North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-04-04

and under their counsel put my money
out at interest--bougbt stocks md mortga-
es. grew wealthier business (my bene-
factor had stocked me fancy STOREY pros
pered, and was in fair way, | thought,
to marry Lucy Manning. '. "'a
Sweet Lucy Manning the most arless,
winning maiden in all the world to me.
i loved her deeply, dearly. she was blue
eyed, auburn haired--her disposition was
that of an angel, and | had plighted my
vows to her. ID. H
One night | was invited to the house of
a prosperous merchant, and there | met a
syren in the person of his niece, black
eyed GIRL, whose charms and whose fortune
were equally splendid She was an heiress
in her own right--shc was beautiful and
accomplished. Heavens what a voice
Was hers--pure, clear, sweet, ravishing--
| was charmed and she was pleased with
me- Alas | met her too often. In her
presence | forgot my gentle Lucy; she
magnetizcd, ,thralled me. 1t was triumph
to feel that so beautiful, gifted and wealthy
a woman loved me me- who had been
brought up in the purleus of city who
| had known misery and corruption all the
first years of my life.
Gradually broke eff my intimacy with
| Lucy | received no token from her.. she
was TOO proud. But that cheek grew pale
that heavenly eye languid- --anl though
seldom met her, knew in my heart that
she was suffering aud branded myself vii
lain.
AT last she knew with certainty that l
was to marry Miss BeIlair. Sine sent me
a letter, tonching letter, not one word Of
uphraidng, net one regret! Oh, what a
noble soul wounded! And she could
calmly wish me joy, though the effort
made her heart bleed knew it did.
tried, however, to forget her, but |
could not Even at the time of my mag
nificrnt wedding, when my bride stood be-
fore me radiant in rich fabrics and glitter
ing diamonds. the white face of poor Lucy
glidcd in between, aud made my heart
throb guiltily.
Oh, how rich grew. Year after year
added to my gold Ny misery disposition
began to manifest itself soon after my mar
riage. carried my gold first to banks.
and then my own safes, lput cohsrraint
on my wife-tor very generously she had
made over her whole fortune to me-and
began to grumble at expenses. made our
living so frugal that she demonstrated. and
finally ian up large bills where and when
she pleased. Against this i protested. and
we had open quarrels more than once
My clothes grew shabby; I could not af
toid to buy new ones, although the inter
est of my investments was more than /
eoul possibly spend for rational living.
finally grew dissatisfied with everything
but my money, neglected my wife, and
grew careless of her society. Several gen
tlemen came to my honsc, among them n
would be author and celebrity. He came,
| thought. too often for my COOL name, and
| ordered nv wife to discontinue his com
pany. She refused, and 10, ked her M
in her room. How she managed TO set
herself free, | never knew but in the eve
ming when | returned, she was gone from
the house. That caused me some nnrasi-
ness, not much, for / was soon absorbed in
taking account of my gains. It was per-
haps nine in the evening. | had Just man
aged to take mp paper for moment, to
read out its business details when the door
opened, and in came my wife, dressed be-
witchinoly, as if just fom an evening con-
cert, followed by that moustached celebri-
ty. .-..... 1854.
"Good evening, my dear" she s4 i'd in
the coolest wav imaginable, and placed a
chair for her friend . -.
"Stopr' cried nv jealousy arous
ed THAT man sits not down in this
house" .-
That mana gentleman and my friend
shall sit here, sir, if | please" said my
wife firmly.
Nv passionwas excited then as it never
He was my match; bat God Of heaven,
my wife coolly put dirk knife that she
drew from cane into his hand, anil he
stabbed me. | tainted. and remembered
nothing more, till I found myself on bed
in my own chamber, watched over by my
housrkeeper.u
"Where-are-they?' I gasped.
"Gone," was all she said.
1t occurred to me then like a flash of
lightning that nobody was near me at the
time ! was wounded, that my keys we're
ahort my person, and that had been rob-
bed, perhaps of all my available property
The thought threw me into an agony OF
fear ordered my clothes to be brought
to me. The keys were there. Taking
one of them out, todd Mrs Haze, my
housekeeper, to go to my safe and bring
!. the papers that were there. She returned
her face white with terror, to say there was
nothing there, and all the little doors were
open H
Robbed robbed !" yelled, with cur
ses and imprecations, and. again my sense.
deserted me.
Brain fever ensued. For weeks lay
deprived of reasdh literally treading the
verge of the grave. One morning was
conscious only Of a sinking deathly feeling