Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-01-28


apartments. Mrs. Duncan sat waiting the arrl-
val of her husband with more than hel usual
interest His well known knock was heard, and
was answered by Sally, to whom she had now
communicated her plans. She was Iutored itE
her master should make any EXPLANATIONS OF
surprise upon observing the change which must
she thought, be obvious upon his entering the
house) to say that Mrs. Duncan would explain
but Sally had no need to make any such remark,
for Mr. Duncan was this night too much absorbed
to notice the alterations His manner was per-
turbed and hurried, and he threw open the par
lor door before she had time to close the one at
which he had entered, and presented to his
wife's astonshed gaze an aspect of the deepest
dependency.
"What is the matter with you my dear Will
Ham," the lady exclaimed, all her tenderness re-
wing at the idea of his suferngs; "surey you
are not I?'
"No, Janet I am not i'll in body, but my
mind is Sick have sad intelligence for you"
he replied.
"What misfortune can have happened" inter
rogated the wife, in breathess agitation
"A misfortune which fear will be our ruin,
my love-" was his answer "nuthlng less than
The failure of house, upon the credit OF which
my success depended | fear shall become
complete bankrupt"
Mrs Duncan heard no more Her feelings
were too powerful for endurance, and she sunk
fainting upon the floor. In great alarm her hus-
band rang the bell with violence, and their faith
full domestic hurried into the apartment She
was not accustomed to behold her mistress in
such a situation, and felt certain that some dire
calamity had happened to cause it, She was,
however, not long IN applying the necessary re-
storatives, and Mrs Duncans suspended faculties
began to revive, but it was to the CONSCIOUSNESS
of misery-mlsery aggravated by seli-reproach ;
and her first words were to demand Of her hus-
band if it were indeed true that he was ruined
man, or whether it was dream?
"AIas it is no dream my poor Janet" was
his tender reply; "but bear up, my love-" be
added -"our misfoFtunes are not the result OF
any misconduct or extravagance of our own.-
They are inevitable, and it is our duty to bear
them with patience"
This was too much for the unhappy wife. Not
outstanding the presence Of her servant, whC
still hung over her, she wept forth an excIama-
ton Of her own imprudence, and accused herself
in terms the most bitter, This was fresh blow
to the feelings Of Mr. Duncan, but he said little;
that little was, however rather soothing and
ccnsolatory than repIouchfu; and this very cir
cumstance aggravated the grief of the wife, who
felt her own errors far more acuely than she
would have done had he loaded her with invec-
tives.
The rumor of Mr. Duncan's loss reached the
ear of the tradesman with whom his wife had re-
Gently contracted so heavy debt, and wi.hou
knowing the circumstances Of the case, he fel
, great anger and alarm, lest he should become
the loser of the property. He accordingly re
f solved TO do the utmost to secure himself by ar
resting him for the sum-
t No language can describe the feelings Of Mrs
: Duncan when she saw her beloved husband drag
4 ged to prison, entirely through her conduct
but her remorse once awakened, she was as sin
cere and earnest in her efforts to extrcate hin
t from his difficulties as she had before been il
: the qualification Of paltry species Of PRIDE
i Her first thought was to fly to the executor; Blu
: here fresh trial awaited her He was no NOR
0 and the person in whose hands his affairs wer
e left, showed little inclination to listen to her in
f treaties that the matter might speedily be settled
1t would take considerable time, he said, to ad
d Just all the affairs Of the deceased and he eve
proceeded to doubt the legality of Mrs Duncan
claim. In an agony of mind she now proceed
- ed to the house Of her early friend she woul
+ surely, she thought, be able to help her in th
O emergency; but Mrs. Peacock, though she el
u pressed herself ucry much distressed to hear {
It her friends misforlunes, showed no inclinatio
k to relieve them She had just laid out so larg
r sum, she said, in furnishing her own hous
Y she had not single dollar to spare indeed NJ
d Peacock had that morning, for the first time RI
d fused her a few dollars for something she W;
n much in want of, but which he said he could NJ
It afford to let her purchase. She concluded wit
e wondering how her dear Janet could be so in
r prudent as to order the articles when she was NJ
i certain of the sum to liquidate the debt an
e Mrs Duncan, finding that excuses and reproacl
: es were all she was likely to receive there, qui
e ted the house with the determination of neve
entering it again, and not without a secret wis
= that she had never done so before.
Q In this crisis she thought the best mode {
n proceeding would be to beg her creditor, the UP
holster, to take back the articles of furniture sh
. had purchased, and suffer her husband to b
o once again at liberty She, without reserve
is stated to him the circumstances under whic
e she had given an order for them, and assure
' him that he knew nothing of the transaction ii
it was too late to remedy the evil. He was wo
+ by her tears and opportunities to consent, an
/, Immediately Withdrawing his claim for the sun
l. Mr. Duncan was once again at large The we
: known integrity of his character pleaded so pow
erfully with his other creditors, that they wer
1t anxious rather to aid than distress him, at sea
It son when his severe losses rendered him unabI
e to meet all the demands made upon him; an
: time being given, he, by increased diligence