Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-07-27

pare, suuuuered, aud staggered TO a seat
What do you wanty he groaned
"A hundred thousand dollars-not one
cent less
4 cannot give it it would ruin me-
just as you say rejoined the other,
moving towards the door, you know what
will follow if l go this way
I 'Oh, stay, you must not 90 yet" cried
the man Of crime, in terrible alarm.
/ he argued, urged, pleaded, implored for
mercy at less fearful cost In vain. At
last the banker-seeing ruin, disgrace and
death before him if he retused-agreed to
the terms. He also agreed to meet the
stranger, with che required sum, on the
following night, in front of St. PauPs
Church. Both were punctual to the fixed
time, and bills and checks to the amount
of one hundred thousand dollars, changed
hands
4 month later there was a tremendous
run on the bank of which Steph,o Edwards
was the principal owner. 1t was soon
broken and closed. Then the sheriff was
set to work by eager creditors, and all the
| real estate and personal property Of the
late millionaire was seized and St Id, leav.
ing him beggar, and the just claims un-
satisfied. Fashionable friends deserted
the family, and the proud nobleman refu,
sed the hand of ruined bankers daugh
ter.
In the very midst of this disgrace and
trlbulation, Stephen Edwards encountered
the man who had turned so pale and be
nnn,a a,,itatad
tine before.
4 rather think you do net know me-
SIR, sald the gentleman, with a formal
bow
Your face seems somewhat familiar,
but yet | cannot place you,' returned
Edwards
Permit me to bring myself to your
recollection, then, as | wish you to know
me. A little more than six weeks ago,
was talking with you en- business, and you
observed that | turned deadly pale, and
became agitated?
'Ah, yes, remember you now
Let me tell you why was thus affect
ed. My eye had just CHANGED upon
curious watch seal which had belonged to
merchant, named Philip Sidney, who
was shot in the western part of this State
some twenty years ago. and on looking at
your features closely, knew you to be
the villain who had perpetrated the foul
deed =
'Merciful God exclaimed the banker.
with blanched face and quakiDg form.
Yes, | knew you,' pursued the other;
and week after, | disguised myself and
had an interview with you in your own
mansion. You would certainly remember
that?'
But, gasped the trem bling wretch,
did not pay you your own price to keep
my fatal secret
yes, and with that very money, and
what other | could command, | was ena
bled to buy up enough of your own bills
to make that run upon your bank which
broke 1t and forced ruin upon you
And what would you now that am
ruined" inquired the other, with the deadly
calmness OF desperation
Now that | have my revenge, | want
you to know that |, myself, am the man
you attempted to murder, and did rob- Il
am Phaip Sidmey! Behold the scar
where the bali struck and glanced !! and he
lifted his hat aud showed it.
God be praised y calculated the other,
God he praised that you are still livingr
and unable to restrain his emotion, be
burst into tears. oh, SIR he continued,
you have taken load off my conscience
ID weight from my soul! Though pow
erty, beggary, disgrace and death are sta
ring me in the face, | am happy in the
knowledge that | am not guilty of murder
happier thar | have been for twenty
years, with all the luxurious surrounding
of wealth. 1t was my first and last crime,
and | have never been able to tell how |
Was tempted to so outrage my nature as on
that fearful occasion Now, sir, do with
me what you will-only, | pray you, be
merclful to my innocent family
i forgive you,' returned the other,
extending his hand. 4 forgive you. You
have been fearfuly punished already And
as God has seen proper to preserve US both
and bring US together, let US hope it is for
our present and future salvation, and ler
us endeavor so to live as to deserve the
blessings we receive. [ will restore you
enough to place you and your family above
want; and for the rest, trust we shall both
remember We shall soon have to render
an account of our stewardship in another
world
Philip Sidney kept his word; and with
fresh start in the world, and now an
easy conscience, the still enterprising Ste.
phen Edwards accumulated another res
pecta0le fortune, much of which he spent
in charity.
Philip Sidney died in 1847, and Ste,
phen Edwards in 1851.
Is not truth indeed strange-strange
than fiction