Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-12-22
BY GEoRGrANA 5. PURDUE.

BY :. PCRDU
Allen Meriden was the only son of NJ. Merden,
the CLERGYMAN of this village. and from his very
birth was the handsomest lad in the paTish-the
handsomest. the cleverest. and the most way
ward Old Parson Meriden, so stern and up
right, and lust. feels no pity for those who 90
astray. 7 think if his father had been less stern,
and more forgiviug, Allen would have done bet
ter; but the old mans severity chilled him, and
he had no mother to come between him and his
father, for she died when he was an infant; SO
the boy was afraid of his father, and shut his
heart quite up from him. He was always get
ting into scrapes. and III constant fear lest they
should come to his fathers ears, but there was
not a man, woman, or child Chasewood that
would have told Of Master Allen; they all liked
him, N spite OF his miscellaneous tricks, he was so
free, and handsome, and generous.
The living Of ChasewOod was a very poor one
snd although Parson Meriden would have liked
his son to have been a clergyman. he did not
send him 70 college. but at the age of nineteen
placed him IN . merchants Office IN London as
a clerk.
1 was in that same Office as porter, and a sort
of butter too, for Mr.. Grants was an old-tash-
Toned place, with the offices and warehouses at
one end of the building, and his family residence
at the other. To be sure, his family was small,
only an unmarried sister and his daughter, Miss
Katherine Grant.
1 was glad when Mr.. Allen came that 1 had
been before him, and knew the place, for l was
able in my humble way to advise him a little,
and more especially 10 put him on his guard
against the c~ompanionship Of one Of the clerks,
q young man named Ousley. Of this OUsley ]
knew more than l chose to tel Mr.. Meriden, but
1 said enough to make him avoid all intimacy
with I'm. Isaw Allen Merden every day, and
: pleasure It was his frank, merry ways lit up
the old house with a cheerfulness unknown be-
fore, even Mr.. Grant, grave as he was, must
have noticed 1t; but if he did not. there was one
who did, and that was Miss Katherine.
a. first she and Allen saw each other only at
the dinner-table, for the young men in the house
diued With the family; but after a while they
used TO meet often, accidental Ike, about the
house. l irst found how things were by Nr.
Menden asking me to convey a note to Miss
Grant Perhaps j was wrong TO do it, heaven
forgive me if l was, but I had not heart 10 re-
fuse. She was such a beautiful young creature,
as stately and as proud as any queen, while he
had the stuff in him 10 work his way 20 any
object strong enough to FIX that wayWaTd will
OF his; besides, / thought a clergyman's son as
good as a merchants daughter. any day. So things
went on, and almost every day 1 carried a note
and received an answer. But one thing sur
prised me. 4 great deal of company came to
see Miss Grant and her aunt, for she would have
q very large fortune (alth0Ugh / did not know
that then(, aud sweethesrts were plenty. She
seemed TO notice none Of them at first, but after
q time there came a young bar0net, and from Sir
Philip Jeiidean's first visit, he was seldom out Of
the house Tor any iong period He sat whole
hours with Mss Kate II the great drawing
room
Alden Nariden did not know this-and I dared
not to tell him till one week there was a great
cooking and preparation. and on the Sunday,
Mr.. Grant, nsing from dinner, desired every one
20 I'll his glass, and gave the healths Of Sir
Philip Jehdean and Miss Grant, adding, that on
the morrow she would become Lady Jelidean.
Every one drank the toast, except young Meri-
den; he remained with his empty glass before
him, gazing with speeches. wonder upon Kate.
she sat by her father side b~lashing, and smii-
ing, and bowling to the gentlemen as they drank
her health and happiness, never once turning her
eyes towards her unfortunate lover; although
when he rose from table, and abruptly left the
room, l noticed she sighed and turned pale for a
moment-a moment oulj the next she was smil-
ing as gaily Us before.
