West-Jersey pioneer., 1866-03-17

had been brought up in the purlieus of a
city-who had known misery and corrup-
ton all the first years of my life.
Gradually | broke off my intimacy with
Lucy. received no token from her
she was too proud But that cheek grew
pale that heavenly eye laoguid-and
though | seldom met her, | knew in my
heart she was suffering, and branded my
self william.
At last she knew with certainty that |
was to marry Miss Bellair. She sent me
letter, touching letter, not one word
of upbraiding, not one regret! On, what
a noble soul | wounded! =! And she could
camly 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
nifcent wedding, when my bride stood
before me, radiant in rich fabrics, and
glittering diamonds, the white face Of
poor Lucy glided in between, and made
my heart throb guiltily.
Oh, how rich | grew Year after year
added to my gold My miserly disposi-
ton began to manifest itself soon after my
marriage. / carried my gold first to
banks, and then to my own safes. put
constraint on my wife-for, very gener-
ously she had made over her whole for
tune to me-and began to grumble at ex-
penses | made our living so frugal that
she demonstrated, and finally ran up large
bills, where and when she pleased. =
Against this | protested, and we bad open
quarrels more than once. My clothes
grew shabby; l could not afford to buy
new ones, although the interest OF my
investments was more than | could possl-
bly, spend for rational living.
1 finally grew dissatisfied with every
thing but my money. [ neglected my
wife, and grew careless of her society
Several gentlemen came to my house,
among them would be author and celeb
rity. He came, | thought, too often for
my good name, and | ordered my wife to
discontinue his company. She refused,
and locked her up III her room. How
she managed to set herself free [ never
knew; but in the evening when returned,
she was gone from the house. That
caused me some uneaslness, not much, tor
| was soon absorbed in taking account OF
my gains. 1t was perhaps nine in the
evening. | had just managed to take up
a paper for moment, to read out its
business details, when the door opened
and in came my wife, followed by that
moustached celebrity.
s'Good evening. my dear" she said in
the coolest way imaginable, and placed
chair for her friend.
"Stop!' | cried, my jealousy aroused;
E'that man sits not down in my house"
"That mau-a gentleman, and my
friend-shall sit here, sir, if | please, "
said my wife firmly.
My passion was excited then as it never
was before, and | collared the scoundrel.
He was my match; but God Of Heaven
my wife cody put dirk knife into his
hand, that she had drawn from a cane,
and he stabbed me. | tainted, and re-
membered nothing more, till | found my
self on a bed in my own chamber, watch
ed over by my own housekeeper.
"Where-are-they?" gasped.
"Gone," was all she said.
1t occurred to me then like flash of
lightning, that nobody was near me at
the time | was wounded, that my keys
were about my person, and that | had
been robbed, 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, told Mrs. Hale,
my housekeeper, to go to my safe and
bring me 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.
"Robbed! robbed" | yelled, with
curses and imprecations, and again my
senses deserted me.
Brain fever ensued For weeks [ lay
deprived of reason, literally treading the
verge of the grave. One morning | was
conscious only of sinking deathly feel
ing as | opened my eyes. Was it an
angel | saw standing before me, her soft
eyes yelled with pity, looking down upon
me with the most commiserating gentle
ness. For moment thought | might
be in heaven-but no-I reasoned with
myself, | loved money too we'll. My
treasure was Of the earthly. Again |
opened my dim eyes. The vision seemed
waveripg now, but oh, did it not wear
the sainted beauty of sweet Lucy Man.
ming? A quiet unutterable peacestook
possession of my entire being. | forgot
wealth, health, everything. My past life
seemed blotted out, and was once again
innocent, untouched by the gripping hand
of avarice, true, loving and loyed-and
Lucy Manning was my idol.
But [ recovered slowly, and at last,
as my strength surely returned, | missed
her. As soon as she saw | could be left
with safety she had left me, and oh, the
blank-the dreadful blank.
| wandered around my room now SO
desolate, and saw the many evidences OF
my miserly habits. | know not why,
but towards my wife my feeling seemed
to have undergone revulsion. | fear l
hated her. She had nearly beggard me,
had deceived me, shattered my health,
destroyed all my hopes
Months passed before ! was able to es-
innate the damage that had been done to
me. Every means that could be put forth
were used for the recovery of my money,
but all in vain.
One night sat by the fire cherries,
disappointed and lonely man. | had been
thinking thoughts that only burned my
brain, but did not purify my heart.
'If had only married sweet Lucy" |
said again and again, Ills had not been
so."
My housekeeper came in with a letter
-an unusually large package it was-and
as it bore foreign postmark opened it
with trembling hand. What was that ?
A rustling, crumbled bank-note !