The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-06-21

> gone beyond the most kindly ,remon.
STRANGE, and had never even1 hinted
anything like coercion. ie.aag.H0 It
! Young Parsons had not the magma
tnin,ity to foregoi his ungenerous ad.
tyanfage.s He might have been con-
tent with his cousins fortune alone,
! but his right to that depended on his
offer and her rejection of an alliance
which she felt in conscience bound to
accept. The brief season of grace,
J which she had been compelled to beg
| even with tears, had already almost
passed, and a few more days would
witness the condemnation of two lives
to hopeful, misery.ius 81 d.ru 80 t.il
Ir9iAt the, conclusion of my friends
narrative, in which, for reasons that
may hereafter be developed, Ifelt a
peculiar interest, / prevailed upon him
to accompany me to a place of amuse-
tment to which I had previously pro-
cured tickets.iGrE V8aI iHdt .giru 20
When We reached the theatre, the
performance had already begun; but
we succeeded, in finding seats which
commanded a fair view both of the
stage and the audience ha-ls mt
u In aifew moments George touched
my elbow. sai-u al .7r.,, ..fr
Observe the gentleman nearly op-
posite in front of the paraquette, seat
ed next the column, leaning his arm
on his cane, he whispered.
I looked in that direction indicated
and saw the face whose striking resem-
blance to one ] had seen before caused
me to start with surprise-ssaq iaf H!1
30 fWho is it p Iasked. gnf7t vi -si.s
RmtEldridge Parsons was the reply
81 The nephew of whom you spoke p
if'The same, my yjfriend answered. IH
he resemble rhis -uncleT Il
was ON the point of finquiring, but just
then the stranger drew the glove from
his right hand, and saw that the first
joint of the middle, finger a0as soamting, a
circumstance1w which, for sufficient rea-i
sons absorbed my attention. siiH
lEitDo you know 1.-The exact date of
Mr. Parsons deathr L asked, when we
had gained the street at the close of
the performance. ;Eg.- .9 tf47r ~
luitYes,' said George. 1T was the
twenty-third of December. His
daughter received a telegram from her
cousin announcing the fact the same
day. q But why do you ask p Ji-
a i have a reason which may or may
not prove a good one, returned, and
stating that / had business engage
ments for the whole OF the next day,
l parted with my friend, promising to
meet,him on the following evening.
- Next a atternoon found me in the
office of DIR. Parsons. .r5aE.3 = 'ss
ajsDr. Parsons, presume !? were the
words with which J. accosted the gen.
tleman / had seen at the theatre.
I. Yes SIR g. l.ism5 4.hHt, s1a
~ " on may not remember me- Doc
tor, but [ believe we have met before
4 beg pardon, sir, for not recollect-
ing the occasion.'-.H za,yi ,ait - ~.
fi.You were in New Orleans last win |
ter, were 'yon not 2'!7- i1y .4a.1
&. Il was, he eanswered, with some en-
bog7.Iy yl'laT- -fH u
sEtl am the gentlemen on whom you
called to draft q WILL !J-faafr- 90 -
b He turned pale and made no reply.
Isl saw the record of that will in the i
Surrogate office this morning 1 rel
sumed, land - =77--7 III T =
1irt9ou speak of my uncle's will he
hastily'interruptedi 1T rorEdeJ -f II
, tAnd yet,' Ircontinued, you said it
was yours when you applied to have it
= You uspresented yourself as
desirous of executing snch a docu-
ment preparatory to embarking on al
perilousvoyage. The paper wasdrawn /
in accordance with your instruction,
leaving the date to dbe filled al the !
time of signing. Z Your locks were
gray then, and you certainly. looking
Did enough to have a manageable
but yourz disguise. was not
perfect and I pointed to the mutila-
ted finger.o T1olp edG SOFA.
what do you mean p he shouted in
defiant tone, springing to his feet. -7h
Simply that your uncle's signature
to that paper is a forgery, I answered, :
rising and confronting him. He died
On the twenty-third of December
Your own telegram to that effect is in
existence. It was on the twenty
fourth, the day before ChFistfnss, that
you called on me to prepare the paper
now on record as his will. The infer
snce is plain !; you undertook to man +
fracture this spurious testament after
vour stincleis Death, and wishing to
;iothe your viiliany in legal form, you
,rocured from me the required draft.
You, or some one at your instigation, !
the signature of the deceased. ?,
The witnesses, who have since perjur-
ID themselves in their dispositions,
we're procured in some manner best
Known to yourself -.ayfstl '1' 5Gt
Enough, sir P'he ajaeulated. plac- <
ng his back against the door, you \
ave shown yourself in possession ofa J
ecret the enstedJ-0f which may prove !
ifs2 - t@'n7ot r1i ID rus
II am not unprepared for your 4
hreat,' replied. In the first place c
did not come here unarmed, in the 9
ext, / have prepared a full written
tatement of the facts to which / have
lluded, with information, besides of "a
ny present visit to yourself. This 70
aper will be delivered to the friend toi
vhom it is directed, unless within an :
our I reclaim it from the messenger,
rho has been. instructed for that length u
f time to retain it.ni I si sa5 =1a3tfs
His face grew 4ivid. His -frame t.
pfFered with mingled fear and rsge, g
nd his eye gleatned like that of a wild =
east at bay..lH" " ni b5sssIb sigis q 70 10
Il ! HAT is your purpose p he exclaim, 3
d, in a voice hoarse with suppressed
assiouiio b9soquio3 yiElGm sET bSd D