Butte record., 1855-02-03


fortunes never come single, my friend.
I on know how long | have been endea-
voring to stave off this in' vitable failure
of our house, simply for his sake. 1 was
in hopes that he would have been happi-
ly married TO Emily before ruin came
upon US. But God has not He'd it so,'
he continued, humbly 'to-morrrw our
paper will be protested End all vi be
known. Then, of course, Emily's fami.
ls will break off the m tch. Ny failure
would have been sufficient, doubtless. to
induce them to do SO, ii it came alone
but tbs additional disgr ce heaped up
on US by his mother renders all hope
vain"
Just here, James came in, in state
Of frantic excitement, followed by Adol-
phus Penniman. He had but just heard
Of the sd business, and was foaming
with rage. He was going IF that instant'
he said, in s,arch of the fugitives, and
would never re urn until he had avenged
the dishonor of the family. This we
endeavored TO dissuade him from, and
Penniman, who appeared 10 have more
influence over him than any one else,
showed him that the best and wisest
course to pursue, was to let bhe matter
rest forever. Even if he succeeded in
inducing his m ther 10 forsake the Count.
which was highly improbable, where
could she go: Society was closed against
her forever, and her husband could not
consent again to shi, Id her with name
that she had dishonofed.
Let her go in peace said Penniman.
e and pray that Heaven be merciful to
her for her fault"
After time James calmed down, and
Penniman and left them-the grief of
father and son, mourning over a DESC
| lated hearth, seemed too sacred for US to
Invade it.
Well, the smash came next day. Car
acole failed. There nine days of won
der in Wall Street The money arti-
cles of the various papers chroncled the
break up, and then came Timmin's rail
way fraud on the tenth day, entirely
swallowing up the recollection that such
a merchant as Caracole ever existed.
But did forget it. For I had before
me that pale, haggard face of poor
James Caracole as he came up one eve
ming to my house to tell me that his
heart was broken. OF course l knew
why. The Bredas had broken off the
engagement, and Emily had been sent
to Europe for year. Poor. poor boy,
how he must have suffered His young
cheeks were drawn down. and the roses
had faded from his young lips. His
hand shook, and that luxuriant curling
hair, on which | used TO look with such
wonder and admiration when l had vie W.
ed my own bald pate in the glass, now
hung matted and unkempt across his fore
head. HIS dress was slovealy, t, o, he
who used to be the adrnira ion Of tailors,
and had driven half his companions to
despair. | didn't wonder a, it at all,
f,r he told Tie himself that between his
unhappy 1--we, and has mothers elope-
mcnt, end his fathers failure. lie was
nea' 'ly desperate. / have DO doubt but
he was, for when he shook my hand ia
90 ng away his breath smelled strongly
Of brandy, aud shuddered a. | thought
what spectacle his youthful beauty
might be reduced to in few years. I
suggested variety of sche.oes for his
dvancement but he scofed at them all.
He had nothing now to live f'r, he said,
and he did not cale what became of him.
| never saw such utter recklessncss in
any human b ing.
Well, the end was not long coming.
though would to CID I could by any
sacrifice on my part have ayerted SO ter
rible denoumens
Of course things were now changed
with old Caracole. The old house in
Fifth Avenue had to be given up, and
the once wealthy merchant waa living
in a boarding house. Living meanly
enough too, for it seemed that the sud.
| denness and number of his misfortuues
had paralyzed all his energies, and his
only occupation as to moan all d y long
over his abandonment BY wife and child.
1t was too true, that his last stay in life
had deserted him, not nominally because
they lived together, but in truth, for
james Caracole rarely if ever saw bis
rather now. His life was spent at hotels,