The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-09-04
PRICE FIVE CENTS.

but towards the afternoon, not hearing
any sound Mother Blackmann went up
into their room, and saw in minute
that they were off, for the bed hadn't
been slept in, and half their clothes
were gone. She run and called her hus-
band, and he soon spied a note pinned
on the cushion under the glass, signed
by both the girls, and saying that their
sweethearts' regiment had got to sail
the next day for England and that they
were going along too. They expected
be married after they got TO England,
though il had got to be kept private
they said, and they would write again
when they got there.
"Blackmann didn't wait to say any
thing after reading that but just rushed
out, saddled his horse and gallopcd
down the Boston road. When he got
to the city he soon found out the worst
was true. The regiment had sailed that
morning and his girls had gone with it.
The major was married man, and the
captain belonged to one of the highest
families in England, and no more would
marry Molly Blackmann than he would
bring her home the honest, simple girl
he found her.
$50 the father, with no better comfort
than this, turned his face homeward
and arrived just at nightfall to find his
wife dying. She had taken to her bed
as soon as she heard the bad news, and
there she lay sobbing, and moaning,
and muttering to herself, without SEEM
ing to hear or understand such comfort
as the women who came to her tried 10
give, and just at sundown she died.
"When Blackmann came into the
house and saw and heard the end of all
his fine plans he was like a madman.
In the first place, he went into the girls
chamber and knocked and kicked round
the furniture, tore all their clothes that
were left behind into bits, broke the
looking-glass they had looked into, and
the pictures of each other that they had
hung up, and when he could do no more
he fell on his knees and cursed his chill
dren and their lovers, and at last him
self with the most awful curses thatany
man could lay his tongue to. The wo-
men that were with his poor wife's
dead body heard him and said it was
enough to make your blood run cold to
listen to him.
"When he had done, he got up and
stamped down the stairs and through
the entry out at the back door. The
night passed and he did not come back,
and in the morning when the women
went for water to the mill they found
r his dead body at the bottom, with the
white face and starting eyes turned up
towards them.
"Since then the house has been let to
good many tenants, and some Of the
I poor relations of the Blackmann have
f tried to live in it, but no one ever stay
ed long, or was very comfortable while
they did stay.
$50 now, neighbor, maybe you can
guess what some of the noises meant
that have disturbed you, and come SO
near soaring your woman into fits.
poor Molly! Iwish | knew what
ever became of her."
"Nou never heard, then ." asked
Kevin.
"Not word. From the day they
sailed out Of Boston with the men that
ruined them, no one that know ofcv-
er heard one word about them two girls.
, Poor Molly, poor, poor Molly"
, The next day John Kevin, leaving
, his wife under charge of the Vests,
-, went to the city and sought an inter-
view with Mr.. Brewster. TO him he
, told the whole story, of his two days
occupancy of the Blackmann Cottage
7, and its result.
Mr. Brewster looked him steadily in
: the face during the whole narration,
:, and at the end said:
"Well, Mr.. Kevin, believe your
story, and consider you justified in
, wishing to withdraw from your bar
- gail. Let me make proposition to
Y you, however. l will take the land in
y to my own hands again, / will tear
. down this unfortunate house and build
: one similar upon another part of the
u farm, and you shall be my tenant at a
0 reasonable rent as long as you choose,
e with the privilege of purchasing it at
d any time. Will this suit YOU"
e 1t certainly did suit John kevin re-
1t markably well, to resume so much oi
t his purchase money as had been paid
e and to farm Mr. Brewster'S land upon
such seasOnable terms, and he went
d home to his wife with light heart and
l. and II heavy pocket.
u A, n,nln l,,
& which the younge couple remained un'
'e der the roof of old Mr.. West while theil
y new house was in progress, and early
y in the autumn they moved into it
Ie Several years later Kevin found him
self able once more to become purcha
. was signed Mr., Brewster jestingly re
II marked
n "Well, kevin, this time it is for goo,
: and all. | suppose the boyle has beei
l. laid"
y "Yes sir, or if not, the youngster
II that youn never could hear him squeak.
re But Philip Vests last muttered word
'r were:
c Poor Molly! Poor, dear, pretty lii
y tie Mollyw
= THE Radical party have stolen NOR,
t, money from the people, each year sine,
e they have had power, than ii formerl,
Ie took to support the general Govern
it ment. Can it be possible that the onl,
e object the party had in defeating tn,