Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-05-09
ADELE BARRON.
ICoyCLUDED.l |

two or three times in distracted vein, pressed
one hand eOnvulsiyely against the breast pocket
Ot hIs coat, and thea suddenly exclaiming MAY
God forgive me.' started for the door. where
he Was intercepted by Mrs. Barron, who de-
lAinded In the most earnest manner what he
impaired by those words. He made several
eVaSlVe replies, ever and anon carrying his
hand to the coat.pocket rs if to sse that its
contents were secure While Mr. and Mrs
Barron and the priest were endeayoring by per-
suaslon and entresty TO prevail upon him to
GiSe hhTSe his conscience Of any load there might
DC upon 1t, Welden, who had been silently
MaShing ms movements, suddenly walked
rapidly forward, seized Csrleton's wrist with
one hand, and tearing off the fssteninys Of the
Ppcket with the Othor, pulled out pasket of
letters, winch he had no sooner glanced at than
ne threw them on the coffin. 1t was the work
OF an instant. Carleton at first tried 10 snatch
them, and falling in this, he turned and left
the chapel
lhey were the missing letters of Welden and
Aiele, bearing marks of having been long
carried about in the pocket from which they
were taken; but the seals we're not broken.
The whole party were stupefed by this
astounding discovery, with the cxccption of
NeIten from whose mind IL seemed to lift a
Weghs- Ihere was no longer, he felt any
room Tor even the vague suspicion which had
he fancIed, at times crossed the mothers mind
thst her daughter had been triied with by
him; he was FREQ from any charge of careless
moss In despatching the letters, with which he
hal been disposed occasionally to renro,ch
himself. From the fact that his letters were
directed to the care of the firm in New York
and from certain remarks which the active
partner had on one or two Occa asons made to
the brother who had escorted Ms Barron to
the west Indies, as well as from that partners
extremely jealous disposition, the suspicion had
arisen that he was in some way associated with
the mysterious disappearance of those letters,
ahI he had been planning in his own mind a
way CT discovery. which had now o,.urrsd
his great relief
1t was only at the earnest entreaties OF the
good priest that they could be prevailed on to
put an end TO tins interview between the living
and the dead. and rcturn to their home
On the next morning the last rites for the
dead were performed with all the pomp aud
ceremonies of the church, in the presence of a
crowded assembly of mourners A single
female voice sung dirge to tho accompani-
ment OF a small organ; clouds of incense rose
above the altar; and in their implicit faith.
the bereayed parents seemed to be comforted
with the thought that the prayers for the dead
which the priest repeated were already an
such. said the good prizes. who described
this scene to me, Is the consolation to be do
rlved from the doctrines of our church"
Prayers for the dead ~ how strange il |
in it.
Many a silent tear stole down the checks of
the sePuichure below through an opening in |
the nOOr, and the trap-doOr WAS closed
soon after The mOurners had returned, a let |
Ter was handed to Mr.. Barron 1t was from
CsgietOn. and had been handed by him to the
Keeper OF the hotel in GergetOwn with a re-
quest that il might be delivered in the after
noon OF that day, Carleton himself having left |
the house about twelve o'clock on the pre-
sethng night with his pOrtmanteu in his hand |
without stating where he was going In the |
letter n IN Dh n.lrrp
affairs of the firm in New York. which had
been suddenly plunged in great embarra.s- |
ment by the disastrous consequences of the |
revolution IN Europe. IL appeared that this |
was the cause OF his sudden visit to Gsorge- |
town, and that he had not heard of the recent |
arrival or of the death Of Adele when he de- |
scended from the stage on the preceding even
Ing lie had hurried to the house with the |
view OF seeing Mr.. Barron on business, and vas |
informed oy the servant that the family had |
just departed for the chapel. but without mon
tionIng the cause. Supposing il to be some |
iesuVai or service Of the church, he mounted |
morse ana rode over, intending TO accompany
them back As he put his hand on the knob of |
the chaPe! door, he was startled at hearing the |
voice OF Welden addressing mysterious IAN |
guage to Adele. He hesitated whether 10 in |
trade upon what seemed to be a private scene
when the last words of VI eden led him to sun
pose that he had been observed through the |
chapel window; and he entered, determined to |
the resolution by the spectacle which presented |
1;Sel' Overwhelmed with the weight Of n guilty |
conscience, as he stood in the presence Of all |
that remained of one upon whom he had inHict- |
Ell so much pain, and whose death he feared his |
conduct had hastened. he thou ghtlessly pressed |
his hand upon the place where the evidence of |
his guilt was concealed and thereby attracted |
the attention of elden, as has been related
Some Of these particulars were stated and
others inferred from the letter in which he ac-
wla.f,r. ia
the ground Of his excessive attachment to Ad- |
ele, and the impression that Welden's object
vas chiefly to secure her fortune; that conse- |
quently Adele's happiness would be promoted
by breaking of the match by any means, how
ever unlawful. lie had not, however intended |
IN destroy the letters. nor had he over opened |
them; but he had proposed, in case Adele did |
not soon forget the absent one, and listen 10 his
own addresses, tO let the letters be delivered |
by some means, and have their delay attribu- |
ted 10 sceident. The letter ended with the ex- |
clamaticn: |
oh, my God, who could have thought it |
would have ended so1'' |
On inquiry. il was afterwards found that n |
person answering CarletOn's description had |
taken passage in the early morning stage from |
Washington to Baltimore. but by another name
lie did not appear again in New York and no |
farther trace Of him could be found. The |
watchers st the chapel reported that they had |
helrd footsteps outside the chapel ut very
early hour IN the morning, snd one of them
had seen n face look in at the window; but Oh
going to the door they hoard fpotsteps IA Of
some one rapidly retreating, and saw more.
Various Tumors were ahoat concerning suicide
cr eOncealment in the neighbOrhoOd of the
chapel. and frequent visits to the vault by
false key AT night; but the most probable sup
position was that under n sense of disgrace he
had gone abroad under assumed name.
The state Of Mr.. Barrow's Affairs in New
York WAS found to be even worse than was
supposed; aud the business was soon wound up
wi.h the absorption Of a large portion Of his
f1atIng capital to pay his debts. There still
rcnsined TO him his investments i'm washing
''n. many Of which were unfortunately made
Ia the lots near the chapel. which remain to
this day whSt they were then.
For years afterwards hs struggled with all
manner vt difficulties both in family and for
tune Consumption soon laid his wife by the
side Of her daughter; the same disease soon
carried of one after another; and when. some
fifteen years la'er, he himself was carried to