The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 267: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

264 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. I murdered the child, and fearing to put it anywhere or bury it, I had it always about me—that is to say, concealed somewhere in the house.” ‘That child was scmewhere in the house with my father ?” ‘‘The whole time he lived. J had it under the attic stairs, and I wished to have buried it; but yet feared to do so, lest I should cause a discovery in consequence.” The old woman had been speaking very quickly—she ap- peared to speak in a hurry, as though she had but a little time to say much in. Suddenly, however, she stopped, gave a con- vulsive struggle or two, and made one or two ineffectual attempts to speak, but could utter no articulate sound, but fell back in the chair, the rattles were loud in her throat, and in a minute she was 00 more. ‘‘She is dead,” said the chemist. ‘‘I did not think she would have gone off so suddenly.” ‘“‘Nor I; but what can be done with her now she is dead ?” ‘‘Send her to the workhouse.” ‘* Will you send a messenger? TI will pay all expenses.” said Captain Morton, *‘ you may be put to. There is my card.” “Very well, sir,” said the chemist, who immediately.sent his epuistant to the nearest workhouse for people to come and fetch er away. Captain Morton and his brother Henry, in company with the late hostler, Jem, left the chemist’s shop with f for contem- lation sufficient for the present, as well as for congratulation or the recovery of the papers which were of so much impor- tance to the latter, and which he had before so distant a chance of ever recovering, and that alone made the tenure of his fort- une so insecure. ‘‘ Tt is a fortunate occurrence,” said Captain Morton, “for you and for the old woman; for had she not died as she did, I don’t see what kind of death or end she could have hoped for; it is far better as it is,” | CHAPTER XLVIII. AND now the day appointed for the trial of Sternholde came, and the most intense Interest was excited among all classes, to hear what should transpire concerning one whose name, at one time or another, had been heard by every English officer who had been engaged in the great continental campaign, which ter- minated at the battle of Waterloo. Of course, the vewspapers had been from the first day of the apprehension of Sternholde busy iu catering for the amusement of their readers by finding out particulars of the life and advent- ures of a man, who from a feeling of private revenge, had, no doubt, committed a greater amount of absolute cold-blooded raurders than‘any other human being actually in existence. His conduct since his committal to prison, had been gloomy and taciturn, except when he fancied he was observed, and then he was seen occasionally to smile to hiniself, while a bitter and spiteful expression would cross his countenance, as if he yet comicbooks. com