The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-24


letter. he added after long and painful
pause, during which he eyed me, thought
with kind of suspicion--'the letter YOU
saw me open Just now comes from rela.
tive, an aunt, who is very i'll, and wishes
to see me instantly. You understand
lid understand, or at least | feared
that did too well. however, bowed
acquiescence, and he presently rose from
his chair, and strobe about the apartment
in great agitation, until his wife's bedroom
bell rang. He then stopped suddenly
short, shook himself, and looked anxously
at the reflection of his flushed and vary
ing countenance in the magnificent chin
ney glass,
4 do not look, l think-or, at least
shall not, in darkened room-odd, more
out of the way that is, more agitated-
one might, tEan one must appear, after
hearing of the dangerous illness of-of-
an auntP
Yes, yes much better, much better.
am glad to hear you say so. That was
my wife's bell. She is anxious, no doubt
to see me-
lie left the apartment; was gone, per-
haps ten minutes, and when he returned,
was thought less nervous than before.
rose to so. Give my respects he said,
to the good rector; and as an especial
favor he added, with strong mphasis,
let me ask of you not to mention to a
living soul that you saw INC so unnamed
rs was just now; that swallowed bran
dy. 1t would appear so strange, so weak,
so ridiculous.'
promised not to do so, and almost i'm
medately left the house, very painfully
affected. His son was, concluded, either
dead or dying. and he was thus bewilder-
ed 10y casting about for means of keeping
the terrible, perhaps fatal tidings from his
wife. afterwards heard that he left Elm
Park in post-chaise, about two hours af-
ter L came away, unattended by single
servant.
lie was gone three clear days only, at
the end Of which he returned with Mrs.
Dandy and his son-in fiored health.
too, and one of the finest babies of its age
about nine weeks only-I had ever seen
Thus vanished the air-drawn Doubling
Castle and Giant Despair which had so
hastily conjured up. The cause assigned
by MIR. Arhuthnot for the agitation had
witnessed was doubtless the true one and
yet (and the thought haunted me for
months, years afterwards, he opened only
one letter that morning, and had sent a
message to his wife that the child was
well!
Mrs. Dandy remained ut the Park till
the little Robert was weaned, and was
then dismissed, very munificently reward.
cd. Year after year rolled away, without
bringing Mr.. and Mrs. Arbuthnot any ad-
ditionaI little ones, and no one, therefore,
could feel surprised at the enthusiastic
love of the delighted mother for her hand
some, nobly-prolnising boy. But that
which did astonish me, though no one
else, for it seemed that | alone noticed it,
was strange defect of character which
began to dcvelopc itself in Mr.. Arbuthnot.
He was positively jealous of his wife's af-
lection for their own child. Many and
many time have remarked, when he
thought himself unobserved, an expression
of intcnce pain flash from his fine, express
sive eyes, at any more than usually fer
vent manifestation Of the young mothers
gushing love for her first and only born.
| rs much us possible forfore to dwell upon
the subject.
Nine years passed away without bring
ing any material change to the parties
involved in this narrative, except those
which time brings ordinarily in his train.
Young Robert Arbuthnot was healthy
tall and fine looking lad of his age; and
his great grand-papa, the rector, though
not suffering under any actual physical or
mental infrmity, had reached a time of
life when the announcement that the gol-
den bowl is broken, or the silver cord is
loosed, may indeed be quick and sudden,
but scarcely unexpected. Things had
gone well, too, with the nurse, Mrs. Dan
by and her husband; well, at least, after a
fashion. The speculative millermust have
made good use of the gift to bis wife for
her care of little Arbuthnot, for he had
built genteel house near the mill, always
rode valuable horse, kept, it was said, a
capital stable; and all this, as it seemed,
hy h:s e!eyes specuiations i9 corn a8d foar,
for the ordinary bisiness OF the mill was
almost entirely neglected. He had no
children Of his own, but he had apparent
y taken TO bis step-son, fine lad, now
about eighteen years of age. This greatly
grieved the boys mother, who dreaded
above all things that her son should con-
tract the evil, dissolute habits Of his faith
er-'nlaw. Latterly, she had become ex-
tremely solicitous to procure the lad a
permanent situation abroad, and this Mr..
Arbuthnot had promised should be effect
cd at the earliest opportunity.
Thus stood affairs on the l6th Of Octo-
ber ls4a. Mr. Arbuthnot was ternporar-
lily absent in Ireland, where he possessed
large property, and was making personal
inquiries as to the extent Of the potatoe
rot. <not long before announcesI The