion*
>J!V,-v s,:‘* ^ lie sprang* back ami cx^
c i ,i.ncit iti the deepest lone of astonishment, dismay,
and horror and despair I ever heard, ‘-Great God.' it’s,
i iiitn.;. ’ And as he saal that he fell on his knees, nftci
i failing.to jerk loose I.is wrist from my grasp. Ashe
l fell on his knees ! let go his wrist and grasped him liv
the throat, and dashing him again-,t the facing of the
| door, l choaked him against it t.» keep him from hallow
! mg> «<“! muttered in ids face, “die von villain,” and as
I said that, ! plunged the dagger to his (.cart, letting
; him go at the moment 1 stabbed him: lie sprung up
from bis knees and endeavored to throw his arms round
my neck, s-.y mg pray Mr. Beauchamp, hut as he said
} that 1 struck him iu the (ace with my left hand, and
' knocked him his toll length into the room. By this t.uie
I j3iv the light approaching and dashed a little wav off
I and put on uiy mask — i then came and squatted ni t! o
alley near the door, to I.ear if he should speak, lii,
wife talked to him, but be could not answer her.
before l thought they could possibly have gotten
, word to the Doctor, he came running in. i?o soon as
: lie entered the room ho exclaimed, “Great God!
i I.eauchamp has done this! 1 always expected it.”
j ^ ke ton n was now alarmed, and the people began to
crowd the house very fast. I still lurked about the
jhuu-e to hear what would he said, and i wished
i ■some one to sro me. not in the light of the candle,
j;l (hat they would take me for a negro, with mv
i -'lac.; ina-d: on.—At length while I ajis endeavoring
to pr-i-p in at a window, 7dts. Sharp came right
upon rue from without the house behind me, and
; ci red out to tiie company to run there, saving ‘ho
saw the murderer. ' ' b’
: but by the time they got nut cf the house, i way out of
die lot I stopped to listen it any one pursued tne, and
1 saw the lot full of people running town after rne,
whereupon 1 dashed otT and went and got mv coat and
hat and ohocs, which I had hid down near the river._
, . then went a considerable wav further down the river
.iU'j toots l!;e Oiu hat and coat, in which I had done the
i murder, and tying the ? in a bundle, with a rock, sunk
j thorn in tiie river. I a ho buried the knife near the ri
ver ban!:, and then drcs.mg in mv proper clothes, and
; putting on my shoes 1 came back into the town—1
j passed near Col. Sharp’s house to hear what was sav
ing, hut ail was now whisper and silence. Hut I had
heard, and indeed seen, that Co!. Sharp had died with
out speaking before ! left the house, which was mv
greatest anxiety. I then went to my room, creeping
j up stairs as softly as a cat, so that I could not hear my
I own feet touch the floor, having slipped off my shoes at
the door. I then lit mv candle and burnt my mask,
and washed mv hands, which were dirty from burying
, 'he knife in the ground. I then laid down with a
I certain calculatiivii nt being arrested the next morn
ing, so soon as Dr. Sharp should hare inquiry made,
a > 1 fin ! I was in the town. Cut such were the happy
feelings which pervaded me, and tlie perfect resigna
tion which I !oil to the will of Heaven, havin'* accem- !
plished my long settled purpose, that in five'minutes !
after 1 laid down, 1 f: I! fa.-t asleep, end slept soundly, j
till the stirring of the family waked me the next morn'
ing. 1 then listened, ac a matter of course, frr Mr. i
-leo!t Income to examine, me so soon as he should go i
to Col. Sharp1* and hear of Dr. Sharp1* exclamation,!
that it was Hcaucliamp. i’or when Scott had lit me
*o bed 1 said 1 wonder it old uncle Hcaucliamp of Wash
ington, was in town? He said lie did not know, and
asked me it Col. Hcaucliamp was aa uncle of mine?
