Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-09-23
nWhnt | Emily Milliams2,,

GO, cdiN thC JOuhS JOa
know her then p
awe used to be schoolmates," replied
Catharine; "but she, doubtless, does no
! remember me"
"Will you favor me with your name p
"Catharine Brainard."
"Well, I shall tell my sister you will
call in the morning, Miss Brainard."
"Yes, sir"
John now took his leave, aud hurried
home to communicate the result of his
visit to his sister
At twelve O'clock that night the widow
and her daughter had long retired but
the nephew, unconscious of the lapse OF
hours. sat in his room, poring over a
number Of old letters, bills and manu-
scripts which covered his table. The
eager attention which he bestowed upon
each paper, the unusual sparkle of his eye,
and the smile that played upon his mouth,
denoted that his task was one of no ordi-
nary interest. Before we explain the
nature of it, however, we must introduce
the youth more fully to the reader.
Robert Jordan was an orphan. His
parents had resided in a village, some
miles from New York, aud at their death
had left him little property, the income
of which was two hundred and fifty dol
lars per annum With this small sum he
came to New York to pursue the study of
law He found his aunt keeping board
ing house, and went, of course, to board
with her. The old lady knew but little
of the management of boarding house,
and consequently was unable to get along
at it. The greater portion of her furni-
ture was seized for debt, and she was com
PEELED with what was left, to take rooms
in an old house near North river. Robert
stuck by her through all her misrortunes,
and with the little sum he was able to give
her, and the scanty earnings of Catharine' s
needle, she was enabled barely to live
Robert had, just n few weeks prior to the
date of our story, been admitted to the
bar, ank was daily expecting to make an
arrangement to get into business with
some old practitioner, which would enable
him to better the condition of his aunt
and cousin. What the old lady had told
him at the table, that evening of Renwick 8
connection with his uncle, had made a
forcible impression upon his mind. There
was an old fashioned secretary in his room,
and examining It, he had discovered a
secret drawer filled with papers. A sus-
picious thought flashed upon his mind
that these papers might throw some light
upon his uncle's business. He retired
Immediately to his room, and upon ex-
amining the papers. suspicious we're con
firmed. They were private papers relating
to Mr.. Brainard's affairs, and contained
evidence that at the time of his death he
had possessed large smount of property,
out of which, it was plain, Renwick must
have swindled the widow.
Nearly the whole night was Robert
closely engaged making himself acquain-
ted with the contents Of the papers, and,
when at length he threw himself upon his
couch his breast was throbbing with hope
and his head aching with excitement
i When Robert arose, late in the morning
he found that his cousin was gone to keen
her appointment with Emily Williams
He communicated to his aunt the discove-
ry of the papers, and his hopes, and beg
ged her to place the whole affair in his
hands, as her attorney The old lady
!, nearly beside herself with JOY, gladly con
% itVu' liOl HCAI lhOuSHL WAS VI SeHu
for Catharine, and communicate to her the
f agreeable tidings. This Robert opposed
aud advised his aunt to keep the affair
perfectly secret. He stated that the re-
covery of the property would be both
difficult and uncertain, and that it might
be dangerous to excite in Catharine's
breast hopcg, the disappointment of which
/ would be too great a shock for her feeble
) health TO bear. The old lady saw the
Justice of the remark, and, however 10th
acquiesced in Roberts wishes The latter
Immediately went to work with slacrity tc
! put matters in train for bringing sui
: against the swindler.
Catharine, in the meantime, had me-
, with a reception from Emily Williams az
! gratifying as unexpected The latter. a.
soon as she heard the name of Catharinc
. Branard. remembered her old schoolmate
I and with her natural kindness of heart
strove to make her forget, for one day. a
least, her poverty and her sorrOws Sh,
made her lay aside her sewing at fv,
D o'clock, and insisted upon her spending
Q the evening with her in the parlor Here
/ with her brother, she strove to amuse anC
b. l'hu'l 'iS PooI SlIi cheeflui' anu sue
cccded so we'll, that Cathsrine felt happie
than she had for many months She die
g not feel embarrassed, nor out of place, il
i. the splendid parlors of the wealthy mer
r chant, for she had been reared in jus
4 such splendor, and was scarce behinc
. Emily Williams herself in education anC
!. accomplishments. She had that mornn'
t arrayed herself in her best apparel, whicl
plain as it was, displayed her delicate sn,
G graceful form to advantage, and the plea
surablo excitement she felt had BROUGHT
t faint tinge of color to her cheek, whicl
: added much to the beauty of her swee
n face. EScr manners, too, we're easy sn,
G natural, although unassuming, as If sh
had never moved in any other sphere an
3 John Williams, in discovering that sh
a was 'deuced intelligent and perfectly love