Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-07-19
".


AT length the momentous morning
dawned. = We had prolonged our few day +
stay to a week, and our host had evidently
determined not to renew his invitation
spite of the manifest pleasure my compa
nv gave him, so, almost before L could
realize it, the eventful day arrived.
T passed sleepless and disturbed night
several times starting from confused,
dreamy rehearsal of the interview in
tended demanding in the morning, to fancy
heard whispering voices and confused
sounds about the house, quite impossible
at that late hour. Visions fioated before
me of the already approaching future
the events of the last few days seemed to
spread back over hal my life, SO great was
the Importance attached to their issue
and now the eliminating point was reached,
| felt already. the, foreshadowing of my
victory for had not fulfilled every con-
dition ?--had not accomplished the task
in which. every other competitor had
failed? And the question Of the young
lady's possible opposition was merely
doubtful enough to give excitement to the
deaaouenaent. Did not all young ladies first
oppose and ultimately yield, with very lit
tie persuasion, to all parents and guardians
How much more SO then In the present
case, where the circumstances were so ex-
ceptionally strong in my favor
had not been long awake, and was de-
batting III my own mind whether or not
to start on an early walk, and by dose of
fresh air to brace up my shattered nerves
and stimulate them for the coming scene,
when I was startled from my cogitation
by {. tap at the door, and almost immedi-
ately Mr. Merrick's valet stood before me.
This was a most unprecedented occur
renee hitherto servant had never enter
ed my room withoat being summoned, and
this man seldom even then, sa az 8s5
A vague presentiment Of evil seized me,
and / turned uneasily to look, at him. One
glance sufficed; > he was CHASTITY pale, and
seemed half insane with alarm. utterly
unable to conjecture the cause, but certain
that something terrible must have happen
ed, gasped, {" What is it?H
90, siri don't you knowYn said he
are you sure you don't know? They're
gone, sir-bolted--Mr. Fred and Miss
Bella--the two Of them, and the new maid
of in post chaise three good hours ago
And who's to tell the governor / don'i
know; daren't."
The man might have gone on speaking
foreyer-in fact he did go on ) but beyond
those first few words, not syllable was
ineligible to me. My first impulse was
to bound UP and strange him then and
there, but the effort was a miserable fail
ure, and fell back powerless, paralyzed
No suspicion of a possible mistake, NJ
crumb of comfort in q momentary feeling
of incredulity sustained me; the mans
| manner bore the stamp of truth his ter
ror was too real, his statement too concise
| to leave room for doubt. 1t was by nc
process of reasoning, by no mental review
| by no recapitulation of events that the
| light broke in on me, but suddenly, In an
instant, with the violence of galvanit
shock, I realized how completely hat
| been sold, utilized, taken in
At last, movement on the part OF the
servant attracted my attention; he wal
handing me letter, and had probably
been describing how 1t came into. his pos
session, but of this had not heard
word. My sensations can neither be mag
| ined or described when, on looking at it
recognized the writing OF nay traltorou'
| friend. Had the viper left his sting there
/ hesitated to touch the oishonored paper
| At that moment violent ringing OF the
bells announced Mr.. Merrick's leeee ant
| throwing the note on the table, the distract
ed valet rushed from the room, muttering
Il cannot tell it'll cannot !: Thomas mus
go to him" e iGa3is pa
Alone with my enemy, Iscrewed up my
courage and broke the seal. The note was
short and ran as follows:
"DEAR JACK: Pray accept my best
thanks. But for your efficient aid we could
never have successfully hoodwinked ole
Argus You are an apt pupil, and SIN
cerely wish you equal success in all YOU
future undertakings.
Yours, by all the bonds of gratitude,
g3s'a2lH a FRED CLAYTON"
P. S.-Bella insists on apologising; SO
enclose i III @
There was then another epistlei L looked
about; it had fallen on the floor. 1 opened
it mechanically, and read