The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-23
THE BROKEN HOME.
"rr~sh Stranger Than Fiction"

"Trrth Stranger Than Fiction,
In san Francisco. OH the north side of Fol
sem street, overlooking Mission Bay, stands a
palatinl residence.
The interior OF this house is even more beau
tfni than Its exterior, every apartment being
IN its way gem Of magnifcenco aud refine
nent.
The library especially realizes tho most per
feet Ideal Of an elegant and cultured home.
And yot, at tho moment VIC look In upon
hin-one August afternoon, as he occunicd
his lbrary.the proprietor Of oil thls wealth
appeared OF all men the most miserable.
He was Mr. Morton Prcble, for many years u
leading banker fSan Francisco.
II was In vain that tlte broad bay-window at
tnc south end OF the room had been opened,
giving ingress to the sunshine and the FRA
GRANGE OF rare flowors-in vain that the walls
were lined with richly carved book cases md
paintings in vain that soft couchcs and lux,i
rieqs chairs had been gathered around him.
Ho was wrctchGd.
He 10y on sofa, in the dcpths OF the great
Day-window, tho wreck OF a onoc powerful
nan. His figure was thin and yaunt: il,a fanc
white as marble, his eyes having an exprcs-
sion oil woful apprehension, Of narrowing anx-
toty, OF dreadful expectancy.
IL was evident at a glance that no merely
physical ailmcnt had made him what he VIM
by what whitening secret, by what DESTROY
Ing adliction, had he bocn thus ugoniHedg thus
haunted? no so noble and good i1c 90 woaIthv
and distinguished
hs nc moved rcstlcssly upon his lp-urions
cushions, the pretty clock OH tho mnnt.,,piec0
srnck hVc, every stroke seeming 70 fall like
hammer upon the heart Of the nervous inyn-
lid. lie aroused himself, struggling frcbly To
sitting posture.
'Oh, win this fatal day never, never pass :,
ne mnrmured; "nor bring ns nsliera"
Notlcn2 with nervous start that he Nas
alOuC, ne tOuCneU hell hO tal,l loro
Ain, and called:
"Iiclcn, Hclcnl where arc youg,
Before tho echoes Of his voice had died ouL.
step waa heard, ond his wife entered his
presence.
~ lcit yon only for moment, Morton shc
B4ld, advancing 10 the banker's side. lyon
Terd ,ha don,a.g dSzng' think wished to send for
She wns beautiful woman, of soIne six and
thirty years, graceful, with broad white brows
and loving cycg, In which tho brightness ana
sweetness OF stnshiny nature were still per-
ccptibie, under hgricfand anxiety no less poig
nanL than that cvtnced by her husband. f''''
daily. ''''' i''o"''''
Yes, dcar,' she said, in calm and cheer
lni voice, ns shG drew CHAIR to the side or tho
sofa, and sat down, Btroking the corrugated
forehead OF tho invalid with magnetic touch.
"He Will DC here Immediately Yonr last ner-
vous crisis alarmed inc. You muy become se-
ri0ualy Ill ~ '0
Mr.. Prcble bestowed an ahcctiouata look
upon his wife, but said dcspondrntiy:
The doctor He cannot minister To mind
discascdr Oh, If these long hours would oniv
store for us r '0~ III
"Look mp, Norton ~ enjoincd Hrs. Prob,o.
with u repcrcntly trnstfil glance inward
through the open window ut the blue sky. and
Oh u looking beyond the azure clouds therein.
'a'et ns appeal from the injustice and Wicked
ness of earth TO the goodness and mercy of
Hcaven.n -'' u
The banker gave low, Hobbing sigh.
~ cannot look up. IIelcn," no answered.
down, down at the grave that is opening be.
fore me !" ~
ars. Prcble continued TO stroke his forehead
soitiy, while She lifted her pale face To the snr
hight streaming into the apartment.
LOOK up, Morton---always look I'm r, sbe
again enJoincd upon the invalid. "Dnring aii
tseso fourteen years Of agony, I hayo NOT once
GouDled cither the g0odncss or The Justice of
tSsS hOSyem sl, blessed SIC are they that mourn, for
small yet rejoice more keenly than we have
nournGd. and that We shall come To q plorious
day day, Of Joy beyond all this long night of BOZ
The face of the invalid lighted up with nm
anAwering glow, and he murmured:
'Glori0us faith My wife, you are indeed a
blessed comforter Perhaps, otter all, YOU are
A knock rcsoundcd on n sIde-t,oor at ,,,s
l9ncturc, and tho next moment DR.. Hutton.
tho family physician, for whom Mrs.. Problc
had sent, entered the room.
Ho was an Old man, ,pOrtly in fgnre, with
Whitc MIR and beard, but with fresh and
faddy complexion, pair of shrcwd blue eyes.
and with an cxubcrant boyshncss of mnnncr
that Bat well upon him. lie had kind heart
and clear head. He approached Inc sofa.
aftcr greeting the husband and wjfn. and ill.,
ed tho Thin rcalcss hand Of the Invalid. feeling
hls pulse. ''' .
"Qnite high fever" he said, after n brief
pause. worrying again, ct, Mr. Preblc
you are wearing yourself out. Medicine will
present condition. must give You an opinte.p
mot low, DOCTOR" inierposcd the banker
VI c'nnot-rnist nOt-alcep tO-tI;,yi need
aoi 70 be " oai awake now, for cannot tell at
am looking for the culmlnation of ali NV
years Of anguish ior the croWning agony OF
was that?" ~
lic started up wildly, and thcn as the sound
that had disturbed him was not reDcsted hc
sank back ayain On his cushions, paIIid md
painting
Tho doctor looked ut Mrs. Prcblo with nm
anxious, questioning glance.
ut Is thg anniversary, "sho rcplIcd 10 hs nm
spoken inquiry-''thc anniversary Of our loss.
"hh, yca." "said the doctor, 81 rememberm
"Yes, its another Of those terrible tiays.r
cried the banker, in u hollow whisper. SSil
down, doctor, and will tell you the whole
Story: can think OF nothing else to-day, and
am almost wild with apprehension and anx.o.
ty. BIT down.
Dr.: ilntton drew up chair ard seated him
self, bis lace expressing tho double soliciludc
or friend and physician.
"Yon knew us fourteen years ago, DOCTOR"
SAID Mr.. Preblc. ave lived then whore we do
now. In o cottage on the site of this great man
mon. There were but tho three OF ns-IIelcn
and !, and our thrce-year old Jessie. And It
was fourteen years ago to-day that our little
Soaalo was stolen from nH.s
VI remember it." said tho doctor, sof,ly.
yet might she moi have been lost, Mr.. Preble,
sho went out to play In the garden, II remep,-