The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-12-06

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act as your tool!'' =
| sAll have stated is true. Morrii
Bruce's accusations were utterly without
foundation He wounded me and hum
bled me out of the malignance Of hi
own heart. O, it would kill me to Sc,
you marry his son; it would be the mos
exquisite joy to gee you bring hin
down. @
"That is enough replied Maude.-
"Now let me 60 and think"
Thus the compact was sealed, anG th,
wounded heart, turned to stone BY it,
terrible experience. exulted in an un
natural joy
Sydney Bruce was accustomed to %
to New York occasionally during hi,
stay at Newport, to look over 'busines.
affairs that demanded his attention. HI
rarely remained on these occasions more
than one day, anG never more than two
1t so happened that during the very con
versation just related as having passed
between Maude Forrest and her mother
he started on one of these brief jour
neys.
Having transacted his business, he sal
| in his room in the evening, with a few
idle hours before him. He reclineds in
his chair, smoking and thinking oil
Maude, Forrest. "She is certainly 9
most lovely girl" ran his thoughts, "but
-ah there's the rub" And he mused
profoundly. sls sal'l's
At last with sudden impulse he turn
ed to his private desk, opened il, and
drew forth some ancient looking docu.
ments.. They were papers left by his
father, who had died some ten years be.
fore, which he had never YET examined
thoroughly He had handled them over
la number Of times, but there were many
that had not been unfolded. Opening
an old diary, q few sentences caught his
|eye, and he began to grow interested.
Hum he muttered 81 did not
know that my father was ever concerned
lin q love scrape." .iJisi
And then he read the story Of Morris
Bruce's acquaintance with one Lydia
Merton, how they loved, became enga-
ged, and how finally indubitable evidence
reached him concerning falseness on her
part The diary ran thus:
"JuNE 2.-Itcannot be doubted. She
is falsity itself. O, that should have
been deceived by her But she shall
pay for her sin. She shall know that
| am not to be trifed with. sa
JUNE 81 have written her such
letter as she will remember all the days
OF her life. | shall leave tomorrow
never to look on her face again. Curses
on her and hers. May. she never know
what happiness is in this life. May hel
children De miserable, and De deceived
as have been. Let all that belongs te
her and me be separated forever GOOD
Dy, love, and welcome nate 70 my an
gulshed bosom!
Then there were memorada of a long
journey, lnterspersed with many osttel
reflections. One sentence, evidently
written in moment OF great bitterness
read:
"May my children live to make bel
children miserable"
"By GEORGE ne muttered: "the gov
ernor took it to heart, didn't ne! Very
much as I should do, ! think, if q wo
maa should play me false.
He looked further, but discovered nc
other entries relating to the subject
Then he pulled forth quantity Of fold.
ed slips of paper with which the pocket
Id the diary was stuffed. A scrap cut
from anewspaper caught his eye, which
read thus: al gHah s.
"MARRIED.-On the 3lst of August
1885, by the Rev. Stephen Blossom, Miss
Lydia Merton to Mr.. Lothrop Forrest :
His heart gave great bound as he
read this. His brain took q rapid train
of thought. S., u 81
"Can it be possible" he exclaimed
at wonld be most strange coincidence
Can this lovely girl be the daughter Of
that false woman? And is it enjoined
upon me to make her miserable?'' ID
He read no more, but gathered up all
the papers, placed them 10 the desk, and
Hooked it. eT Sss sta ri :;