St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1865-08-17

months, aud suddenly : .reappearing to lev,
contributions on any relative able or will
ing tocassist him. Mark has seriously con-.
templated forbidding his visits; but then
Fanny is SO tender hearted, and cherishes
Sue: . kindly belief in the prodigaps ulti-.
mate reformation, that her husband, has.
not yet mustered sufficient irmncss 10 Gu
force his wishes, although he knows where
Ills wife's brooch went, and why che wears
that old velvet bonnet. Fanny Seems to
guess what is passing in his mind, by her
coming SO softly to his side, and strokiug
his hair, and pressing her lips to his fore
head, but neither of them say anything,
and Mark, leisurely prepares for his task of
copying. While he has gone up stairs to
fetch his papers, she lights an extra candle,
and ensconces herself in corner with her
workable, .regretting as she does so that
her ''poor boy must be borel with this
odious writing when he ought to be resting
However, Mark soon comes down the stairs
three steps at time, to ask, rather angrily,
why she has moved his packet without men
tioning it. With astonishmcnt in her
looks, his wife denies having done so, and
hurries with him to the spare bed room, as
serting her belief that he has overlooked
the parcel. Not thing is out of its place.
The old escritoire stands exactly as they
lef. it, the lock had not been tampered
with, nor WAS the secret drawer open ; ald
there, undisturbed lie the love letters but
the small brown paper parcel, tied with
pink tape, and sealed with the Office seal, is
gone!. s'
The husband, suspecting he knows not
what, looks almost s,ernly at his wife,
whose answering glance is confused and
full of terror.
"Tell me the truth, Fanny, my dear Fan
ny, are You playing trick to tease me
Remember If cannot produce these papers
am ruined man 1t would be worse than
tile loss of money that l might replace,
these can. not. Tell me at once where
they are" .'5!. .: -: ...
"Indeed Mark, I know no more about
them than you do yourself. They must be
here; perhaps they have slipped behind
the drawer ..- ~.,,:-:
:: Although next to impossible, the chance
is not overlooked. Hammer and chlsel ore
soon fetched, and the back of the escri-
toire is soon knocked out, leaving no nook
Or Granny where the smallest paper could
remain unpsrceived. q,
Almost beside himself, Marks. leads his
wife down stairs, and commences question
! ing her. Where is her key? on the ring,
it has not been out Of her possession. Has
she been out? No. Is she quite sure of
that? Quite besides, as she ventures to
; remind him, the locks have not been fore
ed, nor is aught else missing, as would
have been the case if thieves had cntcre4 :
the house. In uncomfortable agitation. the
bewildcred young man PAGES the room,
while Fanny, unable to protfer advice, OF
assist him with any reasonable conjecture
watches him in trembling silence -
Suspicious are crowding upon his mind ;
hints given before his marriage about Fam
ny Roberts brother, and regrets uttered,
even within his hearing, that arespectable
young man Ike Mr.. Edwards should lower
himself by such connection, are suddenly
remembered and dwelt upon. He pauses
before his wife >and sternly demands what
errand had brought that brother of hers to
his house. That brother of hers to his
house! That brother Of hers! What a
speech! AL Fanny's sisterly feelings are
in arms, and yet She falters, for she is fore
ed to own that it was the want of money.
'And you told hln that had these papers
in the house, Mark cries, accusingly -
With q crimson face she angrily denies it.
She did not: mention Marks affairs during
their short interview. Is, it likely she
would do 80, Or if she did, would George,
poor foolish fellow that he is, steal up
stairs and rob his sisters home? Ridi;u-
lous! lmpossible! T. = <Hnf.I.z
s'Imposs,blc," Mark retorts, '.without
he possessed the key" G3aE r~
'"It has not been out cf my pocket" sobs
Fanny. 4 <-=>A&A-# .-s.s-+ts.i%f /
"Then where" asks Mark, ssare the mis-.
sing papcrs!" Their little servant maid
away for a holiday-no one in tho house,
according to Fanny's own confession, but
this young man.. Where are the papers !?
Receiving for reply a torrent Of tears.
and protestations, he Aings himselton the
sofa, and tries to steady his nerves to the
consequences of this extraordinary loss.
Meanwhile. Fanny goes and institutes On
uaavailine search in every box and cup
board, and drawer where it could be pos
sible to find q parcel, although it would
pusEles>her' to explain how it could have
withdrawn itself from the secret drawer to
take refuge elsewhere. At last she returns
to the parlor in despair. The packet must
have been stolen.i But how? When? By
whom? Getting frightened at Marks
gloomy looks, she is delighted when tap
at the door announces a visitor, and that
visitor proves to be her father. 80
To him the affair is circumstantially de-
tailed, and Mark points out he inevitable
loss Of his. situation and good name if Re,
should be unable: t. produce the papers or
give any clue which might lead to their dis:
covery.. To Fanny's dismay, he particu--
larly dwells on her brothers visit, and her