The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-02-01

and spoke of his business engagements
as of q momentous and disastrous char
acter, without further explanation; Is
abel seemed strangely Indifferent on the
subject, except as it might affect her hus-
bands happiness but l confess 1 was
not so unworldly. Iwrote to my BROTH
er, aid requested hitti to let me know
what rumors were afloat in London re-
specting the firm of Glitter and Co.
The answer l received alarmed me.
Hitherto l had never heard Robert ex-
press anything but the Most extreme
for the vast extent, finan-
cial management, and unlimited credit
of the establishment now, he wrote
as if it had been from its commencement
q huge sWindle. He said It's bUlvency
was doubted, its credit shaken, its i'm
mense wealth n delusion. 81 believe
Lorimer is the only moneyed man of the
batch, and when the crash comes, as
come it will, as far as his means eo he
will have to ray the piper. Had he
been the prudent man and affectinate
husband l thought him, he would have
settled that fine estate of his upon Isabel
and her children at the time OF his
marriage. If he has rot taken the cnu-
ton of entailing it, as l very much
doubt, he and everything must go to the
dogs" Then followed unreasonable and
selfish regrets for his daughter, "who
might have done so much better"
which / spare the reader.
This letter inade me miserable. l
dared not tell Isabel, for 1 did not feel
at liberty to do so, when her husband
kept her in ignorance of his affairs, adj
ded to which l knew not what measure
of belief to yield to my brother 8 state
mcnts. There was nothing for it but to
wait but every proof of wealth, every
sign of luxury around me, became irk-
some and intollerablc. Poor Iilly's
tiny pony-chair, with its miniature
stced, to procure which from its native
island, no expense or trouble had been
spared-even the very baby's lace robes
Assumed a melancholy and sinister
Inspect to thy tiiofbid visiun Issbel's
costly dresses, of which she was Sc
careless, distressed me; the daily ele
gance of the table appointments gave
me a pang. l went about under {
cloud, or rather under painful illumi
nation which / dared hot shed on my
companion. The ordeal, however, wa:
not destined to last very long. One
morning, about a fortnight after haC
heard from my brother, Isabel dropped
her husbands bi-weekly letter with
sudden exclamation. L looked up
frightened, yet lialfrevtaled at the sigh
of her pale face and excited manner
Had the crash come? Had he told her
| perceived she had stretched out he
! land eagerly for the morning paper
which still lay Unopened on The table
but her agitation bewildered her. Sh
took it up aimlessly, then put it down
and turned again to the letter, whicl
| her trembling hand could scarcely hold
"Isabel, my darling, my poor child !!
l cried, going up to her and kissing he
, with fervOr-''is-is Mr.. Lorimcr we'll?
She put the letter in my hand. "Rea
: it; give me few minutes, and the
, come to me, Aunt SARAH I" and she LEI
the room.
Poor girl! she could not but feel it.
Mr.. Lorimer's letter began as 70
t lows:
, 81 take great blame to MYSELF Isobr
: that I have Kept you ignorant Of I'll
+ state of my affairs until the public p;
r pcrs will announce my ruin to IL
: world at large this morning; but hay
hoped against hope that this calamit
. might have been avcrted, and yourpcaC
t of mind undisturbed."
\ The Times Of that morning curtly al
f nounced that Mcssrs. Glitter Of Londo
9 had stopped payment, and that the
t liabilities were supposed to have bee
= enormous. There was no comment
n the pnblic were to wait for detail an
y criticism.
5 When / Joined Isabel, | found IN
t walking UP and down her dressing
; room, holding her baby in her arm
K She looked comparatively calm, bI
Il there was an expression of deep anXiet
+ in her face.
c | began at once to enter on the su
icct. for | wished to- hnr,lcn her for
II discussion,
3 "Now the blow has fallcn," she sal
II 81 feel it deeply. l feel it chiefly +
l. my husband, who, l imagine, has ne
er contemplated the possibility of bel
e poor. / cannot conceive how he W
~ meet it. If there is any disgrace atte
,; ding it, it win kill him, for he is Il pro
C man. Aunt Sarah," she added passic
IS ately, "do you think this trouble W
I" open his heart to me? DO you think
will allow me to love him and const
70 him? There is not kind word in
,o letter, not a relenting phrase. OH!
Il know how he feels-more bite
II against me than ever, for he thinks
,t hns lost all | loved or cared for"
so "But now, dear child, you will
it able to prove your love-"
g GLOW? Have anything ! can g
n him-any resource for brcad-gettin
ed Oh! it is shard! Lilly, my tender flow
of will never thrive as a poor mans chi
Iy And 10 aunt, | love wealth and C
nd dearly, dearly Poverty will be bitt
iof - Her tears choked her.
,e. "Too bitter a price to pay for y
~, husbands love"n | asked.
It's Lad NO rish to blame her iiicOn