The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-01-19


"Ics," said Christian, as he replaced
tie letter, 'AIary Morrison is the caus,
OF this undertaking, as she hus been the
cause of my being in this dirty work
bat is it not all fair! was her sutton
before ,@elby ever dared address her, h,
would cut me out--but its all right
now
1t is said by the Great Barl,' that
svaulting ambition oft DER leaps itself;
and iii this example he is sustained: fol
Sclby, ON agreeing to the proposal OF
Christian to stay over night, thought
proper TO place in the hands of Che driver
Of the coach, duplicate copy of the let
ter which Christian read, to be handed to
| Mr.. Morrison on the arrival of the coach
that nj ght. The man was to leave word
that Sclby would arrive next day. Two
Spanish dollars, with the promise OF
more for The faithful delivery of the let
ter, had sealed his lips, and secured his
confidence.
The next morning found Sclhy very
unwcll, and physician was called, who
saw at once the cause of his illness. Adj
mlnistering il mustard emetic, and adj
vising 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 vlliany
of his rival, resolved to keep his
bed for such length Of time as would
defeat, perhaps, the whole design. The
driver who carried his letter would re-
turn at noon, and Sclby requested Chris
tian to remain with him until the even
ing when he should no doubt be able to
proceed with him to the city. To this
the latter consented at once but as tune
would thereby be lost, he wrote by Il
special messenger, who would reach
Philadelphia by two or three o'clock in
the afternoon, Instructions to his chief
clerk, similar to those III Selby's letter.
His orders were pcrcmptory, and left
the clerk no time to hesitate.
On the return of the coach-driver from
Philadelphia, he informed Selby of the
punctual delivery of his letters to Mr..
Morrison, within three hours of his de-
parturc from Chester. Two more Span
ish dollars concluded the business, and
Sclby made preparations to proceed by
the coach i'll the evening. No suspicion
having entered the mind of Christian that
all was not right, he was ready at the
proper time, and by seven o'clock p.
NJ, the coach, with both gentlemen, was
on its way.
Mr.. Morrison, on receipt ofhis friends
letter, was very much surprised. lie
retired to his chamber to consider the
first course to be pursued in the norm
ing, and made memoranda Of all he
should purchase. No one else was the
wiser OF the contents Of that letter, UNI
til he was no longer to be affected by it;
at least so he thought.
The next morning Mr.. Morrison made
his purchases, and by 10 o'clock, noon,
they were all, as measure Of safety,
stored under Custom House lock. 1t
was then that the merchant made known
so much Of that letter as related to the
expected Treaty of Peace, and immc-
datcly all merchandise for export rose
Il hundred per cent.
The letter Of Christian to hi; clerk
WAS received about & O'Clock that even
ing, and as no choice remained between
disobcdience and a compliance with his
employers instructions: the clerk acted
Glly up to them, in rccciptng for such
a quantity of goods, as at the advanced
prices involved nearly the whole of his
employers capital.
The old ,Statc-lIouse clocI, struck ten,
when the two rivals alightcd from the
coach-Sclby proceeding to the house of
Mr.. Morrison, and Christian to that of
his clerk, who, after informing of the
receipt Of his letter, and his purchases
on its faith, was DESTROYS to know the
ground he acted on. sMy grounds, ,
said he, care these: peace is already
agreed upon at Ghcnt.'
Good heavens SIR exclaimed the
clerk, chat is bad business; Mr.. Morri-
son received that news yesterday morn.
ing, and bought on the strength of it, a
hundrcd thousand dollars worth before
he made it known. Prices went I'D Il
hundred per cent the moment the news
became public
Christian was stupifcd; his knees
shook beneath him. The result was
that he was rendered almost bankrupt;
the disaster preycd upon his spirits to
such degree that he fell sick, and soon
after left the city, without even taking
leave of Mr.. Morrison or his dau lighter,
neither of whom he dared to encounter.
1t was early in the spring when the
official news of peace arrived: and, as the
.ioy-bells pcaled long and loud, Mr..
Morrson's brig Globe was taken in her
landing for Hamburg, George Selby was
to 90 supercargo, but when the period
of departure arrived, he could not tear
himself away from Mary Morrison. He
explained the state of his affections to
her father, who assured him, if she was
willing, he might have Mary for part
ncr for life, and Mr.. Morrison for a
partner in business. Miss Morrison
became Mrs. Sclby; while the fate OF
Christian Wcrnwag aapoken Of as a
signal warning to all, that
1 ssHONEsTY is TIE BEsT POLICY"
WHAT AMERICA HAS LEARNED.--Wc may