M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-02-16


across the face by Louis Milton, who,
in entire ignorance of the TACT that J.
had passed it, had thrown it ont when
presented for deposit. | Icould not de-
ny having gwen it, and. even if it cod
have been Of any avail, was unable
to say whether it was counterfeit or
not. Some old enmity against my
father, prompted the proprietor Of the
bookstore to q vindictite prosecution
of the charge; and bitterly was he re-
venged; for my conviction, which fol.
lowed close upon my arrest, killed my
poor mother.', 81
( The cid mans voice tFembled. and
pausing, be nervously knocked the
ashes from his pipe. | turned away
my face, anG in the sight of the stars
only, l brushed away the tears that
would come in spite of me.
swell, the trial came oD. Ibid all
| thought could, bat could not de.
ny that had given the note. 1t seem.
ed that there could be no doubt OF its
spuriousness, and the prosecution was
pressed with singular vindictiveness.
| was convicted and sentenced to i'm.
prisoEment in the States Prison. To
be an innocent nah in the sight Of
God, shut out from all | held dear in
life; deprived Of that great birth right
of humanity, liberty; my name rem
deted infamous, as | thought, forever;
is it any wonder that | sometimes
prayed for death to terminate my sui
iering9 Her utter hopelessness ofag-
ony, under that terrible trial, no hu.
man tongue cah tell" s m
The old man 3 tones grow tremulous
again, and Mrs. Elmore, as had
done before, turned her face toward
the slow-marching stars.
"Meanwhile the great world out
side my prison-hOuse moved on un-
needing, Pecuniary pressure graiu-
ally frightened around both Marshall
and Milton, until each felt that the last
hope lay in the union OF Louis and
Mary. How fallacious was the hope
the sequel showed but too soon. Mr..
Marshall bad long since ceased en-
deavoring 10 persuade his daughter to
this step, and had tried commands
Both means failed entirely, and he
now resorte6 to entreaty. He faith
fully represented to her the condition
of his affairs, and urged her to save
him from ruin and disgrace by marry
ing the son OF the rich banker.
"Startled at the prospect Of her faith
er's impending penury, so vividly set
before her, utterly desolate at heart,
feeling ksenly that all her hopes OF
happiness we're wrecked entirely and
forever, she finally yielded, martyr,
as she thought, to her fathers good;
and they we're married. Alas i! how
vain the sacrificed Within a week af-
ter their marriage, mutual explana-
tions disclosed the truth, and both
houses failed the same day. Twenty
four hours thereafter found Marshall
dead. Poison, ,self.administered, was
suspected, but the truth is not known
to this day. Louis Milton, giving way
under the magnitude of the temptation
to dishonesty, gathered together all he
could of the scattered remnants Of
both fortunes, regardless OF his father,
or of his creditors, and departed sud
denly, none knew whittier, carrying
with him his BUNDLED and sorrowing
wife. .I... .....,. ~.
"The commercial world was star
tied for moment by the extent of the
failures; but in a few brief weeks the
thing was almost forgotten, save by
those who suffered immediate loss.
"All these things learned long af-
terward. 1t would profit nothing to
detail to you the wearying and hu.
initiating routine of my prison life
Let me pass to the close. .s.. ~
VI had been shut oat from the world
nearly two years, and one evening
was sitting on the low bed in my soil.
tary cell ,dreamingly wandering among
the gardens of memory Sorrewiul
enough is this, even to him whom time
has brought no shadow Of dicgrace.-
Who, while be looks into the irrevoca-
BILE long ago. dozes beside his fire.
side, surrounded by those who love
him, and those he loves! Who shall
say how many grim faces Of unre.
pented error look out from it's shadow
upon, even the happiest manl How
much less, then, shall any tongue tell
how bitterer than gall it was to look
into the past, to me, who, while yet
young, had seen my name stained
with foulest dishonor, all my aspira.
tions in a moment crushed, and my
dearest hopes, even in their broadcast
noon, blotted into instant night.
"And 50 was sitting in the grow
ing gloom of that autumn evening,
mentally living over|again the days
that were gone, when the door open
ed, and the turnkey, accompanied by.
-. tbran saptlar,ap ankarad tho