, 1858-05-14
A Startling Confession.

! Mordecai Paine, saddler doing business
in South Ninth street, was called home from
his work shop on Saturday morning, BY .,
messenger who brought the melancholy ID,
telligence that his wife, Barbara, had taken
arsenic for the purpose Of committing
suicide, and was then at the point Of DEATH,
He hastened to her bedside, and found her
| in more agony Of miud than Of body. She
declared that there was something on her
mind which she wished TO confess to him be-
fore her departure, with the hope Of obtain
ing his forgiveness. Mr.. Paine, with great
emotion, desired her to 60 on with the dis
closure, adding that she might assure her
self of his forgiveness before she had made
known her offence. u
"Ah, Mordeca," said she, ''you remem.
Der our large white pitcher was broken
some time ago I pretended to you that
the cat broke it, but that was false, for l.
myself did it." ' 'a = lseiaI
"Oh, my dear" said Mr.. Paine, don't
concern yourself about such trihe. ! had
forgotten the pitcher, and it matters not
now how 1t was broken"
There is another matter" said Mrs. p,
after some hesitation. THE six silver
spoons which made you believe were stolen
by the Yankee clock-mender; pawned
them to raise money to pay the milliner for,
doing up my pink satin bonnet" ~ F
Never mind 1t, my lore" said Mr.
Paine, encouragingly. II hope heaven
will forgive you as freely as do" r or
"Your best razor, which you missed last
summer and made so much to do about. 7
swapped it away to a pedlar for q tortoise
shell comb" o .
"The .deucel--well, well, . said Mr., p,
recollecting himself, that is all done now
and can't be amended. Think no more of
IT," aa a3 l sass eai 20 s'siog
II could not leave the world with suchas
thing on my conscience" replied the fair
penitent. ,.... t.t ,-.s,.-y ,.. 3 s..,.,,,
"Go on, 60 on" cried Mr.. Paine, II told
you that could forgive everything at such
time as this" l "" .t y
Mrs. P resumed: 'You remember our
boarder, Simeon Drake, aWho ran up bill
for six weeks, and then went olf IN q hurry
without paying cent He and / had
agreed TO eiope together, but be changed
his mind at the last moment, and ran away
!, without meR isila % 8agsbrslsos ni I'D
I, aFirs and fur5l you dare 10 tell me
ihisY' cried Mordccai u great excitement
bot, as yon are dying, i wont reproach
yon. III leave yon now to settle the affair
with your own conscience" ~ itare5
aStay and heur one thing more, cried
therepeatant Barbara The dose look
this morning was intended foryou. i pm
it into your cap Of coffee, but IN ny hurry
to get the thing done, ] gave you The wrong
cup aud took the right one myselfS
''Tbe devifhy away with you, you jadels
roared Mordecai, as hoAuhg himself out o.
the room. In the entry he met the hpothe
eeAryIwho bad sold Mrs. p. the fatal pow
der.o This medical man had heard Of the
commotion at Paine's house. and suspecting
the cause Of it, be came TO administer hope
and comfort to the afflicted.
eiDon't be alarmed. Mr.. Paine, = said be,
"the drug l sold 70 your wife was noihlng
but magnesia. Judged that she wished to
destroy herself, and I tricked her ID this
way to save her life. sa ia'm 1'ra troh
--qrYoo saindlIng raseal,1 shouted Painss
how dare you cheat q customer IN that
shameful manner and, obtain her money on
false pretehcesi BegoneP II f..,,rr
And with this exclamation he violently
elected the astonished appihecary from bis
front door. The man of physie, suspeclihg,
Of course, that poor Mordecai'was defangs
ed. sent two officers 70 provide for his safe
keeping His relation Of the preceding
dialogue, however, soon obtained bis di1-
charge Phila. Lelger.