The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-06-20

|
eived in all its bearings, on he went, till,
n q moment, his foot trod only on the emp.
y air, and he fell beadlong-a splash-and
he black river closed over him-one strug-
,le to the surface-a desperate attempt to
strike out in his thick great coat and water.
logged boots, and George Richardson was
swept away by the remorseless tide only to
be yielded up corpse.
A month passed away. Bessie was daily
the promised letter but the post.
man passed the door, or only knocked to
bring any other but the looked.for envelope. !
George would surely be at home himself,
and ulluy her anxiety by his presence in
day or two. Did he not say he might return
before letter could reach her !
Six weeks, and no letter. Bessie became
really anxious away she went to the senior
partner he was somewhat uneasy himself
but, so far from adding to her anxiety, he
assured her there was yet no cause for
alarm. They had expected to hear before
from Richardson certainly, but it was quite
possible his voyage might have been longer
than they calculated. His letter might have
been miscurried, or he might be at home
himself any day in short, the good old man
almost re assured the poor little wife, Ond
she went home more tranquil in her mind
than she had been for many day.
Two months hsd now elapsed, and it
could no longer be concealed that there was
grave cause Tor apprehension (; but, for as
much as poor Bessie on every triaing occa.
Sion-to wit, when George travelled by rail.
way-pictured to her mind the most awful
accidents, or if he was half on hour too late
for dinner, felt CT I'm certainty that some.
thing had happened, so did she now resolve
that nothing could be wrong, in proportion
as real reasons for alarm increased, mas
much that as they became almost certain.
ties to the rejecting masculine mind, so die
they diminish to this unreasoning little wo
man. In fact, she dared not admit the idet
into her mind she resolutely excluded it
steadfastly clinging to that lghtest bubble
of hope in her sea Of doubt, and resolved
that darling George would be restored to he
arms in good time. 1t could not be in Ma
ture or in Providence that one she loved 81
we'll should never look upon her face oguin
So her heart reasoned.
Al length, however, arrived the steame
itself, without Richardson. 1t was then as
certained that no one answering his descrir
, ton had sailed in her. His trunk, purpose
ly left undirected in order to maintain tn
J secresy OF his journey, was found on board
, The members Of the firm were now full
convinced that some fatal accident had hap
pened to him. They sent for Besse's brc
, ther, and begged him TO break the matter t
e his sister, promising on their part to leav
no stone unlurned to clesr up the myster
that hung upon her husbands disappear
ance.
We purposely pass over the horror, tt
1 ncfedulity, and the despair that followe
q one another in poor Bessie's mind when Il
), facts broke with full force upon her. IT
feelings OF the bereaved wife must be S
l.. cred.
|. Meanwhile the partners set every engil
II at work to discover the truth. Detecti
officers came to and fro, examined and eros
!. examined with ceaseless nctivity, folowir
d up the scent like hounds. The facts by
:. erees unfolded themselves, and it becan
r. evident that Richardson must have be,
h drowned that light of the fog on his way
,; the ship.
\, But what became OF the body Mo
# restlessness of detectives and further C
cumstances were relieved of their veil
Il. mystery. A drowned man had certain
been found the very morning after his disu
e pearance. The body was traced to the
quest, the records of that inquiry looked I
, and all doubts removed that the renal
- there represented as those of MOcfarla
were in reality none other than those of pc
, Richardson. There was no possibility
70 direct identification at this distance Of tin
n, but record of the articles found on
10 body (Which had been given up to Woodl'
~ had been preserved at the police office, q
were identified by the wretched wife as
...o.,, oC hnr hushn nd'a nncketS on
Id contents OF her "uSOu"o po'A0'' -"
~ fatal day. But who and where was Wot
T. lev? What interest couldhe have in falt
od Iy swearing to the body? Was it &C
spiracv or q mistake! More tracing of {
Ao i!ence; and now was found memoranda
80 in the registry, that the insurance compa
y had asked for information concerning
= deceased, and received copy of the ent
This was a fresh clue light broke
o upon the darkness which had hitherto
% rounded the inquiry. The insurance Co
-, pany was communicated with, and, al
ho having investigated the facts, came to
=. irresistible conclusion that their client N
l. farlane had undoubtedly given evidence
:, his own decease, and was in the society
Mrs. Mac-who had completely recove
Nc from her sposition-enjoying a g
M slice of the company's capital in some
eign country.
he -'''' ''+-
cit G-A picture in Punch shows two