Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-15
riages are very common, i. oertainiy entitled

haie iriend could recommend. Women of my
age, for instance, are capable of Judging and
this young lady speak Of, could reeommen nd
from personal knowledge ..l..F ~.
think. mt best. " suggested Frank. d" there
would be possibility of mistake If custom
only permitted separation when parties are
| dissatisfied, ii might do
When Fitzgerald uttered this sentiment
which free-lover might easily construe in
| favor of his theory, he watched the effect; and
Cunningham gave him a another searching look, ,
and he thought her side glance the most devil
| sh he had ever encountered. It was q mingled
look, in which suspicion was predominant
In the present state of society" she an
s"ered, . 1T would not do mean it would be
| regarded as wrong
Fitzgerald perceived she had put the worst
| construction ON his remark it would bear, and
replied
Many things would be regarded as wrong
by society which, nevertheless, if carried out
might be for the good of society. Public Opin
Ion IS not always correct criterion"
That is true, replied Cunningham. II en-
terrain views on that subject myself which
l should not dare to make known to my friends
| only some who could appreciate them. he
| iieve. for instance, that persons who are not
fitted to each other ought to be allowed to sep
arate whenever they chose and do not believe
| tnVt the legal Ceremony constitutes marriage
| at all.
Cunningham's interesting and liberal dis
| course on marriage and divorce was here inter
rupted by the entrance of Mrs. Willis the bro
ker, who sat down between Fitzgerald and
Mrs. Cunningham. 1t was now twilight the
| gas had not been lit, and every thing in the
room wore a gloomy aspect. The broker as if
| impressed by the sombre spirit Of the hour, be-
gan immediately to talk of ghosts and spiritual
manifestations
'eWhen | took hotel to keep at the corner
| of Spring street, few years ago. she CON-
menced, had two excellent servant girls with
me that was anxious to keep. and in order
| TO do 50, retained them several days without
anything to do, while l was waiting to begin in
| the hotel
''One afternoon one of them came into the
| room and says, Il want to 90 over to a relative
ct mine, for L have just heard their little boy
| is sick Very well. | told her. she could 90
But We had an old clock in the house which
had stood on the mantle four years without
stirring; and just as this conversation took
place what should the old clock do but begin
To strike, and it actually struck ten The girl
was frightened, and said she thought that it was
a warning that the little boy, her cousin, was
dead. and that he died at ten o'clock. She hur-
| ried right over there, and sure enough the
child had died, just at that time"
''You believe in spiritual manifestations, do
| you not" said Fitzgerald
Yes" replied Mrs. Willis.
As to that said Fitzgerald, 81 cannot
| see the philosophy of the dead coming back
| and manifesting themselves / believe that
when n man is dead, he is dead, and do not
think there are ghosts enough in the universe to
| make clock strike. L believe the soul lives
hereafter; but L have seen no evidence which
| cOnyiDces Inc il comes back again
Il believe" added Fitzgerald. in a solemn
and impressive tone, looking directly at Mrs
| Cunningham. % believe the old maxim that
| 'dead men tsU no taiss.''
| Fitzgerald made this remark expressly TO see
| what effect it would produce and as he uttered
| IT, Mrs. Cunningham gave a nervous start. and
again fixed on him the piercing side-g glance,
which he thought so devilish. Her look seemed
to say, . Did you intend that remark for me ?''
and he Immediately changed the subject to pre-
vent suspicion.
The conversation which followed was on love
and matrimOny. and Frank asked her how long
/ she had been u widow.
Il have been widow over four years
| almost five" she answered
Shade of DIR. Burdell thought Frank. where
is this wOman's story of having married a few
months before the murder?
And do you believe. he asked her. - that
/ person can love more than Once!'
Yes. L think so, she replied Z. but / don Z
| know. L never had but one lover, and that was
| the man / married" "
Frank again bcthought him of the story she
| told when under arrest for murder-her pre-
| tended attachment for the d0ctOr-her claim
| that he was her second husband, and the attempt
| to get the estate.
| Mrs. Cunningham expressed the opinion that
| attachment does not always depend upon age
| which. subsequent events convinced Frank
was intended az an intimation that although
she was several years his senior, an attac hInent
| was not impossible. .-...
1T is delicate question to ask lady: I am
aware, madame" replied he, - but should
like to know your age"
% am thirtytwO have daughter seven
! teen. L WAS married ut fourteen"
Mrs. Cunningham then went on to describe
| the pleasant social gatherings she had at her
house; said they made it point to entertain
some of their friends every evening, play card,
little, dance, perhaps, and enjoy themselves
generally. She further informed Frank that
she had large circle of aristocratic acquaint.
ances, to whom she could introduce a friend.
She finally said il was time to 90 home; that
she lived only a short distance from there and
should walk. As it was quite dark and un.
pleasant Frank felt bound to offer himself as
an escort, which offer was accepted.
Before leaving, she went out and had long
consultation with the broker which was car
ried on in low tone. At length the broker
came in alone. and whispered to Frank thai
the lady was not sverse to a lover herself and
had taken a liking to him; but charged him by
every thing high and low not to intimate that
she had whispered such thing to him, fol
| she tCGnnlngnMnl knew nothing OF II, anu
she (tne broker) had 60 lie it entirely Of Der OWL
| motion.
/ Mrs. Cunningham soon after announced hel
| readiness to go, and the two Set out in com
pany. She went to the Fifth avenue and turned
down. As they passed the palatial residence,
of that street. she would point out house and
say Mr. so-and- 30 lived there, and that she wa,
an intimate friend Of the family Finally she
paused before an elegant dwelling, and turned
to the gate, rs though she intended to enter
but suddenly tufned away, saying: " 1 have q
sister living here. anI intended to stop, hut il
l. 80 late think on the whole | will not.
|. The two walked on To Madison Park, and
Frank began to feel fearful he should meet
some stray acquaintance. Of whom he had q
number in that locality, and became exceed
lngly anxious TO get rid Of his charge He
therefore remarked that he had an important
engagement in Brooklyn. and feared he should
be late. have TO go over the South Ferry, >
added he, = aud See there il a South Ferry
omnibus. -#
''YOu had better take ID. said Mrs GINNING
hahn. Il only want tO go around to Lexington
Avenue to make a call, aud can jus, as well &c
alone. i have friend there who will accom-.
piny me home"
| e. \,