The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-02-18
~ IcUPYRIGHf SECtKED.J
W,rften erpressly for the OttnmsoG Courier
ARTHUR HARRoLD;
OR,
Gbe Teerano Familp
TcoNcLUpEp.1 ]
CHAPTER SEVENTH.
lcopYRranr sEcrnEp.l
BY ADoLpHUs.

CHAPTER SEVENTH.
Among the boon companions OF Weldon wa.
Phelps, the confaaate Of SALrER. He had
showed no compunctions OF conscience with
regard to the part he had taken in the con.
spiracy. against the Legrant Family, and
therefore, was prepared to indulge with him II
all excesses. He had obtained large sum FOL
the part he played which enabled him to lif
his head above the vulgar crowd and sailgai.
" with the fashionable. He had imbibed a
sort Of Friendship for the successful claimant
and they were rarely seperate especially on
frolicking occasions. There was another OF
the revelers whom we must here introduce tc
to the reader-his name was Edward Mason.
He had recently come into the place. and
meeting with congenial characters in the per-
sons Of Weldon, Phelps and their associates.
he very readily became initiated in their soci-
ety. He was about twenty-five years Of age.
less than the medium height-stooped little
a. he walked--easy in his address-mild and
insinuating in his conversation light hair-fair
and mellow ountenance-blueish eyes-and,
taken altogether, readily commended himself
to strangers, and ingratiated himself in their
favor. He had an exceedingly happy faculty
in pleasing the short-sighted OF the opposite
sex, and of attracting them to HIM. HIS eye
would beam with the tenderest passion. his
countenance wore at pleasure pleasant smile
and his manner, the tone Of his voice, his con-
versation, and his tempting eye, gave him al .
most an entire command over the weak and
unsuspecting. About year had passed from
the time Weldon took possession Of the Le-
grand estate, after Mason became a particle
pant in the scenes enacted there. He became
the favorite Of the ladies OF the society, and
at the soirees engrossed most Of their after
tion and won their brightest smiles. He, how
ever, had . good degree Of tact, and eEdeav-
ored to prevent any psrticular manifestation
OF partiality for himself for fear Of exciting
the envy Of his male friends. II was In pri-
vate that he took advantage OF all his pow
ers to charm, allure, and overcome. He had
become quite Intimate with Mrs. Weldon,
and frequently called to pay her what was
called friendly visits. He would seize every
opportunity to steal alone to her parlor. -
These opportunities frequently pressn ted
themselves, for Weldon had, in the course
OF six months more, 30 far descended In the
course OF dissipation, that he was absolutely
drunkard, haunting the dark dens Of the
unprincipled dran-ssller. The better part Of
his associates withdrew from has company,
and he was graduated into deeper dsgreda-
zion. Phelps was still one Of his best friends,
though he had not lost the entire command
Of his appetite. He began to observe the
course Of Mason, and whispered his suspi-
cions to the ear OF Weldon. This was done
In his sober moments but just A. he was
about to drink the 6rst draaght Of his usual
series. He held the tumbler, his hand near
his mouth, listening with the most greedy
ear to the revelation, with IL! the ciscumstan-
ces Of Phelps. AZ enough had been said