Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-01-19

fear when get home promised father should
settle, and so mean--but wedding trip is a
wedding trip and ladies must not be banll;ed'
Certainly not answered Alcraft, grateful for
as much as this then, when do you think Of
reaching home p
'Ob, before you, III wager We hnv'nt got
much more TO see. We went to the Jordan de
Plants yesterday. We are going to the Pantheon
tomorrow We shall soon get done. Make yonr
mind easy.
AS soon ms you have visited those places, am
to understand, then, that you mean 10 return TO
business /"
Exactly so.'
'And may venture to intrcat you to abstain
from visiting the gambling. house agun p
on, don't you worry yourself! II you had only
spoken at first like gentleman, | should have
promised you without being asked
Both you and Mrs. Brummel must see, am
sure the necessity Of avoiding all such scenes
Yes answered Mary Anne aud then repeat
ed her. husbands words, but If you had only
spoken at first like gen'loman'
Perhaps was too ha,ty, madam. 1t is fault
that have. We shall understand one another
much better for the future. You will he ut home
in about ten days from Inc present time, at The
latest
Oh, don't fix days, never conld bear it. We
shall be all right win you stay to breuhfsti
Michael excused himself, and having done all
that was permitted him. departed. With n sad
couniennncc he encountered his lady, and with
gloomy fOrebudings his mini was filled that day.
Augustus Brauime was destined 10 be his thorn,
his tria, his punishment. lie could sec it area-
dy. Ills house, Otherwise stable, so promising,
and so prosperous, would receive q mortal blow
rom thls one threatening point Ii must be
wardcd off The lIurtinl limb must be by de-
grees getaway. lie must from this time forward,
engage himself in its removal. it was after all,
consolation 10 have met the pair, and to have
succeeded so far IN frightening them home again,
as he July believed he had. For time ut least,
he conceived Brainmel was still safe. This con
vction gave lin courage and carried him on his
road 10 Lyons, with heart not altogether i'll at
ease, and without good hope.
In the mean WHILE MIS- Brammei had invegh.
cd, in the most unmea.ured terms, against the IN.
soIent behavior Of Mr., Aircraft the pride and nrru
gance ct his wife, whom she had never scen-lhe
marked, objectionable iisu she had offered her
in not accompanying Aircraft on his visit aud
had succeeded, in short, IN effictnay driving from
her husbands mind the lne good effect winch
had been produced by The partners Inst rcmcn-
STRANGE. Ignorant and vulgar as she was, the wo-
mon had unboundeh influence and power How
much, may he guessed from he fact, that before
Michael AIlcrait was ten miles on his Journey TO
Lyons, sine Ind prevailed upon her husband to
draw his first cheque upon his house TO The tune
OF L5UO aud TO proloug their holiday by visiting
in succession the south of France, Switzerland
consented his cheque was converted into money
the hoses were Ordered-and on they dashed.
CHAPTER IVA SPECULATION.
"When the cat is away, the mice begin TO
play 1t is an old aDd true saying: and Michael
had he been an experienced mOuser, would have
remembered it to his advantage. when lie thought
of leaving the banking house to The tender merces
of his colleagues His confidence in Palmer was
very great and ] will not say nndeserved still
some account should have been taken of l.. s pre
vious habits, aud the positive abiding iufrmity of
human nature. 1t was surely danger Gus TO sur
round man SO tickle, aud SO easily led by the
decisions of his sangunc spirit, with every temp.
tatlon TO walk astray aud TO remove every check
that had hitherto kept down the capricious move
mens of his most unsteady will. The day al. |
most hourly, presence 0f Alcrail, his vigorous and
immediate supernendance Of affairs, had subdu-
ed the speculative soul of Palmer, and rendered
him useful man Of business. lie was indeed n
good accountant, ardent in his pursuits, faithful |
friend and an horest man. WITH the needluI
restraints upon him, he proved as AIlcralt belev-
ed he would, warm aud active parizan. Had |
those restraints been continued for any time-had |
he been trained, and so reconcied aud uccustom
cd to his yoke all might have prospered aud been
well with him. Ills own happiness might have |
been secured and The hopes OF his friend aud pat
ron would not have been blasted. 1t was the
misfortune of Allcralt, with all his long-sighted.
ness, not to see far enough. He was TO blame, |
deeply to blame, for the deserlion of man whom |
he knew to DO al the mercy Of his own maynard
spirit, and utterly incapable of self defence. Yet,
called abroad, what could he do IL is the fate |
Of cunning as it is OF suspicion, aud other mortal
weaknesses, 10 fall into tolls OF its own weaving.
Michael TOO soon was called 10 pay the penalty. |
AcraIt had been in France fortnight, when
Palmer received a fatal visit nj the bank from a |
very old friend and staunch ally-a creature us
eXclable and saigune as himself, us full OF pro-
lecls and as unsuccessful. They had known each |
other in the ea:y and distant days OF their pros
perity they had glown poor together they were
united by the uniformity OF their fortunes as 10y
the similarity Of their natures. They had both |
for Yeas regarded themselves as the persec ltcd
and injured OF society aud both were satisfied OF
Iheir ability TO achieve miracles, time aud the DC
casion serving. 1t is not for speculative spirits to
be dshenrtened by failure, but rather 10 be encou.
ragged by i'll to fresh extravaganza, else had
The poor result OF all their schemes long since * !
tiuguished the fire al work within them. Not one
OF their numerous plans had shown CLEAN, Il |
spark of reality and lllr
One morning, about five years before the pres.
enl visit, MIR. William Wedge rose from his bed
with the pleasing notion that he would ruin all the !
public ganing houses in line world. He had
enormous g0ins-and had arranged with minut- |
est care and skill, systematic course of play 10
bring aguiHst them. II was with difficulty Tint |
hc contained himself until he mentioned his good |
fortune 10 his friend. They met time after lime,
in secret, grew eariuly my sleIious-closed their
windows in the open day-~playug cards from
morning ill night aud sometimes through the
night, with no other eye upon them han the very |
feeble, faint glimmerng one other iarthing rush
lights they carried directions in their pocket.
learnt them oil, repeated them until they grew Ia
mar as their oalhs, aud more familiar than Their
prayers. To realize between Them II standing
capital Of five pounds, sum essential To their op
eralions, they pawned all The available clothing
they possessed aud on lie very night that they
Obtained the cash, they sailed orL TO carry de-
vasIolion and fright throughout the camps of in
nocent and unsuspeclIng backegs As nigh be
expected, il took about as many minutes us they |
had pounds To effect the ruin Of the Adventures |
Did they despond? Not ,ley; flaw existed in
their calculations They looked for it with care,
aud were Torn from their employment only by The
exgencies of the time and HE pressing demands
OF nature for immediate bread. MIR. Wedge had,