The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-09-05
Tuesday Morning, Sept. 8, 1865.
UNDER SUSPICION.



@Uncle Joseph, will you see to the luggage ?'
HCertainly, madam / replied. / Ialways
called my brothers second wife 'lmalam; !" We
neyerluarrelel, but each thought the other was
the most disagreeaDle person in the universe,
and as we each knew what the other thought,
it may be imagined our intercourse was NOT
of very cordial kind.
Ibid see to the tickets for the party for the
York express by the Great Northern Rail
way .la 500
Fortunately we had compartment 10 our
selves, that is, Mrs. Webster, my niece Clara.
and myself
"Clara, my dear, you look as III as you can
look, no one would think that tomorrow was
your wedding-day."
aDo look ill, manmaq ?" said Clara, dream
lily.
@Yes, my dear, and wretched too. l won
der you have not more sense at your age, D
girl OF twenty-five, and breaking her heart Tor
love ola man who for years has not taken the
slightest notice OF you"
@Why, It was one Of the conditions, Mr..
Webster, that he should not write" exclahn-
ed.
Clara said nothing but looked her thanks at
her uncle.
"Howeyer, uncle Joseph, he ought to have
come back, and taken bis dismissal quietly. 4
have no patience with these poor men blight
ing a girls chance of getting well settled In
life in this way ; however, thank goodness, its
all over now, the four years have gone this
three months, and tomorrow you will be the
happy wife of a man whose age viii command
your respect, and whose position viii secure
you every comfort" -
"And one, mamma, whom nothing on earth
but nay solemn promise to my poor dear faith
er would make me call husband" z,,4f = !
Well, my dear, it's fortunate for your inter-
ests that you made that promise. Pm sure
that Mr.. Tredgar Is man after my own heart.
If hadn't other views for my chiidren's sake,
/ should have set my cap at him myself"
HI'm sure, madam that Mr.. Tredgar would
only feel too much honored if he knew your
sentiments; the candid avoWal of them is, l
think. highly calculated to add to Clara's hap
piness under existing circumstances"
"WeI you know, uncle Joseph, that am
candid to a fault" a.1d. :. aiai ..ll.a9 "a
@Oecidedly, most decidedly" replied, a re
mark which caused Mrs.. Webster to read q
yellow colored novel for some time in silence,
though shortly afterwards she dropped asleep.
Clara stole to my side of the carriage and
leaned her head on my shoulder.
90 uncle | wish were dead; can it be so
very wrong to die? am SO Hretched, l dread
tomorrow oh whywill not God pity me, and
take away my liieP azof -. e
aMv dear Clara don't there's a good child /;
it's wicked to talk in this way; life must be
borne: have felt as you feel, aud yet live.
and am not positively unhappy, My vague,
shadovy regret for what might have been
stands like a cloud between me and any happi-
ness that might be mine. Yours are keen SUI
ferings, but bear them patiently, and use will
dull the pain"
"But, uncle, why did he not let me hear from
him, as mama says? ?"
"l}ecause he was man of honor; the four
wears were up only last April, and this is but
July; who can tell where heis Wherever ne
is. he is faithful and true, know"
"Ohl uncle, God bless you for those words,
I know it too, but what can do? cannot
de,av longer: my poor fathers dying words.
my solemn promise to marry this man, my
stepmother's precautions-what can do?
Three months have [ fought and now | wish
l could lie down and die. o uncle, is there no
escape? / have such a dread that he will
come back after am married, and then, oh it
would be worse than his death to see him! The
temptation l-ohl why cannot die9 ?"
"Poor child mypoor childP was all | could
utter.
Bound by a vow made at her fathers death
bel. she was going the next day to marry q
man who was old enough to be her father, and
wno. but for the fact of his persisting in his
claim, spite of her openly expressed dislike oi
hi--,. was esteemed a very good kind OF man.
True, Clara was beautiful and accomplished
beyona the average OF women OF her class,
and it would be, a struggle to any man to give
rp such prize, backed by the assurances OF
the stepmother that it was only girliSh fancy.
and that love coming after marriage was more
TO be trusted and more lasting than If it come
before: | confess | was but poor counsellor
un,Ier such circumstances; still Iloved her We
nv truly, she was almost as my own daughter
for I was a childless widower, and would
have given my life to save her. but it was
impossible, and tomorrow would seal her fate
It was not pleasant journey, that. Mrs
Wab3ter read and slept at Intervals the whole
time. and when she slept Clara nestled close tc
me.
We arrived at York about six o'clock, and
Just as the train was slackening speed into the
station, guard jumped on to the toot-Doart
locked or unlocked the door, and remained un
til the train stopped.
Have you all your parcels, madam"2
IAN shank you, Uncle Joseph, except my
umbrelia-ohl that's under the seat, SAID Mrs
Webster.
'.Now guard, unlock this door,"
"Are you with that young lady, sir?" point
ing to my niece,
ayes, certainly, unlock the door, aei
"Better not make fuss, sir"
"Fuss what do you mean?" 5000
The man, who seemed to be looking out f0l
somebody, now asked, "All right sir ~
"All right" said the station-master, coming
to the door, and opening It; sthis way, miss
"What does this mean p"
"Stcp into my ONCE, daresay it's all right
Better not say too much out here YOU know
We followed him through the little crowd 0
passengers and porters, accompanied by DOL
ice In uniform. As we passed we heard ffag
mentary observations of most pleasing kind
(which is IL % said some one.
SITS the girl, think"
GNo. it's the old woman she looks as if She,
do any one a mischief if it suited herr
sold man looks too soft for anything" an'
so on.
We went into the Office, and indignant
turned to the station-master. 80,
What is the meaning OF this, slr
~Ohi it's very simple. sir; a telegram has al
rived from the police in London with order
to stop this young lady here it is"
tookit and read:
THE young lady looking very III, dressed i
black silk mantle, white straw bonnet VIII
white flowers, is to be detained at the statlOl
Till the arrival OF the officer by the afternoon
mail. She is seated in the middle compart
ment OF the third first-class carriage from tn
end OF the tram. Her present name is Clar;
webster. 10 avoid the possibility Of mistake
she has a diamond ring on the third finger o
the left hand, with the words sFrom Herbert,
engraved on the inside.n -
1t certainly was a correct descrintion. anf
the name-there might be two Clara Webster
though. -
"Let me see that ring with the diamond q,
it," ''--iO''u u
"Uncle,, What does this mean? Is anythinl
wrong at home?"
"fIl tell you presently, dear; give me tn
ring"