Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-13
EDDY'S SEARCH;
VII OR
A BRAVE BOYS BATTLE!
DIR. BULLETS "pRrvATE RETREAT"

SCnOOl, anu distinguished IOr HIS Sonoiosi1y
and kindness of heart.
| His home was at Riverton, some miles
further up the river, but he was student
at Poughkeepsie, and it was now severa
weeks since he had seen his home and his
mother.
His geography lay UNDECIDED on bis
knees as he wove his boyish plans: how
he would achieve wealth and fame, anc
make his mother proud of him.
He was only aroused from his reverie
by the entrance of Mrs. Briefly. She
held up two letters.
| "From home, guess, Eddy" she said
Eddy's face glowed as he sprang Up
receiving the letters.
" It's about time I had letter from
mother" he exclaimed. 'One is from
her. Who can have written the other
rll read mothers letter first, any how
sI'll just stay to hear il Mrs. Burns Il
well,' remarked Mrs. Briefly. How IL
she q ..st IS
The boy tore open the smaller of the
two envelopes, and hurriedly perused hi:
mothers letter.
And as he read the glow faded from
his face, the smile from his lips. He read
the letter to its close, and looked up a
Mrs. Briefly with an expression of unut
! terable grief
What is it, Eddy q she questioned
anxiously.
The lad replied only by moan.
Dead p cried Mrs. Briefly.
Eddy shook his head
sNot dead,' he sobbed, but it's al
most the same. You can read the letter
Mrs. Briefly. Oh, my mother /! my
motherp
He sobbed aloud.
Mrs. Briefly caught up the letter from
the floor to which it had fallen.
1t ran as follows:
'RIvERToN ON HUDSON,
| June 10th, 1851.
my DARLING Son: You must hav,
wondered that have not permitted you
usual weekly visits home for the pas
month, and that have written to yot
less frequently than usual. | am about t.
write you an explanation.
| Three years ago your father and
were the happiest couple in Riverton
We lived in our own house, pretty little
villa overlooking the river, and youl
father owned his factory which was near
The failure of an extensive firm with
which my poor husband was connected
hurled us down to poverty.
About the time of my husbands fail
ure, the California gold excitement became
fever In our vicinity. A successful
miner returned to Riverton from the lane
of gold, and for days a portion of his
wealth was displayed in our bankers win.
dow in the shape of huge gold brick
Your father, smarting under his reverses
conceived the idea of going to California
and two years ago he went.
Hart Burgoyne furnished him money
for his venture. 1t was to the care o.
Hart Burgoyne my husband and your
father commended us in the hour of his
departure. 1t was Hart Burgoyne who
attended him to New York, who paid his
passage, and whose friendly face he last
saw before setting out on that Inflated
voyage.
You know, Eddy, that your father
died of fever in California, within a week
| of his landing at San Francisco
Hart Burgoyne was my lover, that 1 re-
jected for your father, but he was your
fathers truest friend, and has never borne
me malice because | preferred another to
him. He has lately renewed his suit to
me, and urges me to become his wife. He
has offered to make you his heir.
You know how poor am, Eddy.
have not the strength to work as used.
l am anxious that you should obtain an
education. In short, Eddy, | nave con-
sented to marry Mr.. Burgoyne. 1t is for
your sake, my boy. Do not believe that
any one can come between us-vou and
me. | respect Mr.. Burgoyne-I honor
and esteem him, but 1 have told him that
| have no love to give him. Nv heart is
with you, dear Eddy, and with nv lost
Richard. That first love was the great
love of my life.
We are to be married this morning
within an hour. | would have sent for
you, but Mr.. Burgoyne thought I had
better not. We are to be married Quietly
in my little cottage parlor, and we will
then walk up together to the villa To
which your father took me as his bride.
Come home to US on Saturday. Come
with a light heart and a smiling face.
Always your loving mother, though now
for the last time | write my name
JULIA BURNS,
Mrs Briefly read this letter through.
At its conclusion, she exclaimed
don't see anything to fret at, Eddy
One would think your mother was dead
What is the matter2 Don't you like Mr.
Burgoyne 2
'No-non cried Eddy, with shudder
and he don't like me-
What's done can't be undone.' CON-
tinued Mrs. Briefly. I'd make the hest
of the matter
l will make the best of it. Mrs. Ri
erly,' returned Eddy. Poor mother
She married Mr.. Burgoyne for nv sake
and she shall never know that her m . rr;a 30
1as cost me a pang.' .....-
Eddy took up the second letter, onened
md read it aloud, while upon his counte.
rance slowly gathered an expression of
horror.
The second letter was from Hart Bur-
,oynes:
RIvERroN, june 18th, 1851. |.
MASTER EDWARD BURNS. Az Won
will understand, by the letter written bv
our mother the other day, Mrs. ,Julia
Burns is now my wife. We were married 9
n the morning of the 10th.
During the evening of the day on
Thich we were married, was called from :
ONE for an hour on business. On NV
eturn, was met by my bride, who was ,
! state of frightful excitement. That
xcitement increased at sight of me, and a .
'rribie scene ensued, in which the poor .
reature made an attack upon my life.
| summoned DIR. Bullet, and he, with =
her physicians, pronounced her danger :
lsly insane. No one was with her in NV !
osence. The cause of the attack is SIM. 7
osed to be excitement, bought on by find- =
g herself in the same rooms where she I I
=