Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-01
MnLERsBURG, HOLMES COUNTY, O., THURSDAY JAN l. 1874
with my parents, and perhaps it is right

with my parents, and perhaps it is righ
this should be denied me-"
''Has it never occurred to you tina
they may be dead?" asked the gentle
man, looking at her conpassi onately.
sMany times" she answered. "Bu
1 cannot make myself believe it. Some
thing seems to tell me that they ar,
living, and in want"
"Oh, that is because the agent we SEM
over to Ireland told us your father had
lost his property. You would naturally
think of him as poor after that"
Eyes, and when pride is Joined te
poverty, the struggle is the harder. Fa-
ther was strange man: stern, and
naughty, and obstinate; but under a
harsh exterior hid one of the warmesi
hearts that ever beat. 1 can under
stand why he left Ireland so suddenly,
and covered up all traces, OF his flight,
lest those who had known him in pros
perity should witness his humiliation.
He could not have borne that; it weuld
have been the added drop of bitterness
that would have clicked him. But
mother was different;- so meek and
gentle, and was the only living person
who knew how to manage him. Every
one else was sure to see the worst side
of his nature.
"Ah, yes! you have told me of her
before. But cannot understand, Kate,
why she never answered your letters.
You were but seventeen when you
eloped with that villain; a mere child /;
and surely she might have given you
some words of help and comfort when
