Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-01-28
-AlwaysRi but Wrong Country"


| time, having been often Jeereu Tor IBIS lgnO'
rance, even by young men Of high standing
aud character.
His excuse might be certainly far-ns Mr..
Benson admitted, yet appearances, with such
company, stood in very disagreeable opposi.
ton with the mysterious disappearance Of the
diamonds. lie was also forced TO confess in.
solvrncy, if the jewels were not forthcoming;
and whether recovered or not, his business in
Bond street, ns one but slightly acquainted
with the pcculiaritirs Of West End connec.
tion must be aware of, was totally ruined
Had he even Staunch friends, he would be un.
able t. bear up against the influence Of the
deeply insultcd ladies, whose wide Hfstocratic
circle would make common cause with them.
! Against these arguments aud inSinuations
, Charles had nothing to oppose, SO far as they
mi itatcd against his union with Clara. He
lclt himself totally in the old mans power, he
had no home To otter the lady, were she dis
posed to accept his suit, lac had only hia own
conscientious integrity TO rely on aud that
availcd naught in the way os providing main
tainance for a wife. The postponeInent Of in
tcTcourSc for one year, was, he judged, q ma.
hnuv,l To- deceive Clara--tLe rcal intention be.
ing To break of the match altogether. Like q
general who has made the best fight circum
stances admit of, ann who rrtrr ats slowly, and
with regret, tore superior force, 50 Stan
wood was forced to accept the conditions, and
take Il NAal-S inlcM I'll Of Clara." "
AT honc the "wcler had leisure to reflect on
the occurrences ei- the last three 'Hp%.-lle felt
thoroughly beaten. lie often read how hard it
was to ciInb--how easy To fall, yet, in his own
history. he had eAc,cdcd romantic fiction -
From comparative a1llucnce to poverty, he slid
down, as though along an inclined plane, and
every one gave him kick as he passed The
world in its intinits wiSdnIn, had condescrnd-
cd to read him q great moral lesson-yet he
kacw not how 20 profit by it, for he could nci
thcr see the crime he had committed, nor was
he prepared 10 act otherwise than he had DONE
if the Slne circumstances which he sui
icrcd-were repeated.
Time was fruitful in events. The necklace
could not be heard of His once crowded shop
was shGaeedi ti4e principal creditor grew press.
ing, aa his effects, through lack Of business,
were undergoing process Of gradual diSSpa
ton instead Of increase. He committed a vol
untary act of neutrality-suspicious. in due
course his discharge, and left the courts with
bankrupt'S allowance money, clothes and gold
watch The world was all before him, aud BE-.
q, i'rr he renewed general acquaintanceS " ith it,
love prompted inquiry after the BcnSons.
On passing final examination, and receiving
his certificate, the commissioner conplimehtrd
the bankrupt ON the accuracy Of his books and
the faithful account of stock. Eatcd with the
praise, hope whispered that he might regain
influence with Mr.. Benson, perhaps be put in
Il way to begin business under happy auspices
This hope persisted miSerablv. The harsh, un.
falling old man had carried off his daughter to
the East Indies, under pretcnce Of realizing
long neglected property, but-as Charles knew
too well-t0 escape the alliance.
| w hnf hiffnr "a lnd th .uI
His character unimpeachcd--hi his creditors pit
led his fate. Had but his friends (and who
should have been more eager than his intend
cd father in-lawt) rallied around him in the
hour OF diiiculty--he might have transferred
his buSInt 81 to the city, or some quarter be-
| you'd the influence of his ariStocratc enemies
and tou:iShcd anew.
lie fell Sick-bccame the victim of low,
cruel fever, and when he slowly awoke to re
covrry, found himself pennilcSS, deserted and
forgotten. His name had passed away from
the street where hc once dwelt-unother name
occupied its place-wares Of another drscrip-
ti"n oInaucntrd the windows 10 look at
Bond street with his melancholy gaze, it seem.
cd ms though what had been was nothing but
dream. His eyes glanced on his apparel
there was change thcre-and he hurried
away To conceal his poverty.
sNINCI NV INV NlIUWOOu SOuRIll anu ODInlneu
employment ms journey man, in the service
of irwclcr in the city. We use the word
"city' a> it is ordinarily used in London, to
distinguish the mercantile quarter from the
West End, or court, an arStocratic part of
the metropolis Some years passed over his
head whilst gaining mere livelihood by skill
! in repairing iewrlry aud setting stones. - Use
is second nature, aud Charles became, in some
degree, rcc"ncilrd if not cnntGnted with his
humble Situation In the city he was removed
from casual contact either with former Gus.
toners or rivals in trdde-w0S known merely
as an artizan who had, to Use the common ex.
preston, seen better days, and was apprccia.
td 10y his emp oyer u IA first rate workman.
Memory OF former station held him solitary
in his amuScmrnis. lie would not consort
with memhels oC his class ,--was fond, when
holy and leisure days permitted. (he worked
at home, MS it is technically called, bv the
piece, not day work. to stroll by himself into
the country. Though abandoned by former
equals, without relish for society of lower
grade, nature had lost none of her charns,--
| though even hope had fled, the kindly aspira.
ton which dwclIS in the ruined tenement
when every other gloiiou guest has departed,
vet he felt II melancholy pleasure in the woods.
hy the Silent stream; elsewhere he was frown.
cd upon toy the aristocratic spirit Of man; in
solitude, winch was not solitude to HIM, he cX
pcrirncrd III the glorious sunlight and beneath
the rhrqurrrd shade uf the grove buoyant
upSrringng "t mind, which was at times more
than CONSTITUTIONAL positive delight
Fed by such high thoughts aud aspirations
he was sustained in poverty without falling
into the coarse habits and associations which
poverty breeds.
II Glanced on one occasion, that lettering
through lane, n few miles from London, he
lrancd over paddock fence, attracted by the
beauty Of the vcrduc. \ carriage drove bv,
and he brhed face changed though unforgot.
ted lie could not be mistaken, it must be
Clara Benson!
The carriage was fortunately detained at the
entrance of the paddock sufficient time to al
low StanwOod to confirm his conjccturcs Of Tn c
lady identity yet the aged gentleman at her
side was not her father Perhaps he was her
huShNnd-somc DID, wealthy nabob, whom an
unfrcing parent had forced on her choice -
The thought conveyed bitter pang, while he
would gladly have deemed himself insensiblc
Of Nt such lapse Of time. Both occupants Of
the carriage stared at the lingering intruder,
but it was the lille glance Of a stranger. The
gate was opened and the equipagc passed on.
The unexpected rencontrc was food for bit. |
ter thought for many day. Oft memory re-
CURED to his lone walk to the clOse-shaven
paddock, thccquipage which bore her who was
once the load-Star Ofhis affections. on he was
L. IL