The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-10-16
[From the "chinlney corner.,,l

uay my wealthy Iriehd otf1IrnShcec
called at my Office, aud announced that
he needed my immediate professional
services.
However, evinc,ng no sign of my in
ward satisfaction, bid him be seated,
assumed professional air, and said:
"What can / do for you?"
Hawthorne" he answered, while l
noted his troubled, even wild look, 81
wish you to obtain my divorce from Mrs.
StillingAeet without one moments un-
necessary delay"
Had the President of the United
States entered my Office and rendered me
the Treasuryship, l could not have been
more astounded
Opening his pocket book, he handed
me letter, saying calmly, although with
the utmost sxertion to appear composed: ::
"Iou, of course, need evidence; read
this letter, accidentally intercepted by
NE. Unhappily, 1 have but too much
reason to believe that it more than war
rants any legal steps you may take ut
present. l will see you again tomorrow;
for the present, good by"
But his pride gave way as l, his old
friend, took his offered hand He sat
down OH chair, aud laying his head OIL
the desk, sobbed and cried like cLild
AS soon as he was sufficiently composed,
| asked him where he was going.
"Not home, you may be sure; / have
no home now"
After some persuasion, made him
promise to so to my bachelor home,
whittier would follow him us soon as
business hours would permit.
Left alone with this strong link in the
chain of evidcncc-this letter which had
broken one Of the best hearts in the
world, asked myself, "Can it be posi-
BILE that so Young, so beautiful and ap
purcntly so devoted wife, could have
thus irrevocably disgraced herself?"
looked ut the letter with an unusual
beating ut the heart would have given
much that it had not fallen to nv lot to
open it, but il WAS to be dunc 1t was
beautifully scented and tiny epistle, and
ran as follows:
"DARLLNG GERTRuDE.-Your letter
would have been more acceptable had it
contained better news of my Charlie.
Do you really thinks he mourns for me i?
1 would have him here, but, alas he
might be discovered, and Frederick, who
is passionate, might shoot him. The last
time he was here, | almost feared O dis
covery. Yet | long to have him with me
again, and as soon as know that Fred
will be away for few days, he can come
up. But remember, you must keep this
secret, or you may guess the consequences
to me."
Then followed other and important
matters.
So it was true! This Charlie Fearon,
this Judas, who had pretended the close
est friendship for poor Fred, had wrought
his wiies ruin.
"Devil!" exclaimed, as / paced my
Office in fever, IA bullet would be too
good for you"
Yet damning as this evidence ap-
pcared, it was not legally conclusive.
could not believe that this fair and gen
tie wife could haye been guilty of more
than indiscretiun. Size had married, it
is true, more to please her parents than
for any strong love she bore her husband
yet | had every reason to believe that
she had learned to love Stillingfcet-an
excellent, though impctuous man-ex-
ceedingly, if not passionately
Yet again, woman is cnigmatical, and
was sorcly puzzled; but, giving Mrs
Stillinefeet the benefit Uf the doubt,
determined, however unprofcssional it
might appear, to visit the lady to whom
this letter had been addressed, and to
discover if she could, indeed, be party to
so disgrnccful an intrigue. Being init
nIately acquainted with the lady, | should
find the task less difficult than if she had
been unknown to me.
On my way to $, an hour by rail
from the city, thought over and ma
tured my plans.
was received with evident pleasure,
and VIC chatted for u short time on fani-