84
MURDER OF MR. OGILVIE.
was one cause of their so readily joining them in their diabolical scheme. On the night chosen for the execution of their design, Mr. Ogilvie retired early to-bed, and soon tasted that sweet restorer — balmy sleep. His murderers, after waiting a sufficient time to assure themselves of the fact, proceeded in a body to his apartment, attended by the wicked, heartless Molly, bearing a candle and lanthorn in her hand, for the purpose of giving light to the men while in performance of their demoniacal office of strangling Mr. Ogilvie. Upon gaining the bedside of their sleeping victim, who, unconscious of his fate, perhaps some “ Fantastic measure trod o'er fairy fields,"
or else dreamt of health, long life and honours, all alas ! fated to exist but in the brain—the murderous party sprang upon him, and as a refinement in cruelty, awoke him, and with many imprecations, informed him that for his ill conduct, they were come for the purpose of taking his life. Death is common to all ; but then to die by violent hands in the midst of health and vigour ; to be so rudely awakened from an earthly slumber, so soon to be consigned to that last long sleep, which all must do, " When we have shuffled off this mortal coil;"
how hard to bear ! What " tempest to the soul !" Oh Î how that victim begged ! how promised to be all they wished, would they but give him that one boon—life, which, when once taken, can never be restored. All was of no avail I To each agonized entreaty, no answer was returned, but a firmer grasp upon his throat. Mr. Ogilvie had ever been in the practice of sleeping with loaded pistols under his pillow, and in this moment of danger, one of his first cares was to possess himself of those weapons. But here again Molly stepped in as his evil genius ; for to carry fully into effect her murderous intentions, she had, during the preceding day, contrived to take out the flints. The tragedy