Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-09-19


man. Being alone, he gave me his bes
care, and on the following night he as
sisted me to escape, wishing me better
luck.
You see that l hurry over this recital
The recollections that it awakens are
not of such a nature that care to dwell
long upon them. 1 was very grateful
and full of joy at finding myself alive
and free. With only twelve horins
which the doctor had given me, wa:
not rich but 1 was only thirty-six year.
old. 1 reached the Rhine, and obtained
passage on a coal boat, in return fol
which was to do some light work.
went to Holland, where every German
is well received, and presenting myself
| to grocer in Amsterdam, obtained
employment in his shop, where by zeal
and activity 1 soon won his good opinion
He also adulterated his merchandise
but he was prudent, and did not trust
so delicate business to clerk, as l had
done.
However, at the end of year had
gained his confidence to such an extent
that he proposed to initiate me into its
mysteries. But 1 had so many reasons
for regarding such a custom with horror,
that I honestly declined, at the same
time showing deep repugnance to fraud
of any kind. Wonderful to relate,
probity, which is too often neglected in
this world, proved for me, as it always
is, an element of success. And, by the
| way. let me assure you that this element
is not yet worn out. My master, seeing
that was an honest man, said to me
" Herman (this was the name 1 had
assumed), now appreciate you fully !;
we shall never part"
! He confided the cash-box to my care,
and at the end of the second year he
! made me marry his daughter. She was
a very quiet girl, twenty-eight years of
age, and endowed with all those qualities
which distinguish the women of Hol-
land. Her name was Trudje.
I was happy when toward the end of
the third year my patron, who was my
father-in-law, and of whom 1 had be-
come the partner, gave dinner to his
son, Capt. Thomas Cromme, who had
just returned from Batavia. I had never
her Joy, for she deeply loved her brother.
1 was much surprised when, on being
presented to Capt. Cromme, recognized
the face of an old acquaintance. L con-
cealed my emotion, but the sailor was
more frank.
Halo is that you, Pochinet 2'' he
cried; for he had twice transacted busi-
ness with me at Lausanne, and had even
sold me some very bad tea.
1 feigned astonishment. His father
told him that my name was Herman,
and that in me he beheld his brother
in-law. Thomas Cromme appeared to
be convinced. But my voice troubled
his mind, and my Swiss accent added
to his perplexity, and it was with
very bad grace that he consented to
hot 10
singular incident disturbed my tran
guilty. The captain remained month
at Amersterdam, and always regarded
me with q suspicious air. He told his
sister, who repeated it to me, that 1 re-
sembled grocer of Lausanne as near
ly as one drop of water resembles
another, and that he was surprised to
find in Germany two persons SO exact
ly formed after the same model. L had
said that I was from Strasbourg, and
that my parents were Swiss, which ac
counted for my Swiss accent. He ask
ed questions which put me to the tor
ture. At last 1 was relieved to learn
that he had gone.
But it appeared that his suspicious
had extended to his family, for they
told me that he had returned to the
Indies, when in reality he had gone to
Lausanne. The investigation, which,
unknown to me, he had made at Stras-
bourg, had convinced him that 1 had
told falsehood, and he determined to
know the exact truth.
Arriving at Lausanne, he learned that
Claude Pochinet had been hanged a
few weeks previous to my first appear
ance in Holland. So clear fact would
have been sufficient to any other man
but Capt. Cromme had the obstinacy
of the true Hollander. He found that
my first wife, whom they told me had
died while was in prison, had on the
contrary recovered, and was yet living,
which of course made me guilty of the
crime of bigamy. He visited me, and,
my throat was ossifed. This gave him
a ray of light, and, pursuing his inves-
tigation still further, he discovered the
young surgeon who had saved me, and
from him obtained full confession.
He returned to the widow Pochinet,
as she was called, and abruptly offered
to restore her husband to her. The
poor woman, who well knew that had
not intended to poison her, was nearly
overcome. The Captain, on his part,
began to feel the difficulties into which
he had thrown himself. He thought
of his sister, his father, his family. He
remembered, also, that ne was render
ing a very anwelcome service to my
first wife, for it would be necessary to
inform her that L was married again.
He could not bring himself to tell her
this, so he contented himself by say
ing:
"Madame Pochinet, L am just start
ing for Amsterdam. If you wish to
accompany me, 1 do not deceive you,
1 will show you your husband"
His proposition was accepted, and
one day 1, who suspected nothing of all
this, beheld before me Capt. Cromme,
who said to me:
"Come here a moment, there is
some one who wishes to speak to you."
/ hese were his very words.
"But," said l, in astonishment, I
thought you were in Batavia"
He did not answer, but conducted
me to the Hotel des Armes de Manson,
which was a few steps from our house.
We entered room, and there 1 saw a
woman, who threw herself on my neck.
was SO surprised that could not re-
strain an exclamation.
Why, Rosel are you alive?"
l did not then observe the move
ments of the Captain, who fastened