The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-28
I III e DISPATCH.
FRIDAY MoRNIEa...'......JANU1RY IS. ss:s
CRIME IT'S OWN AvENGER.
NEW LEAF FROM A wELI-KyowN HIS
T0py


NEW LEAF FROM A wELL-KNowN HIS
| TORY.
| We recently published letter In which Harlow
Case, the dsfaulting Collector of sandusky, Ohio,
| announced the deoease Of the unhappy woman
who had accompanied his ght, and implored the
| forgiveness Of her husband. Under the title we
/ have given above, q missionary correspondent of
the Boston Watchman aud Reflector, writing from
! Ceylon, describes an interview with the guilty
pair, which took place shortly before death hur.
ried away the mother and the child whom she had
made the companion Of her wapderings. The
writer describes so feelingly and truthfully the
! selfinficted misery Of Case and his partner in
! guilt, that we reproduce his narratives
Que forenoon We left the little seaport town
where was sejeurning, and rode short distance
| into the interior Of tho gorgeous Island. Most
| glorious were the surroundings on every hand
| With prodigality quite uudreamed of by the in
habitauts of colder cline nature had showered
fer most exquisite floral gifts every where Trees
| loaded with sweetsmeiiing flowers, their intense
ceers vieing ith the foliage of richer green from
Ont of which they smiled; tall cactus plants W ith
crimson goblet shaped blossoms lilies, gorgeous
| 10 the queenly uuf1iding of form aud color
everything rich, lavish, wonder fnl met our eyes,
feasted to fullness with this tropical luxuriance
| "Tbat is my house" said my new friend, pout-
ipg to a low rooted cottage, surrounded by a wide
yerandah. from whose cliuging vines sweet odors
!
the moment the words were uttered his sociability
departed.
Within the cottage enclosure were walks, bow.
ersa and fountains. Chasie statnary was dspered
over the grounds with most charming effect. Tho
house seemed almost a fairy structure, rising in
| the midst OF flowers aad foliage. And the man
| who sat beside me, whose smile mounted no high.
| er than his ips-the dreamy far looking discon.
| tent in his eye growing every moment more
rerceptibie-was tho owner Of this Eden like
home
We were met on the Threshold by lovely child
| OF some eleven summers. Her hair hung in cur s.
| Her eyes particularly lustrous yet mournful in
beanty, and on the young brow seemed to see a
| something--a shadow Of sadness-an unchildlike Q
| sniss, as she greeted my new FREUD
Dressed 10 pure white, she glded in before us ,
| and 70 her Was LETT the duty of entertaining me;
while mr. c. excusiug himself in the remark that
sicsness necessarily called him away for a half
hour or SO, left the room.
ais yoar mother very uuwei?" I asked of
the little girl, who, with those shallow filled
eyes of hers, was regarding mo gently but atten
lively.
"Yes, sir; mamma has been sick long time ,,
replied she, dropping her eyes, while her lips
tIembled
"Did you come from America 80 she asked tim.
idly, after long silence.
"Yes, my dear. Do you know anything Of that
countryi" l returned growing more and more
pleased with her expressive face.
only that mamma came from there. aud /
think, she added, hesitatngy, that / did Bot
| .lr. u. VIII never let me talk about il"
Are you then not the little daughter of Mr.
| CT" / asked somewhat astonished.
t Il am my mothers daughter" answered the
} child, with grave dignity in one so young
and minute after she arose and quietly left the
| room.
, sat watching her white robes fitting throu ch
the long shaGy walk opposite my window, and
. knew that the child brooded oFer some dark sor-
row, for her eyes were filled with tears.
| Why was it, questioned myself, that painful
thought took possession of me as / sat there l,
seemed as If we're sajourning in an enchanted
: spot, and that some horror suddenly to break
. upon me.
At my side, nearly covering a beautiful table Of
letter wood, were several costly gift books.
took them up carefully, for | have reverence
for books-and turning to the hy-leaf of splen
didly bound copy of Shakespeare, read
"To Mary Frances P, from her devoted hus,
, band-Henry f. P"
: A thrill of surprise and anguish ran from yejr
. to vein. My thoughts seemed paraiyzed. The
truth had burst upon me with such suddenues,
that the blood rushed with shock to my heart
. / knew Henry F, had known him iuti.
mately for years. He was friend towards whom
all my sympathes bad been drawn, for he had
seen such SORROWS makes the heart grow OLD
| before it's time.
