Middletown transcript., 1869-06-05

l did that in the first place"
"Well, George" resumed the doctor
MIR. Rowland is here; will you see him ?''
"See him? See Charles Rowland :? OF
course I will"
Ihe door was opened and Mr.. Howard
entered. He was an elderly gentleman,
but hale and hearty.
The old man shook hands, and then in
qulred after each others health.
"You received note from me some two
years ago." said Mr.. Rowland, ''in which
l stated that one in whom trusted had
got your money, and mine with it."
eyes, sir" whispered Bonton.
"Well," resumed Mr. Rowland, "Dr.
Melville was the man. He had your mon
ey, and l believe he has got it vet.
"How +? What 2" gasped George paz-
ing from one to the other in blank aston
ishment.
Hold on my boy" said the doctor,
while thousand emotions seemed at
work within his bosom. II was the viii
lian: 1t was who got your money. I
worked your ruin, my boy. And now
listen and | will tell you why"
81 saw that you were dying. Your
father died of the same disease. A con-
sumption was upon him-not a regular
pulmonary affection; but wasting away
OF the system for the want of vitality, oc-
casloned by want of proper, wholesome
food and physical exercise. The mind
was wearing out the body. The soul was
slowly but surely eating its way from the
cords that bound it to the earth. I knew
that you could be cured and knew, too,
that the only thing in the world which
would cure you was to throw you upon
your resources for livelihood. There
was morbid willingness to pass away.
You would have died ere you would have
made an exertion,. from the fact that you
looked upon exertion, as worse than death.
1t was strange state of both mind and
body. Your fortune was ample and rem
Tered work unnecessary, so there was no
nope while fortune remained.
"Had it been wholly bodily malady,
could have argued you into necessary
work. for cure. And on the other hand,
lad it been wholly a mental disease, /
night have driven your body to help your
mind. But both were weak, and l knew
hat you must either work or die. I pre-
erred that you should do the former.
"And now, my boy, I'll tell you where
ny hope lay. / knew that you possessed
ueh true pride of independence that YOU
'ould work. | saw Mr.. Rowland and
old him of my plans. l assured him that
we could contrive to get you to sea for
year or two, and make you start out in
active life, for the sake of life YOU could
c saved. lie joined me at once. took
our money and his, and bid him clear
ut You know the rest And now tell
le, my boy, if I give you back your for
Inc, will you forgive me ?''
Forgive, doctor yes, with all nv
cart ler lave You not taught me the
ecessity and nobility of labor? ~ -- =
81 hope" continued the doctor, ssthe
sson you have learned will not soon be
'rgotten. Your money is safe-cvery
emmy of ito the amount of one hundred {
nd twenty thousand dollars. Poor Row. t
nd has suffered much in knowing how
ou looked upon him but I know that he
amply repaid by the sight of your noble,
'werful frame, as he sees it tonight" !
1t was full hour before all the oues- r
ons of the happy friends could be asked c
Id answered; and when the doctor and j
owland had been forgiven and blessed Y
the twentieth time, Mr.. Wilton, who d
I'd been led into the secret that evening,
id "Wait."
lie left the room, and when he returned 8,
led sweet Mary by the hand, looking, h
possible, more lovely than ever. u u
A few words suficed to explain to her 2 =
e ruin which had been practiced upon ! !
+ lover by the doctor and Mr.. Rowland; - :,
d while she rejoiced at the sudden turn -
nich had taken place in Mr.. Bonton's :"
ospects, she regretted that the return of
fortune would deprive her of the ro- =,
antio privilege of marrying man who N
rned his living by honest labor. Late u
the evening, after the hearts of our al
ends had fairly begun to grow tired of IL
7, George asked Mary how much longer tr
G was willing to wait" II
Her heart was too full for utterance =:
t turning her face to his with dream
smile and with sparkling eyes, which in
oke more eloquently than words, he read he
answer. A few weeks after there was su
gay gathering of friends at Mr.. Wilton's. so
Try Wilton was dressed in a white silk a
ess, and encircling her pure white brow at
$ wreath of orange flowers. She
ked happy, as also did George Bonton,
% stood by her side. On inquiry we M
rned that, on that evening, Mary had to
lnged her name, and was now the wife en-
the supercargo. fl