The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-08-08

/ ~ ;his man, my stepmother,s : persecution,
what can do? Three months have l
/ fought, and now wish could lie down
and die. Oh, uncle, is there no escape ?
/ have such a dread that be will come
/ back after am married, and then-Oh
, it would be worse than death to see him !.
The temptation oh! why cannot l.
die p
"Poor child . ny poor child was ali
l could utter.
] Bound by vow made at her fathers
deathbed, she was going the next day to
marry a man who was old enough to be.
her father, and who, bnt for the fact Of
his porsisting in his claim, spite Of her
openly expressed dislike to him, was es-
teemed a very good kind Of a man.
True, Clara was beautiful and accom-.
plished beyond the average Of women OF.
her class, and it would be q struggle to
any man to give up such prize, backed
as he was by the assurance of the step
mother that it was only girlish fancy
and that love coming after marriage was
more to be trusted and more lasting than
! if it came before; I confess | was but a
poor counsellor under such circumstances
still I loved her very truly; she was al
most as my own daughter, for [ was a
chlldless wldoBer, and | would have Civ
en- nv life to save her. But it was i'm
possible, and to morrow would seal her
fate.
1t vas not a pleasant journey, that
Mrs. Webster read and slept at intervals
the whole time, aud when she slept Clara
nestled close to me.
We arrived at York about six o'clock.
and Just as the train was slackeniug speed
into the station, guard jumped on to the
footboard locked or unlocked the d0or,a
remained there until the train stopped
"Have you all your parcels, madam ?"
"All. thank you, Uncle Joseph, except
my umbreIla-oh that's under the sea"
said Ms Webster.
"Nov, guard, unlock this door.
"Are you with that young lady, sir 2
pointing to my niece.
"Yes, certainly, unlock the door"
"Better not make q fuss, sir.
''t QSS NlaL 90 you mean
The, man who seemed to be looking
out for somebody now, asked, Gall right,
sir?"
"AIl right" said the station master,
coming to the door, and opening it: This
way, miss
"Nbat does this mean r.
"Step into ny Office, I dare say It's all
light. Better not say too much out here
you know
! We followed lin through the little
crowd Of passengers and Porters, accom-
panied By policeman in uniform. As
we passed We heard fragme0tary obser-
vations of most pleasing kind.
(Which is it 2" SAID some one.
dts the girl I think"
! "No, it's the old woman, she looks as if
she'd do any one q mischief if suited
her.
"Old man looks too soft for anything,
and so forth.
We went into the Office, and I indig.
Dantly turned to the station master:
+ "Wbat is the meaning of this, sir ?"
ooh it's very simple. sir:-a tele-
gram has arrived from the police in Lon
don with orders to stop this young lady ;
here It Is"
. I took it and read
"The young lady looking very III, dress
ed in black silk mantle, wLite straw bon.
net with flowers, is to be detained at the
station till the arrival of the officer by
the afternoon mail. She is seated in the
middle compartment Of the third first
I class carriage from the end Of the train
( Her present name is Clara Webster. To
avoid the possibility Of mistake, she has
diamond ring on the third finger OF the
+ left hand, with words From Herbert en-
graved on the inside"
/ It certainly was a correct description,
and the name-there Right be two Clara
Websters, though.
"Let me see your left hand, dear"
She pulled of her glove, and there was
the ring.
/ "Let meseo that ring with the diamond
on it."
, "Unole, what does this mean? Is any.
thing wrong at home"
"I'n tell you presently, dear; give me
the ring"
( She took It off and gave it me, and I
read From Herbert" on the inside.
"Wby, that's tie ring Mr. Langley
/ gave you"
aWhat has he to do with this z" said
Mrs. Webster. "Perbaps he"
"He what, madam 2"
"Perhaps it did not belong to him, I
was going to say"
saw it was DO use TO struggle; when
/ the officer came down he would explain
the mistake