The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-09-09


"pll go and lie down a little while"
said, "the letter can't go till evening, an,
how i'ai''i "5.
az think you'd better rest awhile" sal
Mrs. Manning and she went with him to hi
room, lowered the blinds, placed the pillow
at the right angle, and brought him pleasan
warm draught. 1t was almost night when tn
Deacon awoke from his long, deep sleep.
'Dear, dear !' he said, as he came into tn
sitting brilliant with the sunset rays
that made him wink and look more feeble an,
distressed than usual. Ive slept too long
Why didn's you wake me, Hepsibah? Tn
afraid can't get Hsrbert's letter to the post
office in time for the mail.s p" ''.i5
.a" You were sleeping so nicely, Deacon, tha
thought it a pity to wake you," said Mrs
Manning, in her blandest tones. $50 wrot,
the letter and sent It off an hour ago"
81 !" And what did yon write ?''
"Why. that you wished Herbert to senG
particulars, and arrange about security, before
you forwarded an order to sell out such an
amount of stock"
You did-and the boy may be ruined by
this delay. What were you thinking of
Madam, and why did sleep SO long, and nc
mail till tomorrow evening !"
81 was thinking of saving you trouble
said Mrs. Manning, deprccatingly-the re,
nlainder of the question she might, perhaps,
have answered moro satisfactorily, but she
forbore. i9s4a YEA ft5
That poor boy That poor boy n' moan
ed the Deacon, his mind now thoroughly
aroused to the imminency of Herberps ruin,
and his own gross neglect Of the duty he only
intended to delay Knight he tossed wake
fully, or in uneasy Islunlber, while Mrs. Man
ming slept peacefully. In the morning, before
the sun had exhaled one dew-drop from the
vines that covered her window, the Deacon
stood by her bedside in full Sunday attire.
He was about to wake her, when fortu-
nately he spicd upon the bureau little basket
containing keys. "This.ll be better" he mur-
INJURED, as he lifted the basket, but his hand
shook SO that the bunch he had selected lin
gled in his grasp. Casting a startled glance
toward his sleeping wife, to see if she had
been aroused, he hurried forth In the sitting
room stood the old 'fescritoire'' in which ma
pers and money were kept. Tremblnsly,
with feelings almost of guilt, he applied the
key to the lock, the hinges creaked, the old
wood snapped, but still the unconscious
sleeper in the next room was not aroused.-
The Deacon drew oat the pat ers, ok the old
Pocket-book plethoric with crisp bank notes,
put them, with the keys, into his own pocket,
and fastened from the house. At the farm
yard gate his man stood ready with the light
wagon to convey him to the railroad station
and before Mrs. Manning had shal,en-e4sf e4sf--tli1c II
influence of her morning nap, he was safely
ensconced in the train that swept aud thun-
dered on its way toward the distant CITY.
1t was comfortless ride forthe old Deacon.
He was timid as a child, without child's
fearlessness that is born of ignorance. He
shrank, frightened, into corner of seat
startling at every change of sound, afraid of
being cheated when the conductor came
round, all one mass of perturbations and pal
Pitations through the entire journey. ID
Night had fallen when he arrived, and it
seemed to him that he escaped $50
as by fire." from the attacks of the hackmen,
the solicitations of numberless boys who made
frantic darts at his travelling bag, the noise,
the hustle and confution dire of the great city
terminus, and at last found himself emerging
from carriage at the door of his sons resi-
dence. -.-t- -
Mrs. Herbert Manning was very fond of the
old Deacon, who had always treated her with |
a timid, caressing kindness which attracted her
strangely. She was very much surprised, and
very glad to sec him, and would tell him
nothing in answer to all his questions till he |
had had nice supper, and, refreshed BY food, |
was resting on the couch in her own sitting
room.
:" Herbert has not been home since morn |
ing" she said then. Il waited dinner an
hour and then, as 1 knew he was very
anxious about some business, concluded he
had dined down town, and had the meal sent
up. But am troubled about him now, and
if he does not come soon, shall send John
down town to inquire for him. s. .a7.f.
AS she spoke, carriage ratified along the !
aristocratic street, so quiet after nightfall at
that season of the year, when none of the
grand mansions blazed with lights for great
party. 1t stopped, and voices were heard, and
presently the bell rang, and confused sound
of footsteps and murmured tones rose from
the marble paved hail. Johns scared face
at the door, and Mrs. Manning
sprang past him, the dread at her heart MAX
ing her silent. IA -..f .g.I4' ,..-
Two policemen were in the hall, and
group of other figures, and in the arms of
these ffeless form-drooping, pale, ghastly
her husband. As she hurried to his side, a
groan and a heavy fal! resounded from the
staircase - the deacon had followed his
daughter in law, and, overpowered BY the
scene that met his eyes, and the remorse that
the words, 81 have murdered him." |
had fallen senseless upon the stony floor.
We pass over the scenes of that dreadful
night, during whose hours Mrs Herbert Man
ming vibrated between the rooms in which lay /
the senseless forms of her husband and father.
Two physicians shared her vigil. striving, by
all tie arts known to their skill, to restore |
the stricken ones. Herbert had taken poison,
his life was in the most imminent danger,
though as opium had been the chosen agent
it yielded more readily to antidotes than those
more subtle and rapid drugs which too often
defy the utmost skill of the practitioner of
healing. Toward morning he was pronounced