, 1862-10-09

than fear, depicted upon his face--the centre
Of that angry crowd. After that momentary
bush followed the fierce clamor Of many voices.
Only for the nteFpositiOn Of the officers Of the
law, be would have been torn In pieces, or hanged
upon the nearest tree, BY that crowd Of ha neigh
bors now suddenly become an excited mob. !
Clandius was arrested The verdict Of the
eoroner's jury fixed suspicion Of the crime upon
him. All the processes of,the law were duly
followed out. He was indicted and aFraigned,
TIED for the crime Of murder. The evidence
was all circumstantial- the footprints the clasp
knife, bloody, and bearing bis name, and acknpY-
ledged to be bis own-the unexplained employ
ment Of the two hours before midnight on that
fatal night, were all deemed proof that fastened
the crime upon him. And when II was. copsid
cred that bis uncle's death would, in case will
bad been found, have probably made him helr Of
the larger potion Of bis large estate, sufficient
motive was discovered. But Gle New England
character Is just, though stern. There was no
positive. proof and the jury brought 10 verdict
Of granddaughter only. His sentence, therefore,
was not DEATH but that life ii deGth; incareeFa-
ton within prison walls for thirty years.
Tho strong youth, In the budding prime Of bis
manhood, was borne away to bis prison. His
mother and sister assumed the weeds Of mourn
ing, for to them be was dead Neither scarcely
dared to hope that ever they should look upon
his face again. aag
The crime Of Claudius and bis sentence de-
prived him Of all rights, So when Arnold ad-
ministeFed upon the estate Of his deceased uncle,
Il was decided that he was the heir. By bis
great generosity small sum wss given to the
mother and sister Of Clsudius, hie-interest In
certain property; and then he assumed posses
sion Of all the rest.
He did not take up bis abode In the white
house on the hill The old mansion was closed
and deserted, save by couple Of ancient ser
wants, appointed to care for the house and
grounds; and the new proprietor built himself 4
costly residence in the heighborhood Of the city.
Here be shortly alter brought bFide-a gentle,
meek, and lovelygiFlf whom some dared to whis-
per- bis gold had won from her parents, her own
choice hardly being recognized in the tTansac-
ton; and here he dwelt rich, Influential, and
respectable. His charities were large; he was
noted as public benefartor in agriculture and
manufactures, and more than once high political
trusts were bestowed Upon him.
Meanwhile, Caudis pined in prison, and bis
mother and sister dwelt IN their lonely homo, IN
those narrow circumstances that are acarcoly
shove poverty, and mourned> for bin with .
grief bitterer Il may Be than II he were dead.
No doubt Of his innocence Of the crime 90 myste-
riOusly thrust upon him ever troubled them. But
through all their perfect faith IN him. the shadow
sorrow and shame Of his lot, permeated In gloom
that no sun Of hope could b ighten.
And, ID silence she dared not break, another
heart mouPned GoF Claudius. No words Of love
had ever been spoken between them, for Clau-
dius was poor, and dared not ask her Of her pa
rents On bis return from the journey be had
undertaken on that fatal night, be had intended
to entTust the secret Of bis love to his uncle and
to beseech him, always % wise and kind, 70 aid
him in some career that should ensure the inde-
pendence which would enable him to marry, II
indeed he might win her. or this, though hum
bic and dilldent Of his own attractions, Of mind
and person, be had small doubt: for there Is
subtle magnetic intercourse between the spirit
Of those who mutually love, that often betrays
the secret long before their lips have dared 70
utter Il
II vas beneath her window be had spent those
fatal hours. He had ayerred that he was walk
ing, but something had restrained him from say
ing where. Perhaps had be dared e speak, she |
might have saved him for some mysterious in
fuence had kept her wakeful on that night, and
she watched IN the darkness the TALL slight ag |
ure that lighted only BY the vague radiance q
the stars, had paced for hours before her dwell |
ing
The weary days rolled on, full Of change, and |
yet to one with an induratiDg monotohy. i Shut |
up within the prison walls, be only felt the alter-
nations Of cold and heat Of light and darkness |
he marked the weeks by the recurring Sundays |
that permitted him 10 Join In the prison worship
For him there was no other change. No lidings |
from the world without ever reached him. He |
passed bis days II ceaseless toll, and only knew
that he was growing cid when, aitef weary
tune, he Gelt The wrinkles In bis cbeeks and saw
that the locks periodically clipped from bis head
VIZ ~, A. ~ LII A,.s....
had ALLEN upon bis household. His mother |
pined and died, broken hearted, when he had
been 1--we years in prisOn-heF last words assert |
Ing her belief in his innocenee. His sister then
was lelt alone; but she was marked. Her broth
er's disgrace affixed stigma 10 Der, Innocent as
she was, and her pensive beauty attracted no Of
lers Of marriage. And she was not one 10 soF-
row at this Long ago she had made one firm
resolve. II n pleased God that she should i've
until her brother was free once more. she would
devote the remainder Of her hie 70 him.
There was another in whose heart the same
resolve had boen lormed-the young girl whom
Claudius had loved. She lell the village with
her parents soon after his imprisonment and
since had been living in the West; but her re- |
solve never falteFod Her constancy shrank not
1t the long delay Of thirty years She knew /
that she could welcome Clandns Fletcher with |
love as fresh, and warm, and true, as that Of
eighteen, when at length he should walk forth |
free So these women widely separated. yet with
one aim, waited for the time when, with entire
selfdevotion, they should welcome 70 bis hOIne
the entranchised Claudiua
Their lives flowed on plaeidly II sorfowfully, |
and at length mingled; for when her parents |
died, and leil her sole heiress Of their handsome
property, the woman he had loved rstufned 70
her native village, and going stFaight 70 Aite
Fletcher told ber oil. And thencetoFth the two
women waited together for the coming Of him
they lOved-theiF common interest, the common
love. 50 strong in both, though ditlessht IN char
acter 10 each, making bond between them more
powerful than any cf human creation. go.