The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1870-03-10

way, thought, to marry Lucy i,iaT-
ming.
Sweet Lucy Manning the most art
less, winning maiden in all the world
to me. ] loved her deeply, dearly,
! She was 'biue-eyed, auburn haired, her
disposition was that Of an angel, and !
had plighted my VOWS TO her.
One night / was invited to the house
of prosperous merchant, and there
met siren in the person of his niece,
a black eyed girl, whose charms and
whose fortunes were equally splendid.
She was an heiress in her own right,
was beautiful and accomplished.
Heavens, what a voice was hers
pure, clear, sweet, ravishing! / was
charmed, and she was pleased with
me. Alas, met her too often.
In her presence l forgot my gentle
Lucy she lnagnetized, thrawled me.
1t was triumph to feel that so beauli-
ful, gifted, and wealthy woman low
ed meme, who had been brought up
in the purleods of city, who had
known misery and corruption all the
first years of my life.
Gradually broke off my intimacy
with Lucy. / received no token from
her, she was too proud. But that
cheek grew pale, that eye languid,
and though / seldom met her, knew
in my heart that she was suffering, and
branded myself villain.
At last she knew with certainty that
| was to marry Miss Bellair. She sent
me letter, touching letter, not one
word cf upbraiding nor one of regret.
| Oh, what noble soul / wounded -
But she could calmly wish me joy,
though the effort made her heart
/ bleed. knew it did.
/ / tried however to forget her. |
could not. Even at my magnificent
wedding, when my bride stood before
me, radiant in rich fabrics and glitter
ing diamonds, the white face of poor
Lucy glided in between, and made
my heart throb guiltily. Oh, how rich
| grew! Year after year / added to
my gold. My miserly disposition be-
gan to manifest itself soon after my
marriage. / carried my gold first TO
banks, and then to my own private
safes.
| put constraint on my wife, for
very generously she had made over
her whole fortune to me, and began to
/ grumble at the expenses. | made our
living SO frugal that she demonstrated,
and Gnally run up large bills where
and when she pleased. Against this
| protested, and we bad open quarrels
more than once.
Ny clothes grew shabby, could not
/ afford to buy new Gnes, although the
/ interest OF my investments was more
/ than / could possibly spend for ration
81 ts--sr-
grew finally dissatisfied with ev-
+ erything but my money. / neglected
my wife, and grew careless of her soei-
/ ETY.. Several gentlemen came to my
house, among them would be author
and celebrity. He came, / thought too
often FOR my good name, and | order
ed my wife to discontinue his COM
pany. She refused and locked her in
I her room. How she managed to set
herself free l never knew; but in the
evening, when | returned, she was
gone from the house. That caused me
/ some uneasines5; not much, fof ! was
soon absorbed in taking account of my
gains.
1t was, perhaps, nine in the evening,
/ had just managed to take up paper
for moment to read out its business
details, when the door opened, and in
came my wife, dressed bewitchingly,
as if Just from an evening concert, fol-
fawed by that rnoustaehed celebrity
Good evening, my dear" she said in
the coldest way Imaginable, and plac-
ed a chair fot her friend. "Stop!' l
cried; my jealousy aroused; "that
man sits not down in my house"
"That mana gentleman and my
friend, shall sit here if | please!n said
my wife, firmly.
My passion was excited then as IL
never was before, AID / collared the
scoundrei. He was MY match but
my wife put dirk knife that she drew
from cane into his hand, and he
stabbed me- 1 tainted, and remem-
bered nothing more till | found my
self on a bed in my own chamber
watched over by my housekeeper.
"Where are they?" l gasped.
"Gone ~ was all she said,
1t occurred to me then, like fiasi
of lightning, that somebody was nea
, me at the time I was wounded, tha
|. my keys were about my person, ant
that had been robbed, perhaps, of al
my available property.
The thought threw me into an agon,
of fear. / ordered my clothes to b.
brought to me. The keys were there
Taking one of them out, | told Mrs
Ildlet my HouSSAVS1Ci W Go ~ All.
safe. and bring me the papers that wer
: there. She returned, her face whit
with terror, to say there was nothing
there, all the little doors were open.
. Robbed robbed - yelled witt
iinprecations, and again my senses de
serted me.
Brain fever ensued. For weeks
lay deprived of reason, literally tread
ing the verge of the grave. One morn
ing / was conscious only of a sinking
] deadly feeling aS I feehTy onane6 M