The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-12-29
From the Ohio Co'un bian.
THE LOVERS sTRATAGEM.
A STORY OF THE LAST WAR.
| lCONCLUDED.I |

impression that he accepted Christians pro-
posal to take supper, and rest for the night at
Chester (some fifteen or twenty miles from
the city, The coach went no farther; but the
mail would be taken by another in course of
the evening. ls di II a3s-ll .est>ai
At Chester, then, they stopped, and while
supper was preparing, Christian, (whose cog
itations in regard to the .une expected circum-
stances around him resulted in determine
ton to satisfy himself that very night,) took a
walk by himself in the street. Give hun
Idred dollars for his passage" he exclaimed to
himself 'and in our vessel! Why did not
some Of the English cruisers fall in with here
The old sea dog, Captain O., would certainly
have fought, and then we might have got rid
of this serpent, who comes to cause my mis-
Iery. / wonder does he know he. is paying
me part of his passage money?' Uncon-
|scously he stopped; but his eye was attract
ed by the glare ola apothecary's shop. "Ah,D
he thought, 81 have a key here" He saw the
ruin of his hopes if Selby succeeded; he should
lose Mary, he should lose her fathers wealth.
Could he not obtain the means in this shop to
save them? True the scheme was perhaps,
dangerous; but then the risk was not great
compared with that of losing the lady and her
wealth.. So into the shop he went and pur-
chased a. phial of laudanum. 7.
1t was, of course, then, no surprise to Chris
tian to observe Selby, after supper, (Which was
followed by bottle of winc,) grow drowsy,
and fall fast asleep. Christian assisted the
landlord in carrying up stairs the victim of his
villainy, remaining, however, to see the COM
plete success of it in the profound slumber of
Selby. Searching carefully the pockets of his
rival he found letter Of some length from the
merchant at Hamburg to Mr.. Morrison, sta
ting that the commissioners of the United
States and those of England were then at Ghent
to fix upon the terms of a treaty of peace, and
perhaps by that time one had been agreed up
on.
1t proceeded to advise him to profit by the
information, by making large purchases of
merchandise therein specified, even to the ex
tent of his capital, in order to meet the heavy
demand on the American market, which the
expected Treaty would create-the profits to
be shared between him and Mr.. Selby, who
had eagerly undertaken to be bearer of the
news even at the risk of / capture. ,;.ri. l,,,s,5
"Yes,n said Christian as he replaced the let
ter, "Mary Morrison is the cause Of this un-1
dertaking, as she has been the cause Of my be-
ing engaged in this dirty work; but is it not
ali fair? Twas her suffer before Selby ever
dared address her, he would cut me out but its
all right, now" 4I
Its said by the Great Bard, that "vaulting
ambition oft Ger leaps ITSELF" and in this ex-
ample he is sustained; for Selby, on agreeing to
the proposal of Christian to stay over night,
thought proper to place in the hands OF the
driver of the next coach, duplicate copy oil
| the letter which Christian read, to be handed
| to Mr.. Morrison on the arrival of the coach
that night. The man was to leave word that
Selby would arrive next day. Two Spanish
i fhQ n.
Iful delivery of the letter. had sealed his lips,
ana secured his confidence. A'
The next morning found Selby very unwell
and physician was called, who saw at once
the cause of his illness. Administering "a
mustard emetic, and advising his patient to rise
from his bed as soon as it should operate, the
doctor took his leave. Selby, however, who
now clearly suspected the yillainy of his rival,
resolyed to keep his bed for such length of
time as would defeat, perhaps the whole design.
IThe driver who carried his letter would return
at noon, and Selby requested Christian to
remain with him until the evening when he
should no doubt be able to proceed with him
/ to the city,. To this the latter consented at
Ionce; but as time would thereby be lost, he
wrote by special messenger, who woul reach
Philadelphia by two or three O'Clock in the
afternoon instructions to his chiefclerk, similar
to those in Selby's letter. His orders were
peremptory, and left the clerk no time to hesi-
tate. -,.si...@ $3.50 r., &
| On the return of the coach-driver from
i Philadelphia, he informed Selby of the punctual
delivery of his letters to Mr.. Morrison, within
three hours::of his departure from Chester. Two
more Spanish dollars concluded the business,
and Selby made preparations to proceed by
the coach in the evening No suspicion hay-.
ling entered the mind of Christian that all was
mot right, he was ready at the proper time
and by, seven o'clock, P. Mithe coach, with
both gentlemen, was on its way. s,s
/ Mr.. Morrison, on receipt oft.is friGnd's let
ter, was very much surpris;d, lie retired t,
his chamber to cousidr.r the first course Il