The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-04-12
Mistelansous Selettions,
The Sin of James Armstrong.

II was household with no JOY in it.
The very dog and cat moved round so
berly, as you never saw dogs and cats
in other houses. There were never any
boquets on those msntels, or gay pic
lures, on those walls. There were no
merry-makings there. Even the chill
dren, girl and two boys, had grown
used to this sober atmosphere, and they
went on their way like automstons,
without mirth and houteomplaining.
You thought inevitably, as you entered
that dwelling, of a house whence the
unburied dead had not yet been carried.
And that wa. it Their dead lay un-
buried still. For there had been no
tender funeral rites, no tears shed, or
flowers scattered above grave.
And yet time was when that house
was the abode of love and joy-when
James Armstrong brought home bis
bride, girl fair as the fairest, gay as
the gayest. Like the carol of a bird,
her glad voice filed the house with
melody All day her husband looked
forward to her blithe welcome. Then
the little yard was full of blossoms.
Honeysuckles clambered over the
porch, roses nodded their saucy heads in
at the windows, and all winter Jenny
Armstrong tended a great stand of flow
ers in her sunny south sitting-room.
Then, one after another, the children
came making the home brighter and
blithef, each one; and never was there
prouder father than James Armstrong
when he looked into the gentle eyes o.
his little girl, or felt his bold boys tug
ging at his coat.
Can l bear to tell you how, upon thi'
home of love and joy, the blow descen
ded, which in one day laid all waste
How could James Armstrong, with
that wife, with those children, have
been tempted to sinG 1t must have
Ibeen, after all, for their sakes; prompt
ed by weak ambition for them.
| He lived a little way out of town, aut
went in, every day, to his business; anc
daily he heard stories of successful
speculations-rofg fortunes made il
few weeksAand grew mad with GOV
etous desire. He had small sum il
the bank, and that he einyested in fancy
stock. He succeeded beyond his hopes
and then he tried again, and yet again
And at last, one day, he lost all, and
was frantic with grief and rage. How
could he go home, and tell Jenny that
the fund on which they had depended
to educate their children-their provis
ions against a rainy day-was gone.
Think Of him gently as you can. know
he was not in his right mind when h'
forged the Endorsement of the firm TO
whom he was book-keeper, upon note
and procured the money on it. Witt
this money he made one grand invest
lment, by which, with the wild mad
ness belonging to speculation, he mean
Ito retrieve and establish his fortunes
Think what the man suffered as tim
went or, and he saw this scheme ik'
the others, come to nought, and thel
saw the day dawning nigh on which
the note with the forged signature
would be presented for payment
| All this time he had kept his owl
counsel. He had made efforts, which
lit would have been pitiful to see, hac
There been any looker-on who under
stood the case, to be the same at hom'
Ito keep the shadow of his woe anc
his doom from resting on that wife anC
those children. He had never lovec
them so before, he thought. Whel
they did not observe him, he studied
their faces, each one, so that he coulc
| close his eyes and see them stills,
that as he whispered to himself witt
choking agony, if he were shut ava
from them for years, he would neVe
forget one curve of their features or on
shade Of meaning.
4, And at last the night came whicl
was to have such fearful morrow. Th
next day the note would be due. II
had moi one thought of concealment o
escape. He had not been able to re
deem the note, as he had intended t
do in the beginning, and now he fel
that detection and punishment were in
leyitable. And with the instinct of