The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-05-14

eying her through her spectacles as she
asked the question. "Want with him,
ma'am!" said the woman, trying to
compose herself; "want with him !
First, tell me, is it true he is living here
and is he going to be married, as folks
say at the corner shop, to the young
lady living hereY" "What if it be
true ?" said Miss Green, who had also
come to the drawingroom door. "What
business can it be of yours?" she con-
tinued Indignantly. Tho poor woman
burst into tears, and could no longer
restrain her pent-up feelings. ''He is
not Mr. Raven at all, J" she said sobbing;
''his name is Wood, and he belongs to
me. 1t is four years since l first knew
him; he left me and the child just eight
months ago, and I've not had penny
from him since. PVe sold all my fur
niture to pay my rent, and worked
hard, too, or l should have been starv-
ed; and he has never been near me
once all the time. I've now walked all
the way from Brighton, where he left
us, and must see him. He shall do
me iustice!" and she told us a history
of desertion and neglect which was
heartrending. There was such genuine
misery, such bald truth in her state
ments, and her manner was too natural
for us to suspect falsehood. This
was a worse revelation than the other
| All our woman's nature was enlisted
for the sufferer before US, and rose
against the man who had acted such a
heartless part towards his victim. Not
only had he forced himself into the
bosom of an honest family, and carried
on deception as to his own character,
but was attempting to blight the happi-
ness and prospects ofone ofits members.
Darker and darker grew our troubles,
as we thought of Fanny and her devo-
ton to her worthless lover. All seemed
to have come upon us so suddenly, we
could hardly believe our senses. We
might have deemed we were dreaming,
but there sat the poor woman, sobbing.
"If this all true" said, being spokes-
woman, "you are much to be pittied,
but Mr. Raven is not now here. What
can we do 2" At this juncture, happily
for us, in came Mr.. Green and Mr..
Waters. How relieved we were to
hear their voices when the door opened,
instead of Mr.. Raven and Fanny,
whose return we had so feared. Taking
the two gentlemen into the next room,
told them of the two circumstances
that had occurred since they went out
eve are not much surprised, " said Mr..
Waters. "To say the truth, my wife
has lately confded to me so many extra
ordinary things which Mr.. Raven has
tod Mrs. Green, relative to his intend
ed acts of liberalty, his friends, sc,
that | felt sure all could not be genuine,
and that Mrs. Green's credulity was
being practised upon, Your communi-
cation to me yesterday began to open
my eyes, and merely took Mr. Green
out tonight to bring proofs that gross
deception was being practised upon his
mother, and that she was harboring an
imposter in her house. After what /
heard yesterday, l made point of call
ing on the publisher of Adam Bede,'
for felt convinced from what | had
seen of Mr.. Raven 0hough | don't deny
he is a very gentlemanly, clever fellow
that he never wrote such a book, and
we were about to unmask his author
ship this evening, as a preliminary step
to learning his motive for the deeep-
ton" swell, Mr. Green" / said, as |
remembered the visitorin the next room,
"you had best see this poor woman
who is waiting, or Mr.. Raven will be
returning while she is here Accord
ingly, Mr. Green had an interview with
her, and satisfied himself of the truth
of her tale. He somehow persuaded
her to leave, as Mr.. Raven was not in,
suggesting that she would be more
likely to find him at 10 o'clock on the
following morning. We then had a
consultation as to how best we should
act when the couple came home. Mr..
Green was in a great rage, not, however,
considering so much poor Fanny,s po-
sition as his own cause for revenge on
man who had so grossly insulted him.
lie could not talk quietly, and it was a
happy thing for us that Mr. Waters
remained cool and collected, and did
his best to persuade Mr.. Green to con-
troll himself, or his own purpose, he said,
would be defeated. He felt sure the
better plan was to receive Mr.. Raven
quietly, and carry out their original in
tention of taxing him with the decep-
ton he had played upon the ladies. AS
he had been the first to discover the
fraud, Mr. Waters proposed that he
should introduce the subject. Itwould
be quite time enough when they heard
his defence to attack him on graver
points. Even while we spoke we heard
Fanny's voice on the steps, and the
latch-key (for Mr.. Raven had long since
had that privilege turn in the door, and
I the pair entered. Mr.. Waters, in an
undertone, begged his wife to with
draw; while Mrs. Green was equally
anxious Fanny should not be present at
the interview. The latter intention
was more difficult to accomplish, until
Miss Green, who who was really in a
most nervous state, said she had rather
not remain in the room, and would 60
up with Fanny to take of her bonnet,