His wife. whom he loved, had deserted him.
She had taken with her his only child. She
had desolated household: and, forgettinx honor
shame, everything that pertains to virtue aud to
Cod, had ned from the country with the man
whose arts had won her wsnton love.
; / L
seemed accursedl How meet the destroyer o.
virtue-the fend who had revelled in such con.
questf
l cosId only think of the evil they had done
, not what they might suffer through the tortnres
CT remorse. 1t was sometime before the seducer
| came into the room where still sat with the
child, determined to meet him once more before
| LEFT the house.
o! how guilty how beart.stricken his appear,
auce Remorse sat on his forehead-looked on,
from his eyes-spoke when he was silent.
''Will you come to dinner?" he asked.
l hesitated. Should partake ofhS hospitality
| the hospitality of one of those f1ends in human
shape, whose steps take hold on hell? knew hil
guiit--why delay to declare il? Why not at once
in burning words, upbrad him for his vi!lainy land
fee from pestience his sin-cursed honse?-
The man noticed my hesitation. He could not, of
course, interpret it's cause As he repeated his re-
quest, the look of distress upon bis face excited
feeling Of pity, which, for the moment, slightly
disarmed my resentment, and, under the influence
| of this feeling almost Gnconsciously passed into
the dining>room.
81 am sorry little Nelly's mamma"--Q Q was glad
he did not the sacred name of wife)-.'is not
| able to sit down with u.s." he said. SIT is many
months since We have had her presence at our
meals. She is suffering from the effects of slow
fever induced by the climate" he added, graveiy.
as he motoned me seat before him.
The table gittered with silver plate. Obedient
servants brought, on the most costly servers del.
icaces such as had never seen before.
But the skeleton sat at the feast!
could not talk, save IN monosyiaoIes. MY most
ate hastily-almost caTeessl ly-watiug upon me
| with many abrupt starts and apologies.
Wine came. He drank freely. Soon he sent
the little girl and servants from the room, and
seemed striving to nerve himself to conversation.
"You are from - city, believe" he said
| nervousy
l IansweIed an affirmative.
"Did yon ever know ~, gentleman there by the
| nsme OIL. Il. F--"
Il knew him, SIR" said sternly, looking the
man .sadily in the face, land know him also as
| a ruined, heartbroken mau."
With an ejaculation of anguish he put his hand
| kerchief TO his eyes. II would have seemed hypo.
critical, but the suffering on his face was unms-
| taxable.
"Perhaps you have suspected then"-he began
in a quiveTiDg voice.
Not calmly, but with the words of an accu
ser told him what had seen, and thought and
felt
"Sir," said ho, in tones which shall never for
| get, "If have sinned, God ia Heaven knows
have suffered; and if in F's bereavement he has
cursed ne, that curse is fearfuIy fulfilled Poor
| Mary is dying-has been dying for months and
have known it. IL has been for me to the fail.
| ing step-the dimning eye; 1t is for rue, now, to
see the terrible struggles for her nearly worn ont
frame; it is for to listen to her language of
morse, that sometimes almost drives me mad. Yes,
mad-mad-mad," he said in frenzy, rising and
crossing the floor withiong, hasty strides Then
buryng his face in his hands, he exclaimed, ''Too
| late--too late-I have repented." Thdre was a
| long pause aud he continued more calmly, "So
human means can now restore my poor compan--
ion. Her moral sensibilities become more aud
more acote abe fails in strength go that she
| proaches herself constantly
A weary, mournful sigh broke from his lips as
| If his heart would break.
| "Oi IL he knew it," he exclaimed "if be knew
how bitter penalty she is paying for the outrage
she has committed upon him-he wonld pity her
| and II it could be, forgive.
"Will you see her, cir"
| IshraDk from the very thought.
.She has asked for you. sir; do not deny her
| request. Hearing that you came from America,
| she entreated me to bring You to her. promised
| that would
81 will 60, then"