Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-04-15

| oroil, and avoided annoying me by any refer
encc to it,
Thirty years of hard work rolled by, Harry,
during which 1 acquired family, fortune,
fame, and gray hairs; but never, in all that
time, saw or heard of my clients, with the ex-
ception of one letter, which was received some
years after the occurrences which have re-
lated, and which contained two more fifty dol
lar bills, with the words:
''We are very happy; God bless your
Dora"
But in oil that time, have never forgotten
that beautiful angelic face, nor the mute ap-
peal which it made to my heart the answer
to which cost me the deep scar which is the
object of your present curiosity, and a one
thousand dollar fee less the amount received
from the young folks. Neither did 1 in all
| that time, regret the course took.
Some ten years ago, as you probably remem-
Der, / spent winter in Havana. l boarded
with Spanish landlord, whose house was gen.
orally filed with American visitors But,
strange to say, passed week with him
without single American arrival; and was
mentally resolving one day to leave for New
Orleans, where could find troops of friends
and rid myself of the ennu consequent upon
my solitary position, when 1 heard my host
calling me-
"Senor, Senor, los Americanos-Amcrica
| nos 20
Looking from my window, saw q fine port
| 1y gentleman attending to his luggage, and ait
swering the demands of the thousand and one
| leeches of porters who each claimed to have
brought something for him. Thinking 1 might
be of service to him, went out, and with two
| or three dimes dispersed the villains who,
knowing me for an old stager, submitted to my
orders. The gentleman turned to thank me,
| but suddenly started back, then glanced at my
| temple, and seeing the end of my candle-stick
mark peering out beneath my sombrcro he
caught me by the hand, exclaiming:
"We have met before, Sir ,--hew glad am
| to see you ~
| And then, without explanation, he drew me
to the doorway in which stood a matronly but
still beautiful woman.
'sSec, Dora," said he, 'sis not this our old
friend ?''
At the word ''Dora,' / started, and there
before me, sure enough, there stood the Dora
of thirty years previous, still retaining many
of her former charms, but with the marks
of time, notwithstanding, impressed upon her
features.
You may well believe our reunion was most
pleasant; and after our dinner was over, and
we were out enjoying the sea-breeze, the whole
story was told me. will not give you the de-
tails of it it was long, but the main features
of it were about what had surmised. Dora
was the only child of wealthy father her
mother died when she was q mere child; old
Angcline had remained with her father in the
capacity of a house-keeper, and had, while
Dora was away at school, acquired, as is gen
orally the case, complete influence over him.
Dora was wooed and won by poor clerk the
father would not listen to it; an elopement
was the consequence; and the old man in his
rage broke up housekeeping, and taking old
| Angeliue with him had started for the South
Dora had followed him with her husband, al
though she knew he would not see her, and al
though he had always been harsh and unkind
| TO her, yet she knew he was in the last stages
of consumption, and she determined, if possi-
| BILE, to be with him when he died. At the
time of his death, they had been following for
|
concealed from him, and eluding even the keen
eyes of Angeline. When Dora appeared in
the room, it was only because the man-servant,
! who had been with her father, and who, as you
| remember, left the room as | entered, had OBJ
served their arrival and had kindly gone to her
and informed her that her father could not live
| an hour she was entering the room to make
| one last effort at reconciliation when my voice
reading the fearful words of her fathers curse
caused the outcry and denouement. Her hus-
band, who followed her in, found the old man
dead, Dora in swoon, me senseless, and old
Angeline in vain trying to put the many pie
ces of the will together, raving and cnrsing
! like Bedlamte. He and his man-servant
put the old mans body into the bed, took Do
ra to her room, and while the servant kept
guard over Angelne, he took me home in a
carriage. The rest you know.
have only to add that, whenever 1 wander
north, either alone or with my wife and fami-
ly, we always stop at the house of our kind
friends. They have spent one winter with us
at the south, and we expect them again the
coming season. And the young gentleman
who studied law under my instruction, and
who practices law with my name on the sign
with his, (as senior partner, although ne does
all the business,) is Dora's son, and from GER
tain conscious looks and bright bushes on my
pretty daughters cheek when he calls, ina
CINE he may be mine too. But of this, Harry,
rest assured-I shall not curse her if she mar
ries him.
Hope is the leading string Of youth-mem