f said he was. Mr ' cot* said he was very well
acquainted with Col. iicauc'.amp, and asked if mv
name was also Heauchampr I told him it was. Next
morning 1 heard the nev.s of Colonel Sharp’s death,
told to i.Ir. Scott, and listened for his retfirn to
see me. 1 or tu.it name .SVo’/, now began to give me
‘•nine uneurinrts, as i had heard Col. Sharp married a
Mis. . <•<),(, and ! feared this might he a redation, as
in fact he iva*. i listened for his return, so soon as
he slum!.! go to Col. Sharp’s and hear that Hcaucliamp
a a, suspected; an ! sure enough, before 1 was done
dressing, 1 hoard Mr. Scott come stamping up stairs to
iny hid room, lie opened my door, and said good
morning Mr. Hcaucliamp 1 returned the salutation
uilh a very pleasant politeness, hut Mr. Scntt abruptly
said, ‘don’t you think some man went to Sharp’s last
inght and killed him.” I put on a face of gicat aston
nlunenl, and replied, “great God. is it possible! what,
Col. Sharp!”— “Yes,” fcaid he, “Col. Sharp’s dead.” i
then stood a moment, as though in mute astonishment,
and then said “how did it happen sir? in n fioht?” Mr
Hcott said-no; some stranger called Cob Sharp to
lus door, and just stabbed him dead.1’— And thereupon
nc turned about to go out of the room, but I said “for
Godk sake tell me something about this horrid affair.”
Said he “I cant tell you nothing in the wot Id about
it sir, 'ban that Col. Sharp was called to his door from
hi.s lied and stabbed down dead upon the Hour.” And
with that be left (lie room. I did not like his abrupt
manner as he entered t!ic 'room, but my manner, 1
saw quite removed for !be moment, bis suspicions._
I came down stairs, and being invited bv Mrs Scott
into the dming room, 'die told me of the horrid murder.
1 told her, Mr. .Scott hail told me of if. and asked her
“if there were no suspicions entertained, of who could
have been the assassin?” She said none that .she know
of. And <T'cr some little further conversation, I started
to do my business jn the Itegister’* office.
This was my business. In April preceding, I had son
too plot* and certificates of four surveys, n-ellu-r with itu.
warrant they were mu la cm, to the INtaisirr's oftice. T!u v
ii m I.ow, a? * th, I»i’»i p.n'i’*i;h (\>r i!»c pntcnts
t» issue. I had also with nre another plot and certificate,
A '1 i/ 1' ' presented fur regi :,y in the first place, telling the’
rcgi'.t'-i the warrant was h! I. He looked and could find
no warrantor survey in the office, in my name. I saw
therefore,at onre, I’iioni.i- D. lleauchamp, by whom I sent
my papers, had not filed them in the office. And heltol 1,
here I w is flat in Frankfort, without the least shadow of
husinc.-i! r Ins frightened me very much, as I knew I should
be arrested, frntn what I)r. Sharp said, on enterin'* the
room where Im brother was dying. I thought if I could
:;u o.t without .-eing arrested, probably they would not send
lor run A Ml this 1 the more hoped, if the diversion should
l»r created in my lavor, which ( foresaw, and intended
shouid a.i n, from «u«tr» ions of Col. Shatps having been
reordered from political motives.
I knew theic would be a great clamor of this kind raised,
and knowing how weak and vain a man Dr. Sharp was, l’
h id some hope he might he carried along with the current
Whereupon I hastened to Mr. Scott’s and ordered n y
hovse, to start iiouie. J
About this time, Mr. Seo't had again rcttirnr ] to his
iroiise. I began immediately he entered the house, to ask
him further questions about the murder. 1 caw from hi
manner, very evidently he had his suspicions revived. I
,|N *4’' him il Col. Shirp had had at»v recent quarrel with
any one. whence they could atUth suspicion to that per
son: Uc said.no; he heard f,f no quarrel of Cof. Sharp with
anyone. Said he,‘-Mr. Roaurhainp. what piofossiou ate
'fl * * *• r diiu,* you said y. it livcf! m f*iirpst'o C'':,i,*,'.*?
