Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-10-17


| had passed, were found upon me. A
first | was Mortified; but sent immedi
ately for Mix, scarcely doubling that ht
would say he had paid me the money
He refused to come, declaring he had
paid me no money; but saying that
had paid him a bad twenty dollar note
for my nights lodging, supper and break
fast, thus cheating him out of eighteen
dollars good money. He said he would
meet me at the right time and place, that
was IN good hands now, and that be
was busy.
81 am ia prison, s;otsr dear, and 1
don't know what will be my fate All
my money was taken from me by the Of
fcer who arrested me, and | can do no.
thing but let you know the facts. If
father were not helpless be would be
able to help me; as it is he can think,
and some kind soul, trust, will be able
to GARY out his suggestions. Keep up
your courage, Clara, dear, and tell father
and mother that | am cheerful in my af-
Fiction. Write at once, and tell me what
father says.
Your loving brother,
WILLIAM BENTLEY"
waited for my father to finish his
dinner, and then | called mother and
showed her the letter. Grieved and
alarmed as she was, she endured all till
my father bad slept his usual hour after
his dinner.
Before l tell my readers what my
father said to the letter, I must say some
thing of our conditions. Ny father had
been merchant in Medway for many
years. He was ruined by the credit
system which prevailed in our country.
After losing almost everything, he came
to the village Of Rosalba, where we now
lived. He bought the cottage in which
my mother was born. He paid one half
its value, and depended on collecting the
debts due to him in Medaay and the Vi
cinitr, to pay the other half Ny broth
er wished to study to be physician, and
our uncle was considered to be the best
medical man in Rosa.ba, and in our pow
erty he could very greatly assist US, by
helping my brother in his education. We
had lived two years in the cottage. The
first year werented, the second We bought
it.
We had let the garden belonging to
the cottage for half its produce, and had
taught school in summer; and thus with
a very little money that my ia ther bad
we were supported We lived
u hard grudging economy that no one
Knew Of, not even my uncle. He was
ioing what be could for my brother
more than we would have been willing to 4
lccept from any other. The spectre al t
ways before Us was the half payment for
'ur cottage, which remained TO be made =
And We lost all if we did not pay the re- t
nainder at a time specified, and which :
vas drawing near.
We looked to the success o! my bro
hers efforts in this collecting tour, to Sc.
ure US the shelter of our cottage home
|ood we trusted would come. The ra - a
ems are fed, and we hoped and looked b
or ward to the time when my brother l'
hould be successful physician, as our
ncle was now. St
What terrible blow bad fallen on n
nr devoted heads Our sole hope, our lt
IoIized William, was in prison, accused
crime, that if not disproved, might "
onsign him to penitentiary for years,
nd blast his prospects forever Il
My mother and l were wild with ia
'ieE My father was very quiet, but al
9ry sad. His disease, which was palsy SC
the lower limbs, caused by fall from m
5 horse, had lett his mind clear as when h'
health.
"We must do what we can," said he. :"
and be comforted that we know William y
innocent. Now, Clara, you must 90 to
Idge Bixby. will write note TO him. 'e
e will come here and consult with me,
he will advise me in some way. ~ -.
We notes against Mix for three hundred y"
liars, beside the one William had with o.
n, which was for two hundred and fifty. "
lese notes are SO many probabilities
aims: him. We must have some per- :.
4 to go to Midway" "'s
wanted TO say that Philip Melvin pb
uId go, but | dared not speak his name,
was a student reading law with Judge for
xby. He had paid me the attentions ado
a lover till my parents forbid me to TIL
eive them. My parents were proud Th
ancestry-a pride that Americans dis &
i'm, but which thew EpvertbeIass char a.,