Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-07-08

strange to think of it but it is true.
A hundred dollars stood between
us and ruin. If we could bridge
the gulf we were safe. But every
where was failure and distress, and
confusion worse confounded.' We
could not look for help from those
who were as bad, and even worse
off than ourselves.
"What demon put the thought
into my head to forget that draft
for an amount that would carry us
safely over the peril! can't tell
but it haunted me like death, and
1 could not get rid of it. And
signed another mans name. |
drew the money that we needed
and to-day am, in Gods sight and
mine, if in the sight of no one else,
dishonored man! Tomorrow
the draft which bears the name |
forged will be presented to the man
whose name it bears, and my
God! / don't dare to think of
what will become Of me. 1t is ruin
disgrace better death! But
oh, Alice, l did it all for youl Be
cause | loved you, l have ruined
myself and brought shame upon
you. Ii ! had the money now /
could save myself, but have no
way Of getting it. and for want of
it ] must sit down and wait for ten
o'clock Tomorrow, and for ruin. 1t
isn't financial ruin. That is passed,
and safely, by my dishonest act, but
it is social, moral un. The man
whose name / forged is cruel-mer-
ciless. Once the draft is in his pos
session l can hope for nothing from
him.
~ have written this, that Alice
some day may read it, and know
that the disgrace that | brought
upon her and myself was because |
loved her. 1t was to crafty no
base, unworthy motive, but for love
of you, oh, Alice, and when you
read this, pity me, pity me :"
The pen fell from the writer's
weary fingers, and he dropped his
pale, suffering face upon the table,
and was silent for a long time. His
deep breathing told that nature had
overcome the excitement and strain
of the last few days and that he
slept.
A woman came quietly into the
room. She came up to the table
and bent over the sleeping man.
"Poor Robert" she said, stroking
his brown hair caressingly. ale
is working himself sick. | wish he
would let me help him."
She glanced at the writing on the
table, and the last words caught her
eyes. She took up the manuscript,
and read it through from beginning
to end, growing white as the flowers
i'll her hair; and she trembled so
that she could hardly stand, when
she laid the paper down.
"My God!' she whispered with
set lips, ''for my sake he has done
this. And he never told me If he
had If he only had~
She clasped her hands in pitiful
pain. Her face was wofully pale.
The clock ticl<ed away steadily
in the corner, and she sat there, sill
ent, thoughtful, motionless.
at isn't to late to save him yet"
she whispered, at last. 81 have led
him on to the brink of ruin, and,
please God, III save him. At least
I'll try. Oh God, help me, help
me-"
She hurried to her room and put
on her bonnet and shawl. Then she
took from little Indian cabinet her
jewels. They sparkled in the lamp
light like frost-crystals in the sun.
She ran down the stairs noiseless-
ly, and out into the street. Then
she hurried away up town till she
came to a jewelers. store. The
lights flared out from the wide
windows, and flikered over her pale,
strained face as she came up to the
steps.
IL have brought some Jewels she
said, putting them on the case be-
fore the gentleman who came to at
tend to her wants. al want to sell
them"
She did not comprehend very
clearly what kind of a bargain she
made, only that the money that
would save her husband was in her
possession. She hurried homeward,
thinking only of how near they had
been to ruin--how near they were
then, at that moment, possibly.
What if all this had happeded too
late
She ran up the steps, and opened
the door. She met her husband in
the hall.
"Robcrt! Robert !" she cried, in n
sobbing kind of way. al read it
all. l have sold my jewels, and
here is money, more than you need
to save yourself. Take it, and for
give me, but | didn't know-you
never told me-" in n kind of in
coherent way. ooh Robert, let's
begin new life, and let me be a
true wife to you, after this. l new
or have been."
And Robert Van DyclS was sdced,
when he had been so near to ruin
and their new life began with mu-
I..ol ..L.nnlonna and a hoffnr Inlnt