The Winchester appeal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1856-1856, 1856-03-01

external brilliancy of the person con-
demnod as to disqualiIy them for look
ing deeper and perceiving the real
} character Of what was beneath the
) brilliant gliding. He was astonished
though not entirely convinced. 1t did
not seem possible that any one in the
elevated position Of Mr.. Allison could
be so base as was affirmed.
A few months later and Mr. Wood
vile was surprised at the announce
ment that the wife of Mr.. Allison had
! separated herself from him, and rctur-
ned to her fathers home. Various eau
ses were assignek for this act, the most
prominent Of which was inhdelty.---
Soon after an application for divorce
was laid before the Legislature, with
such proofs Of ill-trcatment and shock
ing depravity Of conduct as procured
an instant release from the marriage
contract.
By this time the proud angry father
was beginning to see that he had prob
ably committed an error. An emo
ton Of thanktulness that his child was
not the wife of Allison arose spontane-
ously in his breast; but he did not per-
nit it to come into his deliberate
thoughts, nor take the form OF an ut
tered sentiment. Steadily the change
in his outward circumstances progress
sed.
He was growing old and losing the
ability to do business on an equality
, with the younger and more eager mer-
, chants around him, who were gradu-
| ally drawing of his oldest and best
customers. Disappointed, lonely, anX-
ious and depressed in spirits, the con-
viction that he had committed a great
) mistake was daily forcing itself more
and more upon the mind of Mr.. Wood
; vile. When evening came and he re-
turned to his silent, his almost desert
. ed dwelling, his loneliness would dee
pen into sadness, and then like an I'M
| hidden but not entirely unwelcome
) guest. the image Of Laura would come
! before his imagination, and her low
: and tender voice would sound in his
ears. But pride and resentment was
still in his heart, and after gazing on
the penSive, loving child for a moment
he would seek to eXpel the vision.---
: She had degraded herself in marriage.
Who or what was her husband! A
! low, vulgar fellow, raised a little a.
boyc the common herd. Such, and on
Iy such, did he esteem him; and when
) ever he thought Of him, his resentment
to Laura came back in full force.
) Thus it went on, until twelve years
, from the time oiLaura's marriage had
t passed away, and in that long period
the father had seen her face but once,
and then it was in the presence Of the
dead Frequently in the first year OF
that time, had she sought a reconcile
, alton; but repulsed on each occasion.
l she had ceased to make approaches.
l AS to her husband, SO entirely did Mr..
+ WoodvilIe reject him that he cast out
} Of his mind his very likeness, and not
meeting him, ceased actually to re-
member his features, so that if he had
= encountered him in the street he would
2 not have known him. He could. and
= had said therefore. when asked about
2; Percival, that he didn't know him.
1 Of his rising reputation and socia
D standing he knew but little; for hi:
9 very name being an offence, he reject
: ed it on the first utterance, and pushet
y aside rather than looked at any intor
: nation regarding him.
= At last the external affairs of Mr.
s Woodville became desperate. Hi:
d business actually died out, so that the
G expense Of conducting it being more
C than the proceeds, he closed up his
y mercantile history, and retired on {
d meagre property, scarcely sufficient tt
n meet his wants. But scarcely had this
change taken place, when claim OF
?, the only piece Of real estate which he
, held was made on the allegation of 6
defective title. On consulting law
e yer he was alarmed to find that the
st claim had a plausible basis for its pre-
tensions, and that the chances were
r. against him. When the case wa
e. brought up, Mr.. Woodville appeared
IS in court, and with trembling anxiet,
is watched in the progress Of the trial
v The claim was apparently a fair one
j. and yet not really just. On the sid
or of the prosecution was a subtle, inge
y NOUS and eloquent lawyer, in who's
D hands his counsel was little more tina
If a child, and he saw with despair tina
Is all chances were against him. Tn
d loss Of this remnant of PROPERTY woul
l. leave him utterly destitute. After
4, vigorous argument on the one side an,
r feeble rejoinder on the other, the cas-