New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-08-19


married; their present resources, the rents
about one hundred and twenty pounds per an
nun1-of number Of small tenenlents at Exeter,
They removed to within three miles Of that city, |
and dwelt there in sufficiency and peace for
about five years, when the exigences Of fast
increasing family induced them to dispose, not
very advantageously, Of their cottage property,
and embark the proceeds in snowy speculation
promising, of course, immense results, and
their utter ruin Edward Drysdale found him
self, in lieu of his golden hopes, worth about
two hundred pounds less than nothing. The
usual consequences followed An undefended
suit at law speedily reached the stage at which
execution might be issued, and unless consid-
cradle sum of money could be instantly raised,
his furniture would be seized under a H. ta.,
and sacrificed to no purpose
One only possible expedient remained-that
Of once more endeavorlng to soften the obduracy
of Mr. Bradshaw This it was finally determined
to attempt, and Mr.. and Mrs. Drysdale set off
by London morning coach upon the well-nigh
hopeless speculation. They alighted at the
sc Hunters Inn,' where Drysdale remained,
while his wife proceeded alone to Rodney Place
Thomas Burnham was friendly and good-na-
tured as ever. The old mariner, he told Drys-
dale, was visbly failing, and his chief amuse
ment seemed to be scraping together and hoard
ing up money. James Berry, a broken-do
tailor, and chap, according to Burnham, who
knew how many beams made five as we'll as any
man in Devonshire, had been for some time valet,
gardener, and general factotum at Rodney
Place, and appeared to exercise great influence
over Mr. Bradshaw. The only other person in
the establishment was the old cook, Margery
Deans, who never otherwise, since he had known
her, than desperately hard of hearing, was now
become deaf as stone. Drysdale, it was after
ward remembered, listened to all this with eager
attention, and was especially inqusative and
! talkative respecting Mr.. Bradshaw's boarding
propensities, and the solitary, unprotected state
| in which he lived.
| Mrs. Drysdale was long gone; but the tremu-
lous hopes which her protracted staycalled feebly
forth vanished at the sight of her pale, fearful,
yet resolved aspect. s:It is useless, Edward,'
she murmurad, with her arms cast lovingly
about her husbands neck, and looking in his
face with far more lavish expression of affection
than when, with orange blossoms in her hair.
she stood newly -consecrated wife beside him.
1t is useless to expect relief from my uncle,
save upon the heartless, impossible condition
you know of. But let us home. Gods heaven
is still above our heads, though clouds and dark
ness rest between We will trust in Him, Ed
ward, and fear mott!
| So brave woman should have been matched
with stout-hearted man: but this, unhappily,
was not the case. Edward Drysdale was utter
| ly despondent, and he listened, as his wife was
afterward fain to admit to myself and others,
with impatient reluctance to all she said as they
journeyed homeward, save when the condition
of help spoken of, namely, that she should aban-
don her husband, and take up her abode with
her children at Rodney Place, was discussed
| by her Indignantly Once also, when she men
toned that the old will in her favor was not yet
destroyed, but would be, her uncle threatened
if she did not soon return, o bright, almost fiery
expression seemed to leap from his usually mild
reflective eyes, and partially dissipate the thicl
gloom which mantled his features.
This occurred on q winter S day in early Marcl
and the evening up to seven o'clock had dpasse'
gloomily away with the Drysdales, when all set a
a once the husband, starting from profound re
verie, said that he would take walk as far a
Exeter. see the attorney in the suit against hin
and, if possible, gain little time for the al
rangement of the debt. His wife acquiesced
though with small hope of any favorable result
and the strangely abstracted man left the house
! Ten o'clock, the hour by which Edward Drys
dale had promised to return, chimed from dia
on the mantel-piece. Mrs Drysdale trimme
the fire, lit the candles, which, for economy
sake she had extinguished, and had their truga
supper laid. He came not, Eleven o'clock
What could be OBTAINING him so late Twelve
I-half-past twelve! Rachel Drysdale was jus
about to bid the servant maid, who was sittin!
up in the kitchen, go to bed, when the sound o
carriage wheels going to,rards Exeter stopped
at the door. 1t was return post-chaise, an'
brought Edward Drysdale. He staggered, a
if intoxicated, into the kitchen, reached dow
a half bottle of brandy from the cupboard, an
took it to the post-boy, who Immediately droy
!, off, Anne Moody, the servant girl, was greatl.
startled by her masters appearance he looked
she afterwards stated, more the color of
, whted wall than of flesh and blood, and shoo
and &c covered rs if he had the ague Mrs
Drysdale came into the kitchen, and stoo
gazing at her husband in white, dumb kin,
, of way, q am transcribing literally fror
the girls statement, till the outer doc
was fastened, when they both went up-stair
j., into front sitting room. Curiosity induce
Anne Moody to follow, and she heard, just a
the door closed upon them, Mrs. Moody say
'' I ou have not been to Exeter, am sure !?
; This was said in nervous, shaking voice, an
, her master replied in the same tone, No;
changed my mind,'' or words 10 that effect
Then there was a quick whispering for minut
t or two. interrupted by halt-stided cry Q
5 scream from Mrs. Drysdale A sort of huhbu
of words followed, which the girl-a very intel
ligent person of her class, by-the- by-coull nc
, hear, or at least not make out, till Mrs. Drys
dale said in a louder, slower way, &c You, Racht
9 the children are provided for; but, 0 God
| at what dreadful pricer' Anne Moody, feal
G full of detection, did not wait to hear more, br
crept stealthily upstairs to bed, as her mistres
| had ordered her to do when she LETT the kitchel
t On the following morning the girl found he
9 master and mistress both up, the kitchen an
/ parlor fires lit, and breakfast nearly over M
Drysdale said he was in a hurry to get to L.
4 eter, and they had not thought it worth viii
: to call her at unreasonable hours. Both hu
4 band and wife looked wild and haggard, al
S this, Moody, when she looked into their be-
e chamber, was not at all surprised at, rs it WI
clear that neither Of them had retired to res
4 One thing and the other, especially kissing ar
o fondling the children over and over again, d
e tanned Mrs Drysdale till halfpast eight o'Gloc
t and then, just as he was leaving the hous
: three men confronted him A constable of IL
i name of Parsons, James Berry, Mr.. Bradshaw
s servant, and Burnham, the landlord of IL
s Hunters Inn. They came to arrest him on
:, charge of burglary and murder Mr.. Brac
}, shaw had been found cruelty stabbed to deaf
v beside his plundered strong-box
d ] must pass lightly over the narrowing scen
d which followed-the tumultuous agony of tt
wife, and the despairing asseverations of the hui
e band, impossible to be implicitly believed
j even by that wife, for the eliminating eviden,
j. was overwhelming. Drysdale had been see
IL sllulking about Rodney Place till very late /
both Rurnham and Berry. In the room throue
II which he must have passed in going and T.
10 turning from the scene of his trighttul Grim
d his hat had been found, and it was now di
IL covered that he, Drysdale, had taken ava
. and worn home one of Berry's-no doubt fro
Il hurry and nadvertance. In addition to Il