Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-09
The Forger's Wife.

ne night was RAINY Ouu 4uG COdS6-
less patter of rain drops broke dismally on
the quiet streeis, and mingled with weird
echo to the sound of the rushing tide as it
came from the river. Out into the darkness
came, too, wail-low, sad, despairing 1t
was not the echo of passionate grief, but us
if the heart cried out in cruel pain at its
sense of hope bereft and life made desolate.
1t was such u cry as sometimes breaks above
the cofin-lid, or mingles with the rafting
cods when love and life have parted.
1t was a low, ruinous room, i'll kept and
damp. The spider wove his web on the bare
walls, and the glare of the lightning flashed
through the shutterless windows. There was
pile of straw on the Greless hearth, aud u
cradle beside il = But it vss not this that
made the salt tears come In my eyes. Above
the cradle a woman sobbed her life away
The lips of the mother pressed like an an.
gels caress the brow of the child, and then
cried out in agony.
You must not grieve so, and attempted
to lift her up. There is yet hope that he
may escape; all is not lost yet"
But she needed me not, and the passionate
griet went on. 1 felt a sympathy for this
young creature could not control / had
arrested her husband on charge of forgery.
Mr.. l. was even then conveying him
to prison.
A few days before, check for several hun
dred dollars had been passed aud the money
realized. 1t was subsequently, ascertained to
have been a forgery. We had adopted the
usual means of discovering, aud waited pa
tiently for the torger to commence spending
the money. From the description given us,
we thought him some reckless youth whose
extravaganza would be the means of his de-
teotion. Not so. Days went by, and we
could get no clue to his whereabouts. BY
some means, it is not necessary now to relate,
my suspicious fell upon a young man l had
frequently seen upon the street, never apps
rently doing any thing, bat ever seeking em>
ployment. There wild, frightened look
about his face that might have been caused
by crime, and yet be despair. at all events
he answered the description, and the night L
have described, l had followed him home and
there arrested him. As soon as | entered
the door, his face turned pale and an ex-
preston of bitter anguish swept across his
eountenance. 1 do not know why, hut be
fore single word was spoken, my heart felt
a reluctance l could not account for in max
ing the arrest. "You are my prisoner J"
81 know it" he said aud turning around
placed pocket-book in my hand, with the
remark Here is the money"
1Ou 10 IIllS Sdlu. Ou are
eliminating yourself"
Il know it, but it is some repnration for
the crime l have committed, and | make it.
L could not use the money after obtained it."
His wife stood by, pallid with fear, nnd hor
great blue eyes looking eagerly first into my
face and then into his. 'tOh what has he
done? 1t cannot be crime, sm ! he would
not do wrong" Aud she flung back the long
fair hair from her head and clung to her hus
band as if shielding him from some great
peril, she knew not what, yet feared menaced
him.
Yes, Mary. am guilty of a crime; but
God only, and you, know my temptation
We were penniless, sir, my wife and l (; and
our little one cried for bread. l sought work
day and night, but found it not. l could
have perished with hunger, but l could not
see them die" And the mans strong frame
shook like child's.
1t did not take me long to learn that they
had come to the city, many weeks since, from
a distant State Educated and refined, they
had been reared in luxury, and knew not the
poverty that so suddenly and overwhelmingly
beset thsm. Family dissension springing
from their marriage had exiled them from
home and friends, aud this was the result
Still had no alternative, and was compelled
to arrest him 1t was then, as Mr. -
led her husband away, that the bitter grief
broke out.
''lle has returned the money" 1 said. at
is possible they may not prosecute him.
Then all will be we'll"
but he did it. sir he did it. Mr. F."
"Yes, | know, under the pressure of a cruel
necessity"
But this did not appear to console her at
all, and leh her, determined to send some
one of her own sex to stay with her. For
this purpose l hastened as fast as ! could to
the house of lady near by, and stating the
circumstances TO her, begged that she would
go and offer such consolation as she could
The lady went, but when she got to the house
it was empty-the mother and child were
gone. did not know this until the next
evening-not, indeed, until her husbands
release for as soon as the circumstances
were made known, the parties interested de.
clned to prosecute the case When [ was
informed of it. however, l was sure some
dreadful evil had befallen her. In her SORROW
and distress that she had died a suicide-and
it was so. 4 few days afterwards her body
was found floating in the river, clasping in
her arms her child The sense of disgrace
had racked her mind. and the dreary roar Of
the river had beguiled her to death. One
prayer. perhaps-one shrek of aDguish-one
cry of regret-and the cold waters had closed
above her. We buried her tenderly, the
worn and weary husband mourning at her
grave Two weeks later, we laid him in one
beside it. No name marks their resting place.
but the willows weep above them, aud the
wild flowers grow on their breast.
BEAUT1FUI ALLEGoRY.- old man was