The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-02-12
Your loving brother,
N.Y.. n-~-v ~

DOuf AIIeT UluuGF. .
Before l tell my readers what my iatter sal
to the letter, l must say something of our con
dition. My faith er had been a merchant j
Midway for many years. He was ruined 0.
the credit system that prevailed IN our country
After losing almost everything, he came L
i. the village of Rosalba, where we now live. ID
bought the cottage in which my mother wa
e born. He paid one half of its value and depende'
on collecting debts due him in Midway and tn
4 vicinity to pay the other half. My brofBe
wished to study to be q physician and our uncl'
was considered the best medical man IN 10
saba, and in our poverty, he could very great
ly assist US, by helping my brother in his edu
cation. We had lived two years in the cottage
The first wear we rented the second we bcugh
t it.
We had let the garden belonging to the cot
tage for half its produce, and l had taugh'
school in the summer thus. with the veryalttlt
money that my father collected, we were sup|
ported. We lived III a hard g~rudging economy
that no one knew of, not: even my uncle. He
W as doing all he could for my brother-more
than he would have been willing to accept from
any other. The spectre always before us was
1.-The half payment for our cottage, which remain
ed to be made. And we lost all if We did not
pay the remainder at a time peciied,a and when
was drawing near. We looked to the success
of my brothers efforts, in lis collecting tour, to
| secure US kH6 buCbCE u OuI GObbHSO hVNS' 81
Food we trusted would come. The ravens
are fed, and we hoped, and looked forward to
the time when my brother should be a suc~
~cessful physician, as our uncle now was.
What a terrible blow had fallen on our devo-
ted heads Our sole hope, our idolized Will
liam was in prison, accused of a crime that, if
not disproved, might consign him to the PEN
ite ntiary for years, and blast his prospects fors
ever.
II ~ T uyayo rtlA uyItI, nrinF MI
father quiet. but very sad. His disease, which
was palsy of the lower limbs, caused by a fall
from his horse, had left his his mind as clear as
when he was in health.
we will do what what we can, he said and
be comforted that we know William is limo
cent. Now, Clara, you must 60 to Judge Blk
by. 1 will write a note to him. He will come
here and consult with me, or he will advise me
in some way. I have notes against Mix for
three hundred dollars, besides the one William
had with him, which was for two hundred and
fifty. These notes are SO many probabilities a.
gainst him. We must have some person to go
to Midway.
wanted to say that Philip Melvin would go
but | dare not speak his name. He was a stu
dent reading law with Judge Bixby. He had paid
me attentions of a favor until my parents
forbade me to receive them. My parents were
proud of eucestry-s pride that Americans Ois>
/ claim Out ulC tuOJ hC'OtlhClCSo Shot
They are proud of former position, and prouG>
err than all of the puritan principles and prac-
tees of their immediate progenitors.
Now, Philip Melvin Was d isgraced from his
birth. He was an illeginnate child. His moth
or was a simple country girl, who had died of q
broken heart, soon after his birth, and she had
never revealed the name of Philips father. She
had died in an alHis~hOuse and there her boy
remained rntit he was seven years old. A la
, - IL h,,za xrtan h haA rnnoho4
his seventh birthday, and asked for Philip, She
wept bitterly, it was said, over the beautiful
child and then went to Judge Bixby, and from
that time he became as one of the chi ldren OF
the good and wise Judge. Philip proved wor-
thv Of all the care and education which were
bestowed on him with liberal as well AS patsr-
nal kindness; but, Notwithstanding all. he was
regarded as one who before his birth had
"-fallen into a pit of ink,
Ernm which the wide sea could not wash him clean a.
gain"
believed | loved Philip all the better be-
cause everybody seemed to KEEP the bitter fact
of his birth in their memory. He was nearly
twenty one years old, l was seventeen. | had
never disobeyed my parents and l regarded
my mother as a superior being. l was requir
ed to treat Philip as a iranger; and l could
give him ITO explanation without wounding
him. Poor fellow l did not doubt that he res
oarded his birth as the m ark of cain upon him.
How could l ever allud to the terrible fact?
He saved me from my trouble by a manly
frankness, which greatly increased my respect
and love for him.
One day l met him on a lonely road, in the
neighborhood of the village. He stopped me
Immediately.
Clara said he, Il have a word to say to',you
The blood rushed to my face like a bnrning
food.
You have often said that you loved me,
said he.
Il have 1 whispered, hardly so as to be
heard.
Have you changed p said he.
MOI said l aloud and with energy.
DO you shun ms of your own free WILLY
No Philip
, Your parents require it of you, and-youl
brother also wishes you to shun me-
Yes said l bravely, and yet trembling.
Because He could not bear to inter thu
words
He looked at me appealingly. I answered
! his thought.
e Yes, Philip but 1 love you better for you
: sorrow. 1 love you better for all the aflictioI
e Providence has permitted to come udon you.
4 thank YOU said he, solemnly. Clara, j
S we are faithful in our love, our time will come
Il We shall be happy together some day
2 | was silent.
DO you not believe it?'
d Z hope for it, replied.
g 'Do not go yet, said he, as l was about K
d pass on do not go till you have promised mt
t 10 be faithful to this love-
Il can be faithful only to my parents said
e bursting into tears but l will never love AM
0 one but you, Philip, unless you forget me. Nov
q let me go
g Our time will come said he and l went OF
y my way.
d I never saw him again, to speak to him, til
the day l went to Judge Bixby with my father,
note. | met him on the way and l stopped ant
e told him our great sorrow. ! could not do 9th
erwise, for my heart turned to him with the hop
of help.
&c to the Judge, said he and l will be ther
2, nv the time he has read and considered you
fathers note
Judge Bixby read the note, and was YER
ID much disturbed by it.
l This is very bad said he. We must sen
l some one at once to Midway. William mus
ht be released Philip will go 10 him. There he
now said he. as he saw him though the win
dow. Philip came il presently.
d. Melvin, will you go to Midway to night
a. said the Judge.
It. Certainly, if You wish it, said Philip.
I'd Judge Bixby took bis pen and wrote for som
i'd minutes then he folded aud addressed his let
" ter without sealing it. Then he wrote a not
IN to my father. Then he turned to Philip say
~ ing:
at You will 60 to Mr.. Bently and get the note
be which he has against Mix. Show this letter
d him, which have written to a legal friend
d. Midway. If Mr.. Bently thinks of anythin
IS more that he wishes me to write, you can II
u, turn to me otherwise, you had better go on
al Midway to>night. / think you will do well
as stay at Mix's tavern, and when you pay yoI
x. bill offer him this note
al He took q fifty dollar note from his peck
Ie- and handed it to Philip.
ng He has been 30 successful of late, he ms
'te give you one of those twenty dollar notes in g
- change for this, if you appear to be a strang
% merely passing over the road. Rsscals are We
mt often FOOLS
'"i Philip and 1 went out together. As the do
he said
i will bid vnn rnnd. hve and hasten 10 70