Page:Tragical history of George Barnwell (2).pdf/21

 Ellinor. The coward fled, and I was diſcovered kneeling by the ſide of my bleeding wife, the weapon ſtill buried in her breaſt. I was dragged by force from the body and confined in my own houſe, under the care of ſome phyſicians. In a few days my ſenſes returned, and I was able to give an account of the tranſaction, which being corroborated by the flight of Linmore, the Coroner's jury returned a verdict of accidental death. Though I was not then deemed a madman, my reaſon ſuſtained a ſhock it has never perfectly recovered.

"Ellinor was then in her coffin: I threw myſelf on it nor would I quit it till my ſtrange wiſh was gratified, in preſerving the coffin-lid as a memento. Another was accordingly made. My cottage at Walworth now became frightful: every room reminded me of ſome happy ſcene and brought my Ellinor to view. My child how it chilled my blood to look at her; I could not bear her preſence, I placed her under the care of a reſpectable perſon, made a proviſion for her education and in case of my death, left her the whole of her mother's fortune. I then went to live in America. Even here miſery purſued me. Scarcely had I ſettled in any degree of intimacy, and felt ſomething like humanity reviving in my heart, when thoſe troubles of which the world knows ſo well broke out. My friend was an American by birth and ſided with the Congreſs. My opinions. though they did not coincide with the rulers of England yet compelled me to reſiſt the entreaties of my friend, to take up arms againſt my mother-country. I would have remained, but that could not be: and as ſoon as I began to cheriſh love for my friend my arm was lifted up to deſtroy him. It was then I was compelled to uſe the arms you ſaw at my reſidence. One inſtance of retributive juſtice I met with in America, which in