Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-09-15
THE FATAL coNCEALMENT.
! AN EXCITING STORY.

/
Some years after commenced practic
-but the precise date shall, for obvou
reasons, avoid mentoningI had frien,
at whose house | was a pretty constan
| visller. He had wife who was ma gne
that drew me there. She was beautiful
but | shall not describe her. She was NOR,
than beautilul-she was fascinating, capti
yaling. Her presence was to me like in
toxication of opium. was only happy
when under lis influence; ana yet aflel
every indulgence in the fatal pleasure,
sunk into the deepest despondeney. In my
own justification | must say, thu. never
in word or look, betrayed my feelings;
though had some reasons to suspect thai
they were reciprocaled; for while in my
company she was always gay, brilliant
and witty; but learned from .o,hers, al
times she was often sad and melancholy
Is Powerful-most powerful was the temp.
tation to make an unreaeryed disclosure oil
my heat, but resisted it. That | had the
frmness SO to do, has been for years my
only consolation. ? -
One morning | sat alone in my chamber.
My clerk was absent, A gentle knock
was just audible at the outer door.
shouted, .scome in!' in no very amiable
humor, for I,was indulging delicious rev.
eriesupon the subject Of the lady of my
heart, and the presence of an ordinary
mortal was hateful The door opened,
and Mrs. ------ entered, l. do not exactly
know what did; but it seemed TO be long
time before had the power to rise and
welcome her, while she stood there with u
timid blush on her face and that glorious
smile upon her lips which made me feel
that il would be too great a happiness to
die for. "A
s 81 don't wonder that you are surprised
to see me here" she began, with a provok-
ing-liltls laugh, "but is your nstonishment
really too great TO allow you TO say, 'how
do you doa "zsaA =
> .fhe spell was broken. | started up
and took herhand. | fear pressed it more
warmly and held it longer than was abso-
slutely necessary.
s.''Perhaps your surprise will be increas-
ed" she continued, s'when | inform you
that | have come upon business?"
al multered something about notbeing SO
ambitious as to hope that she would visit
me from any other motive.
She took no notice of what said, but
perceived TINT her face turned deadly pale,
and that her hand trembled, as she placed
before me n bundle of papers.
r. "Youtwill see by lhese," she said in a
low hurried voice, '.that some properly was
left TO me by nv uncle andmy grandfather,
but so strictly settled that even can touch
nothing but The interest. Now, my hus>
band is in want Of large sum at this mo-
ment, and wish you to examine the affair
well, and see whether by any twisting Of
the law, can place part of my capital
at his disposal. Unintentionally,l have
done him great wrong" she added in a
tone SO low that no ears less jealously
alive than mine could have caught the
meaning; sand poor as this reparation is,
it is nll that can make, and must do it
if possible. = 80
pretended to study the papers before
me, but the lights danced. and. mingled;
and il, by great effort, forced my eyes
to distinguish q word, it conveyed not the
slightest meaning to my ~hirling brain !.
Every drop Of my blood in my body seem.
ed imbued with separate consciousness,
and to be tingling aud rushing to the side
next to her whose presence within a short
distance Of me was the only thing Of which
felt thoroughly assured. -
1t may well be believed that / was in
no condition to give q professional oPin-
ion; butI got over the difficulty by telling
her / must have time to study the case,
and promising 10 let her know the result
"You are tiresome creature" she said.
with little coquettish air. 81 really ex-
pected that for once in your life, and for a
friend too, you might have got rid of the
laws delays, and given me your opinion
in half an hour; so far at least as to tell
me whether there is a probability OF my
being ableto do what desire. But see
you are just like tie rest ofathe lawyers
time! time! time! suppose, now, you will
keep about ii, till am dead; and then il
will all eoSto my husband in the course oI
the law" #S@,
Ssh may notrequire more than hall an
hour TO ASCERTAIN SO much, when / can d.
rect my thoughts to it, for that space o
time," ! replied, and know the words
ra,tled like shot out of mouth. ,sBut wodle
you be SO unreasonable as to require ansar
tist to draw a straight line while he wa
under fit of the delirium tren,enssPs S
sssY ou are an incomprehensible person,
she replied rather coldly; $50 shall leav'
J you to your legal and lawful Studies