, 1864-07-25

humane, an innocent imposition-to destroy
falsehoOd by falsehood, and thereby elicit
truth. My plan was to get reprinted a me-
tropolitan newspaper, containing superin-
duccd entry, as if from Lloyd's, of the ar
rival Of the Mermaid at her place Of desti-
nation, and to lay this paper within the
reach of the deluded invalid. eommuni-
Gated this plan to Mrs. H, who ap-
proved Of it; and, on the same day, gave
instructions to printer, in whom / could
rePOse confidence, to put his part Of the
scheme into execution. He entered cor
daily into the device, and, next forenoon,
sent me a proof of the paper and the hcti-
tious entry, which l Immediately revised
and returned to him with directions to send
me the perfect copy in the evening. About
seven O'Clock, accordingly, young man
brought me paper, stating that his master
had been obliged to leave town in the after
noon; but that might rely upon the accu-
racy ofsthe copy, which had been carefully
thrown of by his foreman. / Immediately
carried it to Mrs. IL, who undertook
to lay it in such position as would secure
the eye Of her husband. The matrimonial
contract, she said, required to be signed on
the 10th, two days after, according to the
agreement of the parties; and, owing to the
state Of her husband, she had resolved upon
the marriage being celebrated afterwards
privately. She beseeehed me. strongly to
attend and witness the contract, whereby l
might have an opportunity Of facilitating the
completion Of this most delicate and dam
gerOus negotiation.
On the day and hour appointed, Iattended
accordingly. The scene presented to me, as
l entered the sick mans chamber, was ex-
traordinary and striking. The window shut
ters were still half closed, and the room
nearly dark. Augustus A. and Ange-
lima were sitting opposite to each other at
the aperture of the window; their faces, on
which the light shone by the side Of deep
shadows, exhibiting that mixture Of love,
! joy, fear and solicitudc which the peculiar
circumstances Of thei- situation could not
fail to produce in hearts whose sympathies
were moved by the elastic springs Of an
affection which had not been crossed, and
hopes that never had been blighted. The
mother sat silently looking at her husband,
who, rolled up in the manner already de-
scribcd, sat immcrgcd in a mood Of gloomy
| dcrrair h;s head iesninG an his breast M
evebrows kn;t his ewes fzed an The lire. III
month sealcd Win snIlen. ohsfinate Silence.
s,d eversthing ;nd;ca1ing either tl,at he was
I unconscicus Of what was to BE- enacted n
his presence. or determined not 10 take 4
friendly mart IN Il Iseated mvsclf oupositc
| TO him. and was saluted bv half Sowing.
half timid look. which. having scanned me ne
hurriedly. sought again the firc. The meet
inc Of friends collected % witness coffin
4 lifting Of 4 dear relative could not have pre-
sented more fdnercal. gloomy. and dismal
aspect; /; the shadows being relieved, in the
one case. bv the lurid smile Of expectant
heirs. and n the other BY the struggling
CLEAN Of the doubtful Joy Of the bridegroom
and bride. At length the man Of the law
came with the important document; and,
| having bis busiline, oiEicious importance and
| familiarity blasted BY the sulien groui Of
the hypochondriac, sat down in disappoiut-
mont and irresolution. Afterwords Of GER
cmony. approaching 70 the sombreness Of
the prcliminaries Of q service over the dead,
the deed was read. purportine, in the usual
terms, that the two parties had agreed to