Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-04-25

This was too much for the unhappy wife,
Notwithstanding the presence of her servant,
who still hung over her, she wept for an expa-
nation Of her own imprudence, and accused her
self 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 consolatory than reproachful; and this
very circumstance aggravated the grief of the
vile, who felt her own errors far more acutey
than she would have done, had he loaded her
with invectves.
The rumor of Mr.. Duncan's loss reached the
ear of the tradesman with whom his wife had
recently contracted so heavy debt, and with
out knowing the circumstance of the case, lie
ielt great anger and lest he should become the
looser OF the property. lie accordingly rcsov-
ed to do his utmost to secure indemnity to him
self by arrestng him for the sum.
No language can decribe the feelings of Mrs.
Duncan when she saw her beloved husband
dragged to prison entirely through her mis-
conduct but her remorse once awakened, she
was as sincere and earnest in her efforts to eX-
tricate him from his difficulties, as she had be-
fore been in the qualification Of patry species
oi pride. Her first thought was to fly to the
executor but here fresh trial awaited her
He was no more, and the person in whose hands
his affairs were left, , showed little inclination to
listen to her entreates that the matter might
be speedily settled. 1t would take cousidera-
BILE time, he said, to adjust all the affairs OF the
deceased and he even proceeded to doubt the
legality of Mrs, Duncan's claim. in an agony
OF mind she nov proceeded to the house of her
early friend; she would surely, she thought,
be able to help her in this emergency; bat Mrs.
Peacock, tho she expressed herself rery much
distressed to hear of her friends misfortunes,
showed no inclination to relievelhem. She had
Just laid out so large a sum, she said, in fur
nishing her own house, she had not a single
pound to spare; indeed, Mr.. Peacock had that
morning, for the first time, refused her few
guineas for something she was much in want
of, but which he said he could not afford to let
her purchase She concluded with wondering
haw dear Janet could be so imprudent as to
order the articles when she was not certain OF
the sum to liqudae the debt; and Mrs. Dun
can, finding that excuses and reproaches were
all she was likely to receive there, quilted her
house with the determination of never entering
1t again, and not without Il secret wish that she
had never done so before.
! Ip this crisis she thought the best mode o
proceeding would be to beg her creditor, the up
holsierer. to take back the articles of furniture
she had purchased, and suffer her husband tc
be once again set at liberty. She, without re-
serve, stated 10 him the circumstances under
which she had given order Tor them, and assur-
ed him that he knew nothing of the transaction
till it was too late to remedy the evil. lie
was won by her tears and opportunities TO con-
sent, and Immediately Withdrawing his claim
from the sum. Mr.. Duncan was once again sci
at large. The well known integrity of hrs
character pleaded so powerfully with his cred
itors, that they were anxious to aid rather than
distress him, at season when his severe losses
rendered him unable to meet all the demands
made upon him and time being given, he by
increasing diligence and economy, overcame
the misfortune which had threatened TO become
his ruin.
Mrs. Duncan had learned lesson she could
never forget she had paid dearly for the indul-
gence of passion for display, and she deter
mined never more to be takin in the snare OF
vanity. Her legacy was paid in the course OF
few months, and as she placed the whole into
the hands of her husband, she declared that, in
the exhibition of the most beautifully furnish ed
drawing room, she should never have expert
enced tenth part of the pleasure she now did
in knowing it would tighten his cares and tolls
She often reverts to the past with bitter self
upbraidingS; but Mr.. Duncan with his char
table kindness, bids her cease to reproach her
self, Away averrlng that it was his own fault
in consenting in the first instance, against his
conscience, to the purchase of that supertuous
piece OF furniture, the danask window curtains