Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-03-11

I information of a certain Edith Merton, who was
several years since privately married to the late
Richard Harding, and who can bring proof of
The marriage and Of the ladys identity, will hear
of something greatly to her advantage by calling
on Edward Weston, attorney and counsellor att
law No. 70 Street, Philadelphia"
"Srange, indeed" said Mr. Courtney, and
turning to his wife he added, "CorneHa, was
( not Mr. Harding an acquaintance of yours, al
lover of Edith's, or something like it, before you
| left Halifax p
"Yes-no" stammercd Cornelia, "that is, he
was our passenger from Halifax, and my sister
liked, or rather he liked, Or" and bushing
and confused she stopped abruptly, for just then
Edith entered the room, and noticing the won
derng looks of her aunt and Mr.. Courtney, and
the confusion of her sister, asked anxiously what
was the matter Aunt Ormond Immediately
handed her the paper pointing to the advertise.
ment, which she had no sooner glanced at than
! her brain eeled and she sank fanting on a sofa.
! The secret which the sisters had so long faith
fully kept was revea'e and in the family coun-
Gil which followed it was decided that Mr.
Courtney should proceed Immediately to Phia-
delphia, and learn all that Mr.. Weston could tell
him Of Harding, for, from the hour of their
parting at the church door, his wife had received
no intelligence from him Mr. Courtney found
Mr.. Weston very ready to impart all the knowl-
edge of the case he possessed, which was, briefly,
that about month previous to their interview he
had received a package from the United States
Consul at Cuba containing letter from that
gentleman, informing him of the recent death
of Richard Harding, Sem also that the said
Richard had in his last illness, earnestly desired
that the will and letter accompanying might be
conveyed (as soon after his decease as possble),
to Mr.. Weston.
"The document excited no little establishment
and seemed to promise some difficulty in its
execution, since ii expressly says in due FORM 81
bequeath all my estate, real and personal, Of
whatever nature aud wherever found, to Edith,
wife of my late son Richard Harding, now resi-
ding, if she be yet living in parts unknown to
me; and if she cannot be found within five years
from the date hereof, devise the same to James
the only son of my brother james Harding, OF
Boston, Mass, U. S." In the letter which &c.
companied the will he writes "Soon after we
arrived at home after our last visit to the United
! States, my son was seized with fever which
terminated his life As | watched anxously
) by him one day, he told the of his marriage witt
| a beautiful and portloncss girl. was beside
: myself with rage, and forgetting the weakness O
l my boy, loaded him with reproaches. Wher
S | stopped to take breath, my boy had tainted
Iorror-stluck, believing him dead, ! summoned
i the attendants. He was was soon restored (
j life, but not consciousness, nor for one momen
e after did his delirum cease. He often mnrmur
| ed the names of Edith and Merton, but salt
nothing distinctly, so that could learn nothin!
d of the family of his wife will not tell yo,
d how wretched my life has been SINCE nor VIII
It | have resolved to bequeath my fortune to thu
It woman he loved, if she can be found AT tn
end Of five years, if you hear nothing Of her
c will deliver the property to my nephew, whom
: hate though he is my only brothers SON.
r Games Harding" added Mr.. Weston, "is
S grasping, avarcous man, whom | detest almos
as heartily as did his uncle, but unless you ca
e furnish me with ample and unq fashionable proof
If Miss Ormond's being the lady who was mai
o ried to Richard in Merton church in June, 49,
/ | shall be obliged to hand over the deeds {
e property to him al the end of the five year
y specified in the will but | presume you wi
# have no difficulty. There is, of course, eel
: lfcate, and the marriage is recorded i'll tn
e parish register, and there were undoubtedl
e witnesses of the ceremony who must be ftun
c and requested to give their evidence.
h MIR. Courtney anticipated no difficulty in OF
5. tanning the desired proofs, and with light heal
: he returned to his family Great was his astoI
st shment to learn from Edith that so far tror
being able to produce any proof of the MAJ
is rage, she had nothing but her wedding rim!
l. containing their initials and the date; and ther
" were no witnesses except her sister: and tn;
l. she did not even know the officiating clergyman
< name. She knew only that the rite was solemn
lied in Merton church, and to Merton, Aur
e Ormond insisted on going, accompanied by l
; dith, Immediately. The visit was made, an
l. was unsatisfactory. The sudden death of tn
J, rector had prevented the recording of the ma
rage the SEXTON had "moved off West" Til
o rector's nephew was reading law in the office
y Messrs. Parchment g. Smoothwit, Of Michigan
1t Several letters were addressed to him without
J. Letting reply.
ID Meanwhile Mr.. James Harding was not inat
10 tive he exerted himself continually to find proc
that Richard Harding had never married, an
'e he SO often called Edith an imposter, that Yer
r, many believed his report.
e, The ward-room officers of the receiving shi
!! at Charleston were lingering over their wine vii
I'd three or four young men, their guests, when on
ii of them exclaimed, dreaming again Elliot
believe the lady we saw in State street to-da
ct stole away your wits; You are fairly in low
ly man %
IS. "Elliot in love Elliot thinking of lady
to cried several voices "Who is she, Walton
e, Peerless indeed she must be in beauty and graC
ch if Elliot gave her second look !"