That evening they met in the long gallery
that connected the offices and house. was be-
low. and heard him say, in an sgitated tone,
Kate, what is this Are they forcing You to
marry against your will'
@F0rcing % She cried, with a laugh, and a lit
tie saucy toss Of the head; forcing! No, III
deed. lam not accustomed, Mr.. Meriden, 10
act against my viii"
kate, he answered, and his voice was calm
and determined enough then; "are you trihing
with me, is Il p0ssible-aiter those lctteTs2'
Now, Mr.. Eieriden,' broke in the heaTtless
beauty, Il viii have no discussion. Of course
you, ike me, were only amusing yourself with
a little harmless f~iTtauoni though, 1 must con
Tess, you write the most charming love-lettsrs l
ever Tead-Phiip's are so stupid. But. for all
that, you VIII surely not be 50 impolite as TO
quarrel with me. On the very eve Of my we'd
ding, too she added, pouting.
mo, madam" replied Alien; Il will not dis
turb your felicity by any disagreeable remarks
on the way il which you have deceived me-
With these words be left her. He either did not,
OF would not, hear the cry OF "Allen, stay %
but walked on down the gallery, and out of the
house.
Never shall l forget the hopeless look upon his
face. Ali the good portion OF his warm, impuI-
sive nature was blighted; be was deceived where
he had most trusted, and he was one of those
men who, once deceived, never trust in ANYTHING
again. I felt my Indignation rising at the treat
ment be had met with. Forgetting my depend
ent condition, | went to her.
"False and treacheTous woman" I cried. "lor
an empty title you have played with a mans
AAAE gHE AA1 ElLA L-- ~ AAaAAA nv - y ANAL
coquetry." / stepped suddenly, remembering
who I was, and my presumption in speaking
thus TO her. She looked at me for a moment.
struggled with her pride, then burst into tears.
covering her face with her hands, and exclaim-
ing
wretch that I am, I knew not that he was in
earnest
The wedding passed off grandly, every one
looked happy and well; but the bride-she was
I.afbtxr ~ala anI nhon at tha altar v-apf v1o
lently, but then every one thought emotion in a
bride was vastly becoming and very proper.
She married and went to hes husbands grand
ancestral seat, that her money saved from pass
ing out of bis family, and every one at the house
and office returned to their usual quiet ways, as
if the beautiful Lady Jelidean had never been
among them. Every one, did l say 7 no, there
was one who from that day became an altered
man. BE who never missed spending bis even
ings home in his room, now became notorious for
his late, irregular hours; his object in life was
gone, and be cared not what was thought OF
what became Of him. 1t was my duty as porter
TO sit up for him, and night after night l noticed
more his flushed face and wild excited manner /;
but ] ceased to wonder, when saw Tom Ousley
was his constant companion.
One day MIR. Grant called me into his private
room. 'Peters, 1 havelost a large sum of money
from this cash-box; theTe is only one person be
HUE AayAS A@o ~ ~ 49, 1GC - NNAAAA0 b0o
pect. Are any OF the young men irregular in
coming home 2"
"NoDe sir-except-" 1 hesitated.
"'W L Peters -
Except Air. Ousley, sir."
"No one else, Peters -
"Well, sir, Nil. MeTiden has lately-but only
very lately"
THAT will do; remember you say nothing of
what has passed, and be particularly careful.
neither MIR. Menden nor Nj. Ousley have any
knowledge of this conversation"
Tbs next night, l sat up for the young men,
but not alone; two policemen kept me company;
for the inquiries made by Mr.. Grant, had soon
led to almost a certainty as to who was the thief,
and when Meriden and dis companion entered,
they were both arrested on & charge Of rcbbing
the cash-box.
The evidence was clear against Meriden, but
there was nothing to involve Ousley the willy
temper had taken care al the suspicion shouid
fan on his victim. He had enticed Meriden to a
g~aming-house, where, rendered desperate by re-
peaied losses, and possessed by a conviction that
next time be should be lucky, he had AGREED 10 alb
s+ssHt-or. as be Encied, 20 bOrrow-asum ofmop-