Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-03-10

drink, and that of his wife's clouded with
trowns at the situation in which she found
herself, and the riotous conduct of her
husband. Their brief history was this =
They had both been servants in family
living not far distant from Farnham-Sir
I Thomas Lethbridge's, 1 understood ;
when about three or four months previous
to the present time Flint Jackson, who
had once been in an attorneys Office, dis
covered that Henry Rogers, in conse-
quence of the death of distant relative
in London, was entitled to property worth
something like f15oO. There were, how
ever, some law difficulties in the way,
which Jackson offered, if the business was
placed in his hands, to overcome for a
consideration, and in the meantime to
supply board and lodging and such ne
cessary sums of money as Henry Rogers
might require. With this brilliant pros
pect in view, service became at once ut
terly distasteful. The fortunate legatee
had for some time courted Mary Elkins,
one of the ladies' maids, pretty bright
eyed brunette and they were both uni
ted in the bonds of holy matrimony on
the very day the warnings they had
given expired. Since then they had lived
at Jackson's house in daily expectation of
their fortune with which they proposed
to start in the public line.
Finding myself unrecognized, called
boldly for a pot and pipe, and after
some man@uvering contrived to seat my
self within ear-shot of Jackson and his
party. They presented strange study.
Henry Rogers was boisterously excited,
and not only drinking freely himself, but
treating dozen fellows round, the cost
of which he from time to time called upon
Old Flint as he courteously styled his
ancient friend, to discharge.
Come, fork out, Old Flint!' he cried
again and again. 1t ill be all right, you
know, in day or two, and few half
pence over. Shell out, old fellow What
signifies SO you're happy?'
jackson complied with an affectation of
acquiescent gayety ludicrous to behold.
1t was evident that each successive pull
at his purse was like wrenching a tooth
out Of his head, and yet while the disma-
lest of smiles wrinklcd his wolfish mouth,
he kept exclaiming "A fine lad-a fine
lad generous as a prince-generous as
prince Good Lord, another round
He minds money no more than if gold
was so plentiful as gravel But fine gen
erous lad for all that!'
Jackson, perceived, drank considcra-
bly,, as if melted thereto by compressed
savageness. The pretty young wife
would not taste drop, but tears fire.
quently filled her eyes, and bitterness
pointed her words as she vainly implored
her husband to leave the place and go
home with her. To all her remonstrances
the mauldin drunkard replied only by
foolery, varied occasionally by an attempt
at a line or two of the song of The
Thorn
But you WILL plant thorns, Henry
rejoined the provoked wife in louder and
angrier tone than she ought perhaps to
have used not only in my bosom, but
your own, if you go on in this scottish, dis
graceful way
Always quarreling, always quarrel
ling remarked Jackson, pointedly, to-
wards the bystanders-al'cags quarrel,
ling =
'Who is always quarreling = demanded
tho young wife sharply. DO you mean
me and Henry p
Il was only saying, my dear, that you
don't like your husband to be so gene
rous and ee-hearted-that's ALL replied
Jackson with a continental wink at the
person near him.
Free hearted and generous! Fool
hearted and crazy, you mean J rejoined
the wife, who was much excited. And
you ought to be ashamed Of yourself to
give him money for such british pur
poses.'
Always quarrelling. always quarrel
ling!' reiterated Jackson, but this time
unheard by Mrs. Rogers-always, per-
Petually quarrelling!
could not quite comprehend all this.
If SO large a sum as CISCO was really
coming to the young man, why should
jackson vince as he did at disbursing
small amounts which he could repay him
self with abundant interest? If other
wise-and it was probable he should not
be repaid-what meant his eternal fine
generous lad = spirited young man + and
so on? What, above all, meant that look
of diabolical hate which shot out from his
cavernous eyes towards Henry Rogers
when he thought himself unobserVed,
Just after satisfying fresh claim on his
purse? Much practice in reading the
faces and department of such men, made
it pretty clear to me that Jackson's course
of action respecting the young man and
his money was not yet decided upon in
his own mind /; that he was still perplex-
ed and irresolute and hence the apparent
contradiction in his words and acts.
Henry Rogers at length dropped asleep,
with his head upon one of the settle
tables ; Jackson sank into sullen silence !;
the noisy room grew quite and came
away.
I was impressed with belief that
jackson entertained some sinister design