' , 1 »■ i • him, 1 live I in Simpson eoiin!y--jny l.rofosSon
•vns that r I a lawyer or at least f had .studied the law, but i
S .mg in the country for the last 1ft months, I had not got:
• oihe practice, hot had continued my rending in the conn* 1
try. • V. t il ?ir, ’ pa id lie, •*« re you a married man:” |i
replied, I wa*. “W ho ditl you marry Mr. Reandminp?” said
be. “I married M ss Ann Cook, sir,” f replied. And at that,
n:< fare, Mark as it is, turned even Marker, still. I had!
"CU this was tire great point ire was scut to ascertain, hut i
'ii I I fori In,rc (0 enquire why he a'krd me that question,
a oil pa--.led the conversation as though ii had h.enquite in
etiquette. Nor did 1 tab tin- least nptir.0 of his impolite t
inquiry, what my btisine - was at Frankfort, hut answered 1
•'ll ms impertinent inquiries with a polite fiieerful frankness '
erd Irn .i. ns though his questions had been a matter of'
course, i hen taking leave of him, T set off from his house, j
v 'm n the still was about half an hour high. When I spoke !
ol ritling, ho asked me if f was not going to stay to see !
ire lion-e organiz'd. | told hi in I should hke very much j
b’do so, hot that the ensuing Sunday f had appointed 1
In start to the Missouri, and was therefore compelled to 1
r"»i • y home—besides I said I had some relations in {{Joonv j
fiel'!, with whom 1 was under promise to st.rv ail night, that ’
oiglu.arp! therefore, I wished to set oflfeaiiy c notch to ee.r i
there.” 3 b :
He returned home, (for we have not r >nt to notice the I
O'Tiiriencej on the way.) and !io gives the followin'* ac- j
count of his arrival:
: - ' 3 !j ni; :u*.e? ... ’ire exact fir:? 1 v;
rmy ; She was walking down • .
i-rovc« «!»**« *•«* «oa‘> l was to come, anxiously » uin
my nnival. So soon ns I saw her Urns alone. 1 li. isl, ,l
n.'R of victory. She ran to meet me as I alit limn my horse.
. I gave her the fl.-;; And she fell prostrate on her face before
I me. She then butst into tears and liftu.i he, voire i„ c,
i a'°'1- ,1,at she 'va* revenged tor all the „ iscy
•« vril.,m had brought on her family. Then clasping her
about my knees, she called upon the spiliis of her
i tamer, her brothcis and her sister to bless mo and to inti ,
l‘i .. a j,,sl providence, to protect me from nil ha..,,
i r°' ‘no righteous deed 1 had tlor.c. Then rising up in alarm
:, e sa,,L “are you afe my husband?” I t„ld her I \v,ls’
I beyond the reach of all that mortals could do to me, 1„ -
cause the villain who had injured her had fallen by uiv
I . L,,t’ *a;i! nvenger of blood is after me. I thin
|ca.l. (t a servant to take my horse, and we walked to a
j more retired place, where we sat down and 1 briefly rt
cuiiuted to her all the circumstances of the glorious deed.
ca» truly say, I do not believe there ever lived upon
t u. earth, two more happy beings than we were, not with,
standing 1 told my wife I was confident persons were in
I i'lnt"!' ° U':, rUV they would bo there
hat very night, but Col. Sharp had died by my hand!
