National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-02-25
Il Sad Story.

more distressingly illustrated than
in the late arrest of New York
counterfeiter:- -
One Of the best engravers in the
country, if not in the world, was ar
rested at his office, engraving coun-
terfeit bills.
lie was a fine, gentlemanly look
ing man, though of late dissipated,
owing to the .wretched business Ill
which he was employed.
Notwithstanding his dissipation,
and the great crime of which he is
guilty, he had been kind father
and husband, and never carried his
sin into his home.
Bad men tempted him with large !
profits, for his genius was invalua-
able to the regular counterfeiters-
profits, however, that he never real
lied, for, once in their employ and
power, he must rOmain so, and take
his chances of immense gains along
with possible discovery, conviction
and the State prison,
After his arrest, IL company with
the chief of the secret service, and
two subordinates, he was escorted
to his home, a ruined, disgraced,
guilty wretch, and the scene that
ensued was indeed heart rending.
a beautiful daughter of sixteen
lifted white, Mortified face beyond
her mothers; another of ten slrank
against the wall; a bright, intelli-
gent boy of SIX stood trinstiXed with
wonder, smiling infant confronted
the miserable father and husband.
The officers needed not TO search
the house for traces of lis evil deeds.
| Wife and children were innocent,
and the officers knew this ut
/ glance.
| The unhappy wife sunk into a
chair. Clasping her hands one over
the other, and swaying to and fro,
she moaned. SO God. o God why
can't | die"
Her wet face was livid bepeath
it's tears, and shrunk and sharpened
like d face that is dying. Tears fell
from her staring eyes, and rolled
down her pallid cheeks. The look
she turned on the guilty man was
utterly broken hearted. The young
daughter sobbed franticalIy,-
80 father, father. what have you
done :" Then turning to the chief,
20 don't believe it, sir; my father
could not do IT,"
The little Giyl clung to tue officers
knee in childish entreaty. "Don't
take nv father to prison; please,
please dou't."
The boy hid under the bed, and
baby crawled at the mothers feet,
crying in fright unheeded.
The father looked upon the ruin
he had wrought, the grief he had
brought upon his loved ones, and
sob after sob broke from his bosom.
Dasling down his graycr, he cried ::
"God cursed me IN nv cenlus,and
I'll never raise it again. lie GOV
cred his face, and in his tears those
who loved him hushed their cries.
The poor wife found her strength
and voice at the piteous sight, and
came and put her hand gently on his
shoulder.
My poor, poor husband How
could you, how could you bring MS
such sorrow, and yourself such
dreadful misery: 1t is Saturday
night, and there's neither tt cd nor
fire; they will take 700 t0-to--away
from us, and y, what shall do for
the children! Who will pity or help
us after this 7"
"I--I expected some money to-
night he replied, taking from his
pocket a torn half dollar; this is
all have; take it, and get little
p, bread for them tonight
He put it in her hand. but the
I trembling fingers dropped it unno-
5 ticed. "My husband in Jail, my chi..
i dren starving. q God, what have
% done that must suffer so"
; Here the chiet stepped forward
o "YOu shall not suffer; I'll SEE, mad
II am, that YOU and your children are
made comfortable
She lifted her streaming eyes. 81
am so full of trouble that | don,
=, know how to thank you he is gull
;, ty. guilty. but-my husband"
+, YES" burst out the prisoner; g
- am guilty. Yon have the presses
r. pla,es-everything, and know it, bu
= before Almighty God they are limo
!, cent; they knew nothing of it,"
:. ~ am perfectly well aware of it..
:, said the chief, and they soon de-
;, parted with the prisoner, leaving
Il the desolatc home to its tears ant
7 anguish.
- If ever mortal grief was writer
. on "a woman's features, it was staml,
; ed on the ghastly face of the c'"n
terieiter's wife, when she loo
. around on her weeping children-h'
= reproach only. "llOw could you
ia how could YOU ~ ! have seen tb
: law forced into many loving homes
n. where crime brought sudden wo,
"a but / never witnessed 80 harrowin,
=, u scene ms ut this miserable engra,
20 er's dwelling. She kept twistiD
I, her fingers together, and sObbin
m and moaning.
N "To morrow is Sunday; y, wha
n, u Sabbath for me, my children, III.
husband "
She was lady by education, birt
aud associations. She could cBduI
r aud conceal hunger aud poverty,bu
r.. this prison crime the world nus