The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-03-27
A Startling Confession.

Mordccn Paine. saddlcr doing business
n South Ninth street, Philadelphia, was call
ed home from his work shop on Saturday
morning, by messenger who brought the
melancholy intelligence that bis wife, Barba-
~, had taken arsenic for the purpose Of com
hitting suicide, and was then At tho point OF
death. lie FASTENED TO her bedside, aud
found her In more agony Of mind tlian of
body. She declared that there was some
thing on her mind which She wished 20 con-
fcss TO him before her departure, with the hope
Of obtaining his forgiveness Mr., Paine with
great emotion, desired her 10 90 on with the
disclosure, adding that she might assure her
self of his forgiveness before she had made
known her oilense.
"hh, M0rdUUIi,H said she, 'you remember
our large white pitcher was broken sometime
agoi | pretended 20 YOU that the cat broke H.,
but that was false, for myself did H."
"Oh, my dear" said Mr., Paine, don't
concern yourself about such lriic. ! had
forgotten the pitcher and It matters not now
how il WAS broken
There is another matter" said Mrs. T.,
after some hesitation. "'lhe six silver spoons
which made you believe were stolen by the
Yankee clock-mgndcri ! pnWncd them 10
raise money to pay the milluc for doing up
my pink satin bonnet
"Ncvcr mind IL, my love- said Mr.. Paine
encouragingly. " hope heaven will forgive
you as freely as ! do
Amer short pause, Mrs Paine began
again
"Your best razor, which you missed last
summer, and made 80 much 10 do about,
snapped away TO apedlcr for a tortoisc'shell
comb
"Wcll, wcll,7 said Mr.. Paine, rccouciling
himself, that is all done now, aud can't be
amended, lhifk no more of it,"
" could not leave the world with another
thing on my conscience replied the faint pa
ticnt
Co an. go oh" cried Mr. Paine, 81 told
q, on that | could forgive anything at such a
time rs this" Mrs. Paine resumed:
"You remember our bourder, Simeon
Drake, who ran up a bill for six weeks, aud
then went off in . hurry without paying a
cent. lie andI agree, TO clope together
but he changed his mind at the last moment,
aHd ran aIHal- wlLhnut-Ine----
Z" Fire and fury" cried Mordccni in treat
excitement. But as YOU are diving, ! wont
rcpreach you. I'll leave you now to settle the
affair with your own conscience"
Stay and hear one thing more" cried the
rcpentant Barbara The dose ! took this morn
ing was intended for you. put it into your
cup of coffee, but in my hurry 70 gCtthc thing
right one myself
The devil hy away with YOU you jade -
roared Mordecli, as he flung himself out Of
the room. In the entry he met the npothc-
cary who had sold Mrs. Paine the fa:ai pow
der. This medical man hld heard ofthe com
ruutirr, n, 7 house, aad- &u2pecling the
cause OF it, he came to administer hope and
comfort to the afflicted.
fJT'f7 fff fiiy;f E;y;;yy::'Ts;
the drug sold TO Your wife was nothing
bygt magncsia. judged that she wished to
destroy herself and trickcd her in this way
to save her life"
"Swindliug rascal" shouted Paine, how
dare you cheat customer in thar shameful
manner and obtain her money on false pre-
fences? Bcgonc -
And with this exclamation he violently cjtct-
cd the aStonishcd apothecary from his front
door The man Of physic, suspccting Of
course, that poor Mordccai was dcrangcd,
sent two officers to provide for his safe keep
ing. His relation OF the preceding dialogue,
however, soon obtained his discharge.