j i lus consoled us for all misfortunes and made us perfectly
| regardless of danger. 1 then wont to my house and set it
: in order for battle ami defence. For my determination
w as, u Duct. Sharp should he of the party who pursued
I me, I would fight them; for no Sharp over should have ob
trm.ed himself into my yard, without being shot, while I
i was in it alive. Indeed 1 hesitated a great deal, whether
! Yvoul<l i;,,t shoot mm nr two of those who pursued me, and
, 'hen make my escape and leave the United Slates. Ami
: had those w ho pursued me, have come that night, I believe
i I should have fought them. But by next day, I had calm
)1>'co,,;o the resolution that I would rather die than lly
• my country. And as they had np shadow of proof against
me, I resolved to go quite quietly ami cheerfully forward
ja,ul iM an investigation, should any one come for
' ,1 h* 1 >»»"’<» there was <i follow by the name
j .«o.m I.owe, called thero on some business, and staid
| sometime, reluctant as he most have seen 1 was to enter
; into cny conversation with him. For I wanted to get him
, oft ..s soon as possible, and while he staid my wife and on -
! . u'cro mostly telired, employed in my recitals of all thn
, mi - :rs of the murder; so that we had scarcely any thW
j vvh!*l‘VVer t'l S?y Lowe‘ Al tve got rid of him,
.inti after I had prepared myself for battle we went to bed
j ‘ "'Is night, my .eflictions liaH kd
I me to risque, all the evidence the Sharp family could «, t
I against w«>: little, ah little thinking the whole treasury <>f
i * ,il' t-ominonweaith would he thrown open as a reward t-»
j vi laii.s to swear away my life. NVxi evening ebotif nn
hour by sun, I saw four nu n ride up to my gale and call to
| me to come to the gate. I recognized the face of one of
iheui; the moment I saw him, ns being a man I had seen in
I- ranklort *>n Monday morning. 1 was satisfied at once
they weic come to arrest me. But I walked out to them*
W!th all the cheerfulness imaginable, and one of them ask.:.t
me if my name was Beauchamp. 1 said it was. Me n*kcd
me if 1 bad not lately been to Frankfort. I told him I had
just returned from tiicie the preceding evening. Thev VI
paused. I saw they were embarrassed. I had my lifle'iu
mv hand, lor 1 was cleaning ami loading it in my yap.
when they rode up. At length one of the more frank and
sensible of loe men, (\\ in. Jackson,) said to me in a fcelio
manner, that l was suspected of the murbr of Col. SharfV
an 1 as a gentleman, l was called upon and requested
to go to 1* rank fort and acquit myself. 1 put 0ll a frtce ^
go at astonishment, to find myself suspected, hut promptly
avowed my ready determination to go immediately to
1 rankfoit, i. dime was any thing said them, prejudicial to
my reputation.
•-UTV
TflE ART OF HAPPINESS.
Arachne and Melissa are two friends. Thcv a*«*
hotliof them women in years, and alike in birfH, Tbf
tune, education, and accomplishments. They were u '
Stnally alike in temper too; but, by different manage*,
ment, are grown the reverse of each other. Arachue
has accustomed herself to look only on the dark side of
every object. If a new poem or play makes its appear
ance, with a thousand brilliancies, and but oue or two
blemishes, she slightly skims over the passages that
should give her pleasure, and dwells Ufloa those oniy
hcrf"‘.lh Jul!ke- 11 >"u shew her a very ox~
.t hem portiait, she loo,i<5 at some part of the drapery
v, htc.. .... .pccri neglected, or to a hand or finger which
h .s been left unfinished. Her garden is a very beauti
.ulorie, and kept with great neatness and elegance:
•ml If you take a walk with her h, it, ahe talks fo you
of nothing but blights and storms, of snails and cat
erp'1 nrs, and how impossible it is to keep it from
the litter of falling leaves and worm casts. If vou
! 8,t. d,,M'n ln °ne ,of her temples, to enjoy a delight—
ml project, she observes to you, that ihcre is too much
wood, or too little water; that tiio day is too stmnv,
or too gloomy; that ,t is sultry, or windy, and finish’
rs will, a long harangue upon the wretchedness of
°ar t.imate. U hen you return with her to the com
pany, m hope of a little cheerful conversation, sh
C3MS a gloom oyer all, by giving you the history of
ier own bad health, or of some melancholy accident
that has befallen one of her daughters children.
1 .ms she insensibly sinks her own spirits, and the smr
its of all around her. and at last, discovers, she knows
root why, that her firends arc grave.
I. . Melis«a >s the reverse of all this. Rv constantly ha
[ i,,,ual,?S hersel‘ to only on the bright side of oh
I J0f,s: 8,'f preserves a perpelual cheerfulness in herself
which by a kind of happy contagion, she communR
, cans to aii aoout her. I: any misfortune has befallen
her, she comiders it might have been worse, and is
thankful to Providence for an escape. She rejoices in
m; nude as it gives her an opportunity of knowing ber
scl.; end ,n society, hoc. use she can commumcaio lha
happiness she enjoys. She opposes every man’s virtue
to .ip failings, and can fine out something fc> cherish
• ami applaud in the very worst of i er atuuaiigancc
; one opens every hook will, a desire to he cnlerlcned
' ;,r ,,ni'rucled’ and therefore, seldom misses v. haUsko
. ooks for—\\ al.r with her, thought it bo on n k..oii.
omnion, n:,u shetvdl discover numberless beauties,
• ino.iserved before, in the hills, the dales, tho brooms,
the hi sues, and the vanegated flowers of weeds and
S|,«,,CT- bi‘'; e,,JnV3 everr change of weather and
ot season, as bringing witl.il somethin-of health or
convenience. Jo convert,on, it is a nile 3"I,e?
never to start a subject that leads to any thing gloomy’
or disagreeable. You therefore never hear her repeat,
mg her own grievances, or those of her nei-hbours
or, (What IS worst of all) their faultsand imperfections.'
It any thing of the laftcrkmd be mentioned in her hesr
KflKiS- * ;"ldres, }n U rn •» into entertainment,
ff 5 TCSl 0tl!°1us ,a,:;n£f into pleasant rail
•o.y. i bus Melissa, like the bee, gathers honey
from every weed: while Aracl.no, like, the spider,
sucks poison from the fairest flowers. The conse
qnencc is, that, of two tempers onco very ' nearly
allied, tho one is ever sonr and dissatisfied, the
other always gay and cheerful; the one spreads a uni
vcrsal gloom, the other a continual sunshine
I here is nothing more worthy of onr attention,
than th s art of happiness. In conversation, as we ll
as life. hapo.ness ve.y often depends upon the slight
'' • y ■ 1 ’”'king notice of the h*dne«s of
i m weather, a nonh cast wind, die *, j .oaeb of winter,
or any tr„7mg circumstance of Ihe disagreeable kind
-i.dl insensibly rob a whole company of iis good hu
mour, and <I,n- every member of it into the vapours.
ore lTr ’ 'r6 WOU ' be baPPy iu ourselves! and
are desirous of communicating that happiness to all
fniu. ,U9i, n nJ'Tl’r° of convention ought carc
f illy to be attended to. The brightness of the sfcy,
f f|tn2’ ,cn,nff o* lI’C day, the increasing verdure
of the spring, the arrival of any little piece of good
nr W", or whatever carries with it the moit distant
° ,nit>so of joy, shall frequently he tho parent of a
social and happy conversation. ' flood manners exact
,0,n os this iegard to our company. Tho clown innw
repine at the sunshine which ripens (lie harvest, be
cause his turnips are dried up by it; but the man of re
finement will extract pleasure from the thunder storm
to which he is exposed, by remarking on the plenty
«nd refreshment which may be expected from the suc
ceeding shower.
Thus does politeness, as well as good sense direct us
to look af every object on the hrigh, side; and by tl,„»
acting wc cherish and impro*. «h Bj tbi9 p^efico
It is 'hat Melissa is become :i,e wriest and best bred
woman living; and by this practice, may every person
arrive at that agrreablencss of temper! of which bu
natural and never fr.iUrj f.uit ,s hapless.
[Karr's.