Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-12

b Mrs. Holland, singing softly to herself,
unconscious of all trouble, looked into the
room. Marie was holding an open letter in
her trembling hand, while her face was
blanched to snow white, and her fearless
eyes were fixed and stony, like those of a
statue. ,.,t
"a flask of some perfume stood on the
table against which Marie leaned. Mrs.
Holland bathed her face and hands until
she lost that terrible look. She asked not
a word. Marie should tell her when she
grew better but all the while the mothers
heart foreboded that the letter bore news
of Johns death. But why did they write
to Marie? 1t would have been only nat
ural that Mr.. Holland should have received
the Htteri bearing such news. But Mrs.
Holland was too much moved to think over
probabilities now. Marie's state demanded
instant help, and; she, was thankful when
she heard Mr.. Hollands steps approaching.
I He took Marie in his arms and laid her on
her own bed, and then Mrs. Holland gave
him the letter that had thus shaken the
poor Young, wife. sst.s zssrT Sgi'E
Z" "'What is il p asked the; mother, as she
marked the. pale face grow apaler tthe
reading. What is it? All, / knowi Ny
son is dead he is dead !! = 10 eTfsni'i yl
g. Calm yourself, Louisa said Mr.. Hol-
land. John is living and well, for aught |
know. But some base person has traduced
him, and sent the shaft home to poor Ma
rie's heart with a malignity worthy OF q
fiend,' o,f,, -.f ,,Git,fgo9 l-tT.f.,e..,.i
% .Traduced Johnl J, why, husband |
John never had an enemy in the world.
1t cannot be. Let me see the letter, if-...
y, :. 1t was one of that species which malice
alone could ever have invented-an anony-
nous one, By heaven, Karl, i could bear
anything better than one of those abomin-
able missives that stab you in the dark.
OF all the diabolical inventions to torture
quiet, unsuspecting people with, these are
the ,wickedest. And yet they are SO COM
mon that scarcely, one in a thousand, / do
believe, escapes without receiving at least
one of them in the course OF their lite.
Many one have read, while in the dead
letter. Office, and was always deyoutly
thankful that a blunder, someaohere, had
prevented the person from receiving it,
glad, too, that for once, malice had failed
of its mark! But am forgetting this let
ter to Marie. To be brief. the person writ
ing it declared that John Holland had been
,unfaithful to his wife-that he had carried
out person with him to London, and that
the two had little child on board who
called them father and mother. Then fol-
lowed mass of evidence which, had the
story been told in court by accredited wit
Desses. would have been sufficient to blast
John Hollands hitherto unblemished name
forever. 4a--. ea..s rf ,.f, s-,lt,r ,a
-f 1udllc lOOk up, -O6dreSG C01lu! WulS-
pered Mr.. Holland. There is not a word
of trnth in this, believe me. No man nor
woman living would dare to affix name
to this falsehood.- Be at rest! John Hol-
and's wife never need blush for her hus-
band, whatever may come.' s!-
'.But he spoke to deaf ears Maria, gen.
tie and tender as a little child all her life
before, was goaded now into a jealous rage
that1was perfectly agonizing to the parents
to witness. All her love for John seemed
turned to burning hatred. 1t was strange
that one so habitually mild and placable
should be so transformed as she was. She
even declared her determination of leav-
ing the house and returning to that of hel
father, although all Intercourse be-
tweeI, herself and him ceased on her mar.
riage day. Never would she live with him
another day! .7 70 3Hf
RS miserable indeed were Mr.. and Mrs
Holland. Such a terrible thing to happen
I In their peaceful family! What enemy
they believed in John Holland as they did
in the sun itself. And the first shadow be-
tween them and Marie was this; and, al.
though they treated her kindly, still they
could not forget that she had been willing
TO believe an unsupported falsehood from
an unknown and therefore worthless
source. ~ aI
Sand now another trouble seized the un
happy parent. Before the time when the
next steamer might be expected, Marie
had carried out her resolution of leaving
their house for her fathers. Nothing coult
induce her to- remain until he came anc
give him chance to, clear himself.
.L'Estrange met his daughter with {
grim smile, which, had she been as clear
sighted as usual, might have enlighted he
as to the writer or instigator of the letter
If were ,oriting this story, Karl. shoulC
probably keep this as mystery to be un'
folded at the very last, although most any
reader OF common intelligence could easi
lly guess that L'Estrange was the only
enemy that John Holland had in the world
and it was easy for him to devise ways ant
means to injure him. A rich man lik
L'Estrange would find no difficulty in find
ing one who would write any calumny ht
might dictate. And SO the base deed wa
done, and more than one heart was mad
wretched. ,,yr ..-r IA, ,,a.ft,rt.l..r- -f-!
THE steamer arrived in two weeks more
and with it came John. He flung himsel
into the first carriage he could find, impa
tient to be at home once more. The tim
which. in reality was so brief, seemed al
most endless to him. He had pictured t,
himself Marie watching for him at tn
window. or running down stairs to NEE
him; but, to his surprise, no such pleasan
T6CGpLlOH dNditou I1O oflOcFcu Ill
house and made hi, way to the little room
where his wife and mother had always sa
In the morning. Marie was not there. ant
his mother met him with an air of singula
restraint, that alarmed and confoundet
him. .,s.s -. i.aq4.i--... -
"sAre you not glad to see me, motheri
he asked. Why do You look at me 8
strangely, and where is Marie? / must g
: to her this Instant ~
HE ran UP stairs. For the life of her
Mrs. Holland could not arouse courag
enough to stay his steps. He went t
Marie's chamber. All the gifts were there
The toilet the bureau, even the bed, wer
strewn with them. You can family imag
inc how the poor fellow must have fell
He came down again to his mother. Some
thing had happened-something dreadful
he was sure. at-.r..r fr-lf. o. .s.ei,.ii- :
ISIS she dead, mother?' he asked, hi
poor, pale, quivering lips attesting to th
true love he bore her. ....-.-y - - !.
"'No, John, Marie is living and well, fo
aught know, but she is not here"
Her tongue refused to tell him the tai,
the diabolical letter that had caused all th
misery, lying twisted upon the floor. an
| she now produced it for Johns perusal.
Sand she believes this, mOther?' h
7 asked, as spasm of intense pain crosse
his face. .f,..s. 20 = l.-3ri.isN
81 think she does, John. She has gor
| to her father H t#
".Mother. need not ask you if you bt
lieve this infamous. lie. And o, how eoul
Marie? Well, must go to her, whereas
she is. 1t will be unpleasant to see Mr.. an
Mrs. LEstrange, but shall go and clail
my wife, aa.
"!Yes, John, go. believe it is your dut
to see her and prevail on her to come hom
Believe the letter! You know / do moi
but do not blame Marie too harshly. :
| was a terrible blow to her young and trus
ing heart
nssBut nothing could ever have shake
my confidence inner, mother!' said Johl
mourntully, as he turned away from tt