Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-10-07

Iut, man, was only gong to call
her pretty; they all like that. l intend
to court her some of these days, and
make her my little wife, and you my
very good brother"
This was thought that had already
passed through James head, and he
heard the half jesting words as confir
nation of his dearest wishes, for his at
tachment to and reverence for Allen was
unbounded.
But James heart miSgave him as he
entered the place of their destination
that night. He knew he was to witness
the scenes of gaming table, though he
went with the intention" not to play
But his friend entreated that he would
only learn the game; he yielded, the
cards were in his hand, the game was
learnt, and again he was urged to en-.
gage with his friend merely for trial
of skill; again the weak young man com
piled. AT length they played for money
and he lost. His loss was few shillings
more than his purse contained. He apol.
ogised and rose from the table. He and
his friend took Their leave together
James took notice of the debt he had in.
CURED as they walked home.
Never mind my dear fellow" said
Allen, "you can pay it tomorrow"
James entered his home with a burn
ing cheek and a disturbed mind that
night, and for the first time since his
boyhood forgot to kneel in prayer, ere
he lay down to rest. But he did not
rest. He must defray his debt on the
morrow, and he did not know how.
Ills quarters salary was nearly due, but
then it would look SO mean to wait till
then, and Allen was not mean. His
mother, he knew, would supply him
but he had already spent too much, and
she had none to spare. Besides he dare
not meet her questioning. He would
borrow it. Fevered with the unusual
excitement of the evening, he passed a
sleepless night; and in the morning, es-
Gaping from the, for once, unwelcome
solicitude of his mother and sister, he
hurried, pale and haggard, to his office.
That evening he discharged his debt
OF honor, SO called, and his gay friend
pocketed the trifing sum with supreme
indifference, and urged him to win ii
back, but in vain. More than week
passed away, during which time James
avoided the company Of his friend, com.
planning of illness, which his look belied
not; he retired every evening at an early
hour to his own little chamber.
One afternoon, in that quiet hcme, al
were pursuing their usual routine-Jes
sic was spinning, her mother mapping in
the old easy chair, and her father at work
In his garden-when they were disturb
ed by strange and unwelcome visitors
These were criminal officers, come tc
search the house for proofs Of a crime
under suspicion of which James Bussel
had that day been arrested, namely, fol
the abstraction of letter containing 1
small sum of money. The amount was
only one pound; but the penalty for sucl
crime was then death-certain death
All were soon assembled in the young
mans bed room. The officers were pro
ceeding to wrench open box, of which
the key, that usually stood in the lock
was nowhere to be found. Jessie stood
by, trembling with apprehensions, yet
convinced of her brothers. innocence
The mother sank into a chair, and hid
her face with her withered hands, sick
with the agony Of suspense and fear
while the father, unable from his blind
ness to read the countenances of those
who surrounded him, or to watch the
progress of the search, took from his
gray head the worsted cap in which he
had been working, and stood awaiting
the issue, with a soul in the immediate
presence of his God.
Nor was that issue long doubtful
one. In the bottom of the box, enfold
ed In some articles of wearing apparel
evidently for the purpose of conc ealmen
was found the missing letter with TIL,
money distracted, of which it mentioned
the amount.
The young mans guilt seemed thus
proven beyond the possibility of doub
and the unhappy mother, who, whel
that proof was found, had raised he
eyes in the full expectation that tn,
nearly ended search was vain, sank int
a state Of insensibility, from which sh
awoke to the apathy of despair. Sh
would not quit her sons chamber, bu
sat gazing on5the box, signing bitterly
and unconscious of all around her. TIL
father, possessing a strong mind and
firm trust in the wise ON Of the ways O
God, bore it better. But the little gar
den was neglected, and the gray heaC
was uncovered and bent upon his BIO
som.
Jessie was the first to visit her broth
er in prison. Poor girl, she had wep
day and night, and was sadly altered
But her brother declared his innocence
and it hghtened her heart, while she re
turned to her parents to comfort then
with the assurance that all would b
cleared up. The young man presiste,
in his declaration, but to the almos
stern questionings of his father he woul,
give, no answer; and his father the
stroYe2 to mitigate the overwhelmin.
sorrow and to strengthen the mind O
his son. When they parted, the youn,
mans words were always, 500 not brin,
my mother here"
, Alasi she could not come.
James had expected that his frien
: would fly to him whenever he heard G
his misfortune but he waited in vain
And, at length, when be was about t
be removed to Edinburgh to take hi
trial, he wrote to him from the prison
requesting an interview Martin Allie
came, but how changed, how cold
7 Neither alluded to the circumstances i
which they met. James, at length. al
: ter a painful silence, spoke of his sister
alluded to Martins protested attachmen
to her; for he had wrung from his siste
t in confidence a confession Of the sent
: ments with which the young man pre-
: fessed to regard her. "And if the wors
should happen said the prisoner, wit