The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-12-03
BIDDEFoRD, ME-. FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 8, 1869.

ceedsd BY sad and bitter mcdtations and the
sweet sleep has been i'll exchanged for the broker
slumbers which haunt the uneasy pillow Of care
On the other hand, have continued to fold my
clothes, and 10 keep my little diary. The form
er habits links me to my happy childhood-be
fore papa was ruined. The latter habit-hith.
erto mainly useful in helping me TO discipline
the fallen nature which we all inherit from
Adam-has Unexpectedly proved important tc
my humble interests In quite another way. II
has enabled poor Ne 10 serve the caprice Of q
wealthy member Of our family. Iam fortunate
enough TO be useful Tin the worldly sense Of the
word) to Mr.. Franklin Blake.
have been cut Of from all news Of the pros
perous branch ofthe family for some time past.
When we are isolated and poor we are not un-
frequently forgotten. I am now living for,
economy's sake, in little town In Brittany, in
habited by select circle OF serious English
friends, and possessed Of the advantages Of q
Protestant clergyman and cheap market.
In this retirement-a Patmos amidst the
bowling ocean Of popery that surrounds us
letter from England has reached me at last.
l find my insignificant existence suddenly re
membered BY Mr.. Franklin Blake. Ny wealthy
rclatiye--would that I could add spiritually
wealthy relative writes even without an at
tempt ut Disgusting that he wants something Of
me. The whim has seized him TO stir up the
deplorable scandal Of the Moonstone and am
70 help him by writing the account Of what |
myself witnessed during my sojourn at Aunt
Yerinder's house In London. Pscuniary rcnu-
meration is offered to me-withfhe want Of feel
ing peculiar % the rich. am TO reopen
wounds that Time has barely closed sm to
recall the most intensely painful remembrances
and this done, l am to feel myself compensa-
ted by a new laceraton, in the shape Of Mr..
Blake's check. NV nature Is weak. II cost
me hard struggle, before Christian humility
conquered sinful pride, and self-denial accept
ell the check.
Without my diary, doubt-pray let me eI-
press Il in the grossest term !-ifI could have
honestly earned my money. With my diary,
the poor laborer (who forgives Mr.. Blake for in
sulting her) is worthy Of her hire. Nothing
escaped me at the time when I was staying
with dear Aunt Verinder. Every thing was
ente red (thanks TO my carly training) day by
day rs Il happened and every thing, down to
the smallest particular, shall be told here. My
sacred regard for truth Is (thank Cody far
above my respect for persons. II will be easy
for Mr.. Blake to suppress what may not prove
TO be sufficiently aattcring in these pages to tie
person chiefly concerned in them. lie has pur-
chased my time but not even his wealth Can
purchase my concience too.'
My diary informs me that was accidentally
passing Aunt Verinder's house in Montagu
Square. on Monday, 3D. July, 1913.
Seeing the shutters opened, and the blinds
drawn up, felt that il would be an act Of polite
attention TO knock and make inquiries. The
person who answered the door informed me that
my aunt and her daughter Il really can not call
her my cousin y had arrived from the country
week since, and melitated making some stay
in London. sent up message at once, declin-
ing to disturb them, and only begging to know
whether could be Of any use.
The person who answered the door took my
message in insolent silence aud LEFT me standing
in the hall. She is the daughter Of heather
old man named Bettcredge-long, too long, toll
Grated in my aunt's family. sat down In the
hall TO wait for my answcr-and having always
q few tracts In my bag I selected one which prov
ed to be quito providentially applicable to tho
person who answered the door. The hall was
dirty and the chair was hard but the blessed
consciousness Of returning good for evil raised
me quite above any trihing considerations Of that
kind. The tract was one Of q series addressed
to young women on. the sinfulness Of dress. In
style IL was devoutly familiar. Its title was, "A
Word With You On Your Cap Ribbons
MY lady Is much obliged, and bcgs you will
come and lunch tomorrow at two
passed. over the manner in which she gave
her message, and the dreadful boldncss Of her
look. thanked this young castawsy and l
said, in tone Of Christian interest, will you
favor me by accepting tractr
She looked at the title. is Il written by q
man or woman. Miss! IL it's written by q
woman, had rather not read il on that account
II it's written by a man, beg to inform him
that he knows nothing about it She handed
me back the tract and opened the door. We
must SOW the good seed somehow. waited till
the door was shut on me, and slipped the tract
into the letter-box. When had dropped an
other tract through the area railings felt re-
lcved, in some small degree, Of q heavy rcspons-
ibility toward others.
We had q meeting that evening OF the Select
Committee Of the Mothers Small Clothes Con-
version-Society. The object Of this excellent
Charity is-as all serious people know-to res
cue unredeemed fathers trOwsers from the pawn
broker. and to prevent their resumption, on the
part Of the irreclsimable parent. by abridgng
them Immediately to suit the proportions Of the
innocent son. was a member, at that time. Of
the select committee and mention the Socie-
" here, because my precious and admirable
friend, Mr.. Godfrey Ablewhte, was associated
with our work Of moral and material usefulness.
I hal expected 10 see him In the boarl-Vom on
the Monday evening Of which am now writing,
and had purpossd to tell him when we met Of
dear Aunt vcrindcr's arrival in London. Tony
great disappointment he never appeared. On
my expressing n feeling Of surprise at his ab.
,ence my sisters Of the Committee all looked up
together from their trowsers 1--WE had great
pressure Of business that mighty and asked in
amarement IL I had not heard the news. &C
knowledged my ignorance, and was then told for
the first time Of an event which forms, 80 TO
speak, the starting point Of this narrative. On
the previous Friday two gentlemen-occupying
widely different positions in society--had been
the victims Of an outrage which had startlci all
London. One Of the gentlemen was Mr. Septi-
mus Luker, Of Lambeth. The other was Mr..
Godfrey Ab!ewhite.
Living in my prescnt isolation, have no
means OF introducing the newspaper account Of
the outrage into my narrative. was also de-
privc1. at the time. Of the inestimable advantage
OF nearing tue cNtntr rtiteu W tnc IefNm efo-
quence Of Mr.. Godfrey Ablewhitc. All can
do Is to state the facts ss they were stated, on
that Monday evening. 10 me proceeding on the
plan which have been taught from infancy to
adopt in folding up my clothes. Every thing
shall be put neatly, and every thing shall be put
in IL place. These lines arc written by q poor
weak woman. From apoor weak woman who
win be cruel enough to expect more!
The date-thanks to my dear parents, no die
tionary that ever was written can be more par
ticular than am about dates-was Friday, June
80, lS4S.
Early on that memorable day our giftcl Mr..
Godfrey happened TO be cashing check at a
banking-housc in Lombard Street The name
Of the firm is accidentally blotted in my diary,
anil my sacred regard for truth forbids me to
hatarl guess in matter Of this kind. For
tunately, the name OF the firm doesn't matter.
What docs matter is q circumstance that occur
rel wheu Mr.. Godfrey hal transacted his busi.
ness. On gaining the door he encountered q
gruteman-a perfect stranger to him-who WA
accidentally lenyipr the Office exactlv at the same