The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-11-27
TIFFIN TRIBUNE.
Inn. Thursday Eve. Nov. q, lS7s
.fdam. Ridges Gold.

I
senee of two years, bringing home
with him seven thousand dollars in
gold.
This snug sum was considered a for
| tune in MuddybrOok F; and Muddy
brook accordingly extended its arms
to receive the amiable Adam,
although, 1 am sorry TO say, the
Flidge family, being poor, the young
adventurer had never been apPreeiat-
ed by his own townspeople until the
news that he had made his fortune in
California opened their eyes to his ex-
traordinary merit
All black, and bearded, and unccuth
in his mnnners as Adam was, he was
caressed by the first people in Mud
dybrook- gay and proud, who
had formerly noticed Adam no more
than if he had been dog.
And Adam, fresh from the society
of barbarians, and altogether unaecus-
toned to the smiles Of the tender sex,
was fiattered, bewildered, dazzled by
the bright eyes which beAmed fondly
on him now. Women's smiles to
him were welcome as the breath of
spring to the bleak hills and tempest
tender trees. With q heart hungry
for love, it is no wonder that he be-
trayed the most amiable Of human
weakness; no wonder that even the
not very beautiful Matilda Moore led
him 8 willing captive-the cold and
eoquettish Matilda, to whom Adam
had offered himself in the days of his
poverty, and been fatty, contenp-
IuOusly rejected. T
Seen through gold-bound glasses
however, Adam. appeared no more
the worthless wretch Matilda former
Iy considered him. AS the youngest
OF unmarried daughters, in whose
maiden footsteps she was following
fast, the proud Matilda was pretty
well qualified to judge of Adams new
Undiscovered merits. She judged in
deed /; and when the stupid fellow,
believing every woman true, once
more offered her his hand, she gra-
ciously accepted it. Adam almost
burst with joy. He firmly believed
himself the most fortunate fellow in
the world, and would not have ex-
changed bis happiness with any indi-
vidual alive.
But while Adam was 80 happy,
somebody was very miserable. To
every laugh of his, somebody echoed
a sigh. While the balance Of his hap
piness was full, that OF another kick
ed the beam.
That other was his foster sister
the fair Rose-Who had loved him
ever, from bis youth upward, with an
unaltered affection. She was q gentle
winning creature, and it was a won
der that Adam had never fallen in
love with her. She was fairer thar
Matilda Moore, and it must have
been silly pride whichcaused Adam
to prefer the position of the latter tC
the character Of Rose.
Adam, in effect, was blind. He did
not appreciate Rose. He did not un-
derstand her. Could he have knoW1
how well she loved him, the startling
truth might have brought him to bis
senses. But he was like a bat; ht
could not see the light. Often, afteI
his return, he discovered tears in the
eyes of Rose.
One morning, Adam opened his
eyes considerably wider than usual
ON first getting up at the strange
startling sight, which made him
trembIe and grow faint. The lid oi
the oak chest was lifted. The gold
was gone, and in its place lay his
bowie knife and revolver, which he
always placed under his pillow on 90.
ing to bed, as security against thieves
Speechless and pale as death, Adam
stood gazing with look of despair
and rage at the rifled chest. 1t was
evident that the robbers, on entering
the room, had first taken possession
of his weapons, and finally left them
in plaee of the gold. At all events,
the gold was gone-Adam was pen.
niless. The fruit of many months OF
painful toll had vanished In q night
time. The truth was too terrible to
be realiZed.the misfortune too great
to bear.
In hoarse voice, Adam called his
father, and communicated to him the
fearful intelligence. 1t is hard to say
which was the more angry Of the
two. They discovered how the rob-
bers might have entered and left the
house and they raised the alarm al
once. In an hour all Muddy brook
rang with the report of the robbery
and officers were in pursuit Of the
thieves.
In vain
No gold was to be recovered-nc
thieves were caught.
The fever of excitement into which
Adam was thrown by his misfortune
caused him fit of sickness. For 8
week he lHy groaning on bed OF pain
and despair. All this time his affi.
anceu-the false Matilda-never visit
ed him-but Rose, the faithful and de-
voted Rose, was always by his side, tC
soothe und-cOnsOle him.
immediately ON his recovery, Adam
betook himself 10 Mr.. MoOre's house
Still unwilling to believe Matilds
faithiess, he went to pour out his sor-
row in her sympathizing ear, and tc
assure her OF his unchanged affec.
ton.
Matilda's forbidding aspect chilled
his heart she regarded him as If he
had been some unfortunate person
whom she had seen somewhere, and
of whom she retained some very dis
agreeable recollections. Adams eyes
were now opened to his folly, and, he
reproached her bitterly.
mot another word, sir ~ cried Ma
tilda, haughtily interrupting his COM
plaint. 'If you have been deceived
in me, have not been deceived in
you. 1t is better for US never to meet
again. Good bye.n
That night Adam slept sOundly, and
awoke in the morning more nearly
reconciled to his lot than he had been
before. He rubbed his eyes smiled,
as IL recalling dream he had had, he
made q resolution to regret his gold
no more to forget the false Matilda |;
and, moreover, to be man.
He rubbed his eyes, we say; but as
soon as be got them fairly open, the
smile vanished from his lips, and he
started ia astonishment at some OBJ
ject on the lid of his chest. Eager,
trembling, he sprang forward he
seized 1.-THE pressed 1.-THE laughed
hysterically-and his cOuntenance
cleaned with joy, for that his gold
was in his grasp! 80
And pinned to the precious bag was
q slip OF paper, on which, in q we'll
known hand, were written the follow
ing word:
hFOrgiye me, dear Adam-my dear
brother / am the cause of your s0r-
row. took the gold. | thought /
VAS acting solely for your good. Now,
IL you wish to marry Matilda, you can
for she will accept you. l knOws /
have acted unwisely-but forgive your
poor sister, whom you viii never see
againl"
Adam was too much OysrjOyed to
read more than half of the note.
"Torgive yOu-you darling ~ he
cried, almost out of his senses. "FOr-
give you-my guar dian angel Yes (;
and bless you tOD, he muttered,
rushing from his room. where's
Rose ?r he demanded of the house
keeper.
Rose had not yet appeared. Burn
ing with impatience, Adam sent the
old lady to call her. In minute she
came back, pale and with consterna-
tion, declaring that Rose was gone.
Adam, recovering from the shock
this Intelligence Occasioned him, flew
back to his room, lacked up the gold,
and set out Immediately in pursuit of
Rose, who, he felt sure, had taken
refuge with some Of The friends OF the
family in MaplegrOve.
On the way also, Adam had plenty
Of time to reflect and on arriving III
MaplegrOve, his mind was fairly made