The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-11-22

up on the Cornish coast, no doubt hav.
ing driited in; and in it was a paper say.
ing that the Spitfrc couldn't live the
night through, that praying that whoov.
er found the bottle would, for heavens
sake, send it on,to Captain Meredith, of
Cawsand, with the last prayers of poor
William Randall.
"This was dated back about the time
! when tho Spitfre was said to have gone
down and so now there seemed to be
no hope at al, and poor Ellen seemed
to think at last, i2r she got paler and
weaker every day, and moved about like
one who had nothing to live for. To
make things verse, the Captain had got
into debt, and difficulties had got bigger
and bigger. Well. one day ali on a
sudden the Doctor goes to him and Of
fers to marry Ellen out OF hand, prom
i5ing to discharge all the captains obli-
cations, and stating his long and strong
attachment had induced him to make
the proposal. The Captain, as you may
believe didn't much fancy Paul as a son.
in-law, but at last he relenteG, and press.
cd by his debts and troubles, urged FL.
len to accept him. The poor lass refus
ed for long time, but when she found
her fathers welfare and liberty depon-
ded on it, and besides, as she had lost all
hope Of seeing viii Randall again, at
last she consented.
Butyou don't mean to say they were
morried" I Interrupted.
"In two Or three months they we're,
and pretty couple they must have
made she with her tall Ggure ami pale
face, and he with his red head and bow
legs shanbling along by her side. They
were married at Millbrook church, Con
the hill, SIR and William Randalps old
mastor read the service. They said FL.
len didn't cry or faint, or have any non.
sense of that kind, but went through
her share quietly and calmly enough,
while the Doctor seemed all abroad.
Now, it seems this very evening, Just
about dusk, when the captain had gone
out to smoke his pipe, that Paul, who
had gone up stairs heard a terrible
loud scream, and rushing back into the
room where he had left Ellen, finds her
tainted, dead away ON the floor, and
William Randall himself kneeling by
her side.
William used to say afterwards that
he never could forget Paul's face when
they saw one another for the first time /;
he use to dream of it he said he had
many and many time seen the faces
Of strong men who had been struck
down in the heat and passion of bat
tie, or who had met violent death in
other ways; but Pauls face, he SAID,
reminded him only of picturehe had
seen, when quite a lad, of the devil,
which he remembered had frighton-
ed him then, but which he had for
gotten till their eyes met that night.
When Paul recovered his surprise he
said not a word about the marriage bat
when William said he mad just left Ply
mouth aud hadn't seen a soul in the vii
lage yet, he suddenly seemed delighted
at meeting him again, aud insisted on
their drinking together.
:" He led Ellen into another room
where, he told VIII, his mother would
attend to her and shortly returned with
two glasses of stiff grog, which he put
on the table between them. Now, Bill,
| old mate, says he swell drink to your
return home. But what about Nelly,
my poor girl P says VIII. Never
mind her. says Paul, mother will soon
bring her round, ann meanwhile, let's
drink the grog; but first of all let's
shut the door and be snug, eh ?" So
Paul shuts the door, and coming back
to the table, says: Now, Bill here's
your jolly good health and no heoltaps ?
and they both emptied their glasses.
William says Paul after while, how
do you feel?' Quite well, Paul, my
hearty, thank ye,' says Win, DO you|
says Paul, zrinniDg; then you won t
for long, VIII Randall says he, getting
white and trembling we've had a long
account 10 settle, and now it's done
! W hoC VI JC ulCdu uahS ~ III III sur
prise, as you may be sure, I've never
injured your yes, you have ? says
Paul. Didn't you step in between
me and the girl l had set my heart on
Didn't the neighbOrs jeer and mock me
and drive me almost mad And didn't
| swear to be even with you, come what
might? And [ am! l am When
you were pressed says he. getting
worse, Il put the gang on you 4! | bro't
the account that made them think you
were dead and now you have returned
alive to find the woman you loved, the
wife of a man you both despisedp p It's
a shameful lie,' cries Will, 'and | can't
believe it, Its true,' says Paul, for
we were married this morning; but, true
or false, it's all the same to you, for |
tell you, viii Randall and Paul turned
very white and rubbed his hands, you
are poisoned You drank the brandy,
and in an hours time you are dead