New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-01-13

hioIe. uusilIUg, tiidb tHtSc laClS were iH6I-
TONED by my fathers counsel; but the whole
thing was so eleyerly ridiculed by the opposite
counsel, as pretty sentimental romance, that
my father, very much in opposition to his advo-
cate. insisted on this part Of the evidence being
abandoned, and on the counsel taking his stand
on the clear integrity Of the will"
$ These letters, If they are what you say,
madam" rejoined the young lawyer, '' would
prove the case beyond everything else a.
-'[fs have always thought so,' said Miss Long
more, s' but my father became 50 exasperated.
that he hardly knew what he did,
would give anything to see those letters
said young Mr.. Broadhurst s'I would not
have sueha wrong lie at my fathers door for
the world, if those letters are as you describe
them Would you allow my father to see them:
mean with every precautfon for their safety"
Miss Longmore paused a moment, and then
said, sc would - Cg
Mary Longrnore left the lawyer and the off,
GERS in possession of Longmore Park; but she
did it with a feeling of resignation which she
mad believed impossible. There had sprung up
a-hepe in her BOSOM which, though it seemed to
arise from very minute seed, she could not
prevent taking firm hold. When young Broad
hurst told his father Of what Miss Lone1nore had
said, he only laughed, and cried,
.s most romantic story, truly y and added,
Sthat's a pretty girl, Tom; mind you don't
fall in love with her, now she has lost the
estate IF =s,9 ..zfy .a, .s.44s- .,s4so s, p
But before month was over, Tom had pre-
vailed on his father to meet Miss Longmore at
friends house in Boston. and in the presence of
the lady of the house, he was permitted to read
the numerous letters of the late John Chnrton
w Prom that hour Mr.. Broadharst was an al
tered man. He saw that a huge wrong had
been done: noble-niinded man and true had
been cruelty huutel down, shamefully maligned
and ruined With this knowledge in his posses
sion, he made a visit to the house keeper, whose
deposition had carried the day against Long
more, and charged her SO solemnly and search
Ingly with her perjury, that she trembled in
every limb, but remained steadfast to her tale
In a few months after. the news came that she
was married to Filmer, the new proprietor of
Longmofe Park. The man was a low brute,
and his marriage of the house-keeper came over
the country like q fash of lightning breaking
upon the darkness. The motive of her evidence
now stood sufficiently revealed. In less than
twelve months more, Filmer's savage treatment
Of her, and the tcrrors of conscience, had laid
her on her bed A hasty message came from
her to Mr. Broadhurst; lie hastened to the Park,
and there, in the presence of the clergyman and
neighbering magistrate, he took down, and
saw her set her hand to her confession. Her.
evidence on the trial was false Filmer had
bribed her with money and promise of mar
riage. r. ...... L l- ,l., sl.z
From the moment that Broadhurst had seen
the letters Of the late Mr. Churton, he resolved,
if it WIS in his power, to remedy the evil he had
so zealously, but so unwittingly, done. He did
not hesitate to declare openly, that circum-
stances had now come 10 his knowledge. which
totally altered his view of the case. He sent,
and caniiidly confessed this to Mr. Longmore,
begged him to forgive him, if possible, and pro-
missed that not only his most strenuous profess
sienal exertions, but his fortune should be at his
command to rectify the terrible error that he
had committed.
ssRoeue!' exclaimed EoEgmore :; :: he has got
all he can by wrestling the estate from me, and
now his fingers itch for as much more in winning
it back again!'' ..g
More inveterate than ever became his resent
ment against the lawyer. But when the news
Of the house-keerer's confession came-and
Broadausst was the first to communicate it. tel
ling him that the case was now quite clear, and
that the property might be recovered with ease II
every one expected that Longmore would g for
give and forget and that all past differences
woutl be ended by the happiness in prospect.
| This was the joyful feeling of Mrs. Longmore
and Mary. Mrs. Longmore,j at first overcome
ly the glad tidings, soos, began to show symp-
| toms of returning strength, though this return
was slow in its progress. Mary seemed to breathe
a new atmosphere of happiness. Life looked to
her like Il bright summer morning, the brighter
for the last nights thunderstorm. There want
ed only the restoration of her fathers cheerful
ness to complete her felicity. But that did not
| come. The mind of Longmore underwent
| change, but it was not such as was universally
expected. He rose from degree of darkness
and oppression but it was not to peace and joy
lie was not without exultation, but it was
dashed with the spirit of indignant vengeance
s:The fools :! the villains!'' he exclaimed,
when any one congratulated him the discov-
cry of the base plot to defraud him of his prop
eity. :: Don't | knoB it was II base plot Did
JoJ,- 1y,,n,
sslves-all those grand friends of mine they
knew me-they had known me for forty years
Was likely all at once to become scamp and
Il cheat Do honorable men become devils all
at once: Was likely TO cajole or compel any
one into false will Let the whole rotten
hearted world go! [ want none of it. They
are all hollow-hollow as drums, and false and
mean death and sin y .u..
1t was thus that Longlnorc felt and reasoned
But the property was not recovered. Though
two months had elapsed since the confession of
the housekeeper. Longnore had not taken
single step. He seemed to have stern pleas
ure in showing the world that he did not care
for it. lie delighted in launching. the bolts of
his contempt on the whole of his species. We
have seen him at church on Christmas morning.
and what was the spirit of his devotions. e
But on New Years Day he was going to dine
at Bant Farm, with his sister, Mrs Ranford.
She was true woman; she had stood firmly by
him as a tower. '''Fhat Il woman,'' he said,
- true as steel, genuine as Gods daylight He
believed that the whole crawling, creeping, VEN
NOUS herd of things called mef would have
been long ago swept into the Red Sea, but for
the sake of one or two like her.
That day, after Il hearty luncheon Mr.Long-
more mounted his gig and set out towards Blant
Farm. Little did he know that precisely at
the same moment, Broadh,rrst of Wainfeet,
mounted his gig and set out from his own door
towards the same Blant Farm. The two men
had to pursue the two sides of rectangular
triangle, which, at the distance of about four
teen miles. would bring them to point exactly
at Mrs. Ranford's gate. Had i.ongmore known
that fact he would have rushed again into his
own house, and believed the end of the world
come, since sister Ranford could thus deceive
him. But Broadhurst did know it, and vet he
went. The fact was that certain things had
taken place which, for good reasons. neither
I.onsmore nor the reader have vet been in.
formed of; the. right moment, it was thought,
had not come
.. Commission to-tao.ropl
HousEoF REFUGE NUN cIpALrrY No. Tyyo,, .
JANUARY 1852,
y