The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-07-31


her but some clothes, few dollars and
the love correspondence of her parents
This she carefully preserved, as something
too sacred even for her own eyes.
1t Is not necessary for me to detail the
fact that L fell deeply, nay, desperately in
love with Amelia. You all understand
that. We had never spoken of love, but
we both perfectly understood the nature
OF our feelings. When she was eighteen
and [ was twenty-five 1 began to think
of speaking to her on the subject Of matri-
mOny.
Mr.. Darragh no longer treated her as a
child, but with the Difference and court1y
consideration due the perfect and glorious
woman that she was. He seemed to grow
younger as the days passed, and dressed
with the taste becoming a gentleman who
had an abundant faith in the good inten-
tions of mankind. But his attention and
Difference to Amelia never gave he an
uneasy thought.
Our business had grown from retail
establishment into very respectable whole
sale house, and we began to import our
own stock of fruits. l had been promoted
to be confidential clerk, with a partnership
connection in the near future. NV salary
was 1000, which in those days was con-
sidered princely.
One day told Mr.. Dairagh that had
thought of marrying Amelia. He looked
up suddenly and spasm of pain convulsed
his face.
"Have you agreed between yourselves ?''
he asked with forced calmness.
"Not yet,'' I said. 'We have never
spoken of it, but with your permission and
blessing, I will.'
'Not for the present." he said quickly.
81 want you to go to the Bahamas to
make arrangements for a stock. Wait
till you come back, and thsn you may
marry
His vehemence rather surprised me, but
l attached little Importance to his words
then. was glad to make the trip, and at
once began my preparations for the voy-
ago.
In week I was ready to go with full
instructions and letter of credit to our
correspondent and agent at Nassau
Amelia accompanied me to the dock, and
as bade her farewell before embarking, I
said
81 have something to tell you when I
come back
81 will wait till you come and whisper
it in my ear she said with smile,
We perfectly understood each other, and
I scaled the bond with kiss.
The schooner on which I took passage
glided over the bright waters and down
into the summer seas of the tropics, and
the whole voyage was to me happy
dream. Amelia smiled to me in every
star that looked down from heaven, and
whispered to me in every breeze that play
ed about the spars and rigging. Time
passed so rapidly, that ere 1 thought of
it, we let go our anchor in port, and has
tened to our correspondent and delivered
my lottors.
Our agent, a low-browed, sinister looking
man, with business air and shrewdness,
after glancing over Mr. Dauagh's letters
and scrutinizing me closely, asked me 20
call the next morning.
I secured lodgings for my expected stay
of three or four weeks, and then gave my
self up to pleasant dreams of Amelia and
the future, and strolled till far into the
dusk of the evening among the tropical
luxuriance and beauty of the place.
Everything seemed like highly colored
dream to me, and proved to be one too
beautiful to last,
The next morning I called upon Mr..
Simmonds, our correspondent, according
to my appointment. After some common
place remarks, he said
''Young man, l am very sorry, bat it
will be necessary for me to give you into
custody. You are too plausible a sharper
to be permitted to escape"
l could scarcely control my sudden in
ciignation at his unexpected and insulting
words. but restrained myself sufficiently
to calmly ask him to explain himself.
"Wel," said he, ''the explanation is
easy. Your letter of credit is simply a
clever forgery, and"
''You lie ~ exclaimed, starting to my
feet but strong hand seized me from
behind before could move n step, and 1
raved wildly, protested my innocence, and
my ability to establish the genuineness of
my letter of credit.
.'WelL prove it, then p sneered Sim
momds, as tho officer led me away to
prison.
was told, after being confined, that be-
fore could be released it would be necess-
arv for me to procure proofs of my limo
cence from New York.
l Immediately wrote a long letter to Mr..
Darragh. and another to Amelia, detailing
the whole story of my wrongs and awaited
patiently for the proofs of my innocence,
which felt sure would speedily arrive
But three month passed, and no answer
came.
wrote again and again, with no better
success. A vague and dreadful apprehen-
sion seized upon me-a terrible fear that
! 7 could not understand, and when my inn
prisonment had heightened to ten months
! aud still no word from New York, L gave
rav to despair, and felt that would soon