Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-01-18
THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF MY
FRIEND BROWNE.
From Harper's Magazine.

How bitterly cold it was in New Y ork
on the evening of the 4th of February.
1871 | was sitting in front of a snug
coal fire in my coy little library in
Washington Square. l ana somewhat
inclined to be what is called a book
worm: | love with my whole heart
whatever is old, quaint, and musty in
the wav of books. They are fascinating
to me in proportion as they are ancient,
and possessed of that peculiar smell
characteristic of antiqualed bindings
and worm eaten paper. What other
merits they may possess IS matter of
indifference to me. To be acceptable
they must be old.
On this especial evening my happiness
was complete. During the day | had
determined to brave the winter wind in
search of some new antiquity of Htera-
ture-something that should be excep-
sionally ragged, obscure, and aromatic.
Accordingly I betook myself to my IA
vorite resort in such emergencies-the
old secondhand bookstore in Ann
street, and, after ransacking about for
a while. | hit upon what seemed to be a
number of old, decayed letters bound
up together. and protected by a time
worn leather cover.
Here was prize indeed With trem-
bling eagerness l inquired the price,
and felt offended almost at being told it
was ten cents Willingly would I have
given hundred times as much, had it
been asked. But / reflected that swine
were always prone to trample upon
pearls, and paid my ten cents in silence.
IL -,
my innermost breast pocket, | hurried
homeward through the biting wind.
Supper over, | ensconced myself in
my big easy-chair, and prepared for a
campaign into the realms of antiquity
My centre, as already limited, was pro
tected by glowing FIRE, my right flank
defended by my last half bottle of rare
old port wine, my left wing strength
ened by time-honored pipe of fragrant
Latakia, and my rear brought up by {
-judicious arrangement of cushions ane
springs. Every thing being ready,
drew forth my precious budget, and tn,
campaign began.
After little general skirmishing ant
accommodating, in which long practic,
and experience had rendered me al
adept, began TO gain an insight int
what had at first glance appeared some
what involved. The papers (consistin;
of copies of letters and extracts from
journall contained story of three indi
viduals-two men and woman-wh,
lived about hundred and fifty year
ago. One peculiar circumstance wa
noticeable which considerably added t.
the obscurity of this tale-all the prope
names had been omitted. A blanl
space was left for each one Even tn,
person Ia friend, apparently. of tn
chief actor in the drama1 who ha,
copied and arranged the orr ginal letter
ssld papers was as nameless as the rest
But by dint of inserting initials in thes
blank spaces, and noting down here al
event and there date, | gradually al
rived at a comprehension of the mai
points of the story, which (for shal
resist the temptation to transcribe it i
the original words) ran somewhat a
follows: w
Early in the. last century mar
M, was residing in the vicinity G
what was then the fourishing town c
New York. He was an enterprising an
successful young farmer, who, barrin
the fact that he was an orphan and ur
married, wanted nothing to complet
his felicity. 1t seems probable that tn
very fact of his having SO little to desir
put it into his head that he needed
wife-some one to take charge of hi
household affairs, receive him with
kiss and smile on his return from tn
days work, and bear him children VIII
should transmit his name to posterity
Such one he believed himself to hav
found in the person of Miss H,
young lady belonging to one of the bes
families in the neighborhood. The pal
ents, well-to-do people, readily gave thei
consent to the young farmers suit; sh
herself seemed to favor him and reciI
rocate his affection, and everything