Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-06-01


cy with Lucy. 1 received no token
from hor; she was too proud. But
that cheek grew pale, that eye IAN
guild, and though l seldom met her,
/ knew in my heart that she was
suffering, and branded myself as a
william.
At last she knew with a certainty
that was to marry Miss Bellair.-
she sent me letter, = touching let
ter, not one word Of upbraiding, but
not regret, Oh, what q noble soul
l had Woundedi But she could
calmly wish me joy, though the ef-
fort made her heart bleed; knew 1t
did.
l tried, however, 10 forget her.
I could not. Even at my magnifi-
cent wedding, when my bride stood
before me, radiant in rich fabrics
aud glittering diamonds, the white
face of poor Lucy glided in between,
and made my heart throb guiltily-
oh, how rich l grewl Year after
year l added TO my gold. My nil
serly disposition began to manifest
itself soon after my marriage. /
carried my gold first to banks and
then to my own private safes.
put c0nstraint on my wife, who
had very generously made over her
whole fortune to me, and began TO
grumble at tho expenses. i made
our living so frugal that she remOH-
strated, and finally ran up large bills
where and when she pleased. A
gsinst this protested, and we had
open quarrels more than once.
My clothes grew shabby. j could
not afford TO buy new ones, although
the interests OF my investments was
more than l could spend for ration
al living.
l finally grew dissatisfied with eV-
cry thing but my money neglect
ed my wife, and grew careless Of her
society. Several gentlemen cam0
to my house, among them a would
be author aud celebrity. lie came,
thought, too often for my good
name. and / ordered my wife to dis
continue his company. She refus-
ed, and locked her in her room
How she managed to set herself
free, never knew; but in the even
ing, when / returned, she was gone
from the house. That caused me
some uneasiness: not much, for L
was soon absorbed in taking &C.
counts Of my gains.
IL was, perhaps, nine In the even
ing. had Just managed 10 take up
a paper for a moment 20 road out
its business details, when the door
opened, and in came my wife, dress
ed bewitohingly, rs If just from ali
evening concert, followed by that
moustached celebrity.
"GCod evening, my dear" she
said, in the coldest way imaginable,
and placed chair for her friend.
"Stopr' 1 cried, my jealousy a.
rouSed; "that man sits not down in
my house"
'sThat mana gentleman and nv
friend-shaH sit here if please
said my wife, firmly.
Ny passion was excited then as il
never was before, and Icollared the
scoundrel. lie was my match; but
my-wIfe put a dirk-knife that sho
drew from q cane into his hand, and
he stabbed me. / tainted, and re-
membered nothing more till found
myself on q bed in my own cham
Der, watched over by my house
"Where are they7" / gasPcd.
s'Gone!" was all she said.
II occurred 10 me then, like flaslt
OF lightning, that somebody waR
near me at the time was wounded,
that nav keys were about my-per-
son, aud that 1 had been robbed,
perhaps Of all my available prop
erty.
The thought threw me into an ag-
sony Of fear. / ordered my clothes
TO be brought TO me. The keys
were there. Taking one OF them
out, l told Mrs. Hale, my house
keeper, to 90 to my safe, and bring
me the papers that were there
She returned, her face white with
terror, to say there was nothing
there, all tho little doors were Open
"Robbedi robbed" yelled with
imprecations, and again my senses
deserted me.
Brain fever ensuod. For weeks
lay deprived of reason, literally
treading the very verge Of the grave.
One morning 1 was conscious only
of sinking, deadly feeling, as !
feebiy opened my eyes. Was il an
angel | saw standing beside me, her
soft eyes fun of pity, looking down
upon mo with the most cOmmisser-
ating gentleness? For moment /
thought might be in heaven; but
no, reasoned with myself, / loved
money too well. My treasure was
all of the earth, earthly. Again {
opened my eyes. The vision seeIn-
ed WRTering now, but oh, did il not
wear the beauty Of sweet Lucy
Manning? A quiet, unutterablc
peace took possession of my entire
being. 1 forgot wealth, health, ev-
crythiBg. My past life seemed blot
ted out, and | was again Untouched
by the hand of avarice, true, loving
and loved-and Lucy Manning was
my idol.
But recovered slowly, and at
last as my strength surely returned.
1 missed her. As soon as she saw {
could be left with safety, she had
left me; and oh, the blank-tho
dreadful blank l wandered AROUND
my rooms, now so desOlate, AMI
saw the many evidences. Of my mi- z
serIy habits. rl-1 'srf
know not why, but towards my
wife my feelings seemed 10 have un-
dergone a revulsion. fear hated
her. She had nearly beggared me,
deceived me, shattered my health,
and destroyed all my hopes.
Months passed before was able
to estimate the damage that hal
been done mo. Every means that
could be put forth were used for tha
discovery Of my money, but all Ia
vain. --f %
One night 1 sat by the fire, a
cheerless, disappointed and lonely
man. had been thinking thoughts
that only burned my brain, but did
not purify my heart.
9'If had only married sweet Luz
cy," said again and again, 'sall this
had not been So"
Ny housekeeper came in with a
letter-an unusually large package
il was, and as Il bore foreign post
mark, / opened it with a trembling
hand. What was thatl A rust-
ling, crumpled bank motel AnOth-
er and another came forth, until
there lay upon my knees twenty
bills of the largest denominations
A few trembling lines accompanied
them:
"MY HUsBAND-f am dyingi :
My disease-there is no need in tell
ing you Forgive me, and accept
this enclosed ae a faint effort to-
ward restitution. 1t is not much
over half of what we took from thu
natcs uC ICal 81 huoh Hob
where. am deserted. Farewell,
fOreverl"
An icy chill thrilled me. Ii seem-
ed as if her spectral presence WAS
near me. / shuddered as | rolled
the bills together, and threw them
across the room.
''Lie there, curse OF my soull'' I
cried. "Lie there till have con-
quered myself! ay, il the victory is
NOT won ffIf vort - ,.cffoufS5