Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-01
tFrom the Club of Letters
THR LOST MANCSCRIPT.

A parting glance round the Office, to as
sure himself all desks, closets and iron safes
are properly secured for the night, and the
solicitors confidential clerk locks up, and
prepares for home. With coat buttoned to
the throat and hat drawn over his eyes,
Mark Edwards turns his steps toward Is
lington, and cheerily faces the rough wind
and drizzling rain, which numerically pelt
and buffet him, as he vainly halls omnibus
after omnibus, to receive the same answer:
"Full." But Mark makes no trouble of
these outdoor Inconvenience, for his minds
eve is fixed on the well-covered tea-table,
bright fire. and, best of all, the pretty young
wife awaiting his return. The picture is so
pleasant, that he cheerily breaks forth into
o line Of "IIome, sweet home" as he turns
the corner of the street where stands his
own trim little domicile.
Mrs Edwards is peering into the dark
ness, through the folds of the muslin cur
tains, and has the door open before Marks
hands touches the knocker.
'What a night for you, love-" says the
little matroD, brushing the rain-drops from
his bushy whiskers, and kissing him COM
passionately; "and how late you are"
Edwards looks up at the clock as he strug-
giles out OF his dripping coat.
~ am late, indeed, he answers "but Mr..
Pleadwell has started on his trip to the
lakes this afternoon, and there were great
many things to attend to before he went.
And look here, Fanny-this packet contains
some valuable deeds and securities, which
will be called for by the owner in few
days. in the meanwhile, have to copy one
of them, but don't feel inclined to begin to-
night. Where can l place them with
safety"
Fanny suggests his desk-but that is the
first article a burglar would be likely to
meddle with. The wife's cheek palos at the
idea of such visitor, and she considers
"That old eScritOire in the spare bedroom,
will not that do?'
Mark still hesitates.
II had so many injunctions to be careful,
and not let them 90 out of my own posses
sion, that am afraid of even that"
Fanny reminds him that there is secret
drawer in it.
"Don't you remember" she asks "what
trouble we had 10 find it?'
"Ha the very place."
So his wife carries the candle for him, and
the valuable packet is deposited in this hid
den receptacle. It's only contents are few
highly-scented letters, tied with piece of
ribbon, which Fanny, laughing and blush
ing, confesses are Mr.. Mark Edwards's love
illusions before marriage, carefully pre-
served to bear witness against him when he
becomes cold and cross.
Perhaps it was a restless night and un-
pleasant dreams which made the clerk 80
uneasy-even in the hurry of the next days
work-knOwing that he had not visited the
escritoire before leaving home in the morn
ing, to ascertain with his own eyes the
safety of the papers in his charge. He
pooh poohs the idea as it presents itself, re-
membering that one key is in his own pos
session, and the other on his wife's house
keeping bunch; but it returns so often, that
it is with feeling of relief that he hears
the signal for closing, and feels he is at
liberty to return home.
How is it his welcome is not smiling
one, as it usually is? Fanny's spirits seen
depressed, and her eyes look as if they had
been clouded with tears.
"Have you had any visitors to-day? ?" hei
husband carelessly inquiries, as he sips hi
tea.
The hestating "No" is so family pro
nounced, that the young man, hitherto pre-
occupied with business, looks up.
"That No sounds like 'Yes Who has
been here"
"Only my brother George" Fanny an
swers in low voice, and Mark, frowning
turns away, and takes up book.
"My brother George is his aversion, aud
the torment and trouble of his wife family;
always in difficulties, no sooner rescued
from one scrape than rushing headlong int
another, sometimes invisible for months
and suddenly reappearing to levy contri
buttons on any relatives able or willing t
assist him. Mark has seriously contem
plated forbidding his visits; and then Fam
is so tender-hearted, and cherishes such
kindly belief in the prodigals ultimate re
formation, that her husband has not "
mustered sufficient frmness to enforce hi
wishes although he knows where his wife
brooch went, and why she wears that ol
velvet bonnet. Fanny seems to guess whf
is passing in his mind, by her coming s
softly to his side, and stroking his hair, an
pressing her lips to his forehead, but neithC
Of them saying any thing, and Mark lei
urely prepares for his task of copyin
While he has gone up stairs to fetch his pi
pers, she lights an extra candle, and eI
sconces herself in O corner with her werl
table, regretting, as she does so, that he
"poor boy must be bored with this odiou
writing when he ought to be resting. How
ever, Mark soon comes down the stair,
three at time, to ask, rather angrily, VIII,
she has moved his packet without mention
ing it. With astonishment in her looks, hi
wife denies having done 80, land hurrie
'aith him TO the spare bedroom, asserting
her belief that he has overlooked the parcel
not q thing is out of its place. Th
OLD eseTitoTe stands exactly as they lei
it, the lock had not been tampered with
nor was the secret drawer open; and there
undisturbed, lie the love-letters; but Ii
z brown-paper parcel, tied with pink tapt
and sealed with the Ofhce-ssal, has been X
moved.
The husband, suspecting he knows nc
what, looks almost sternlya at his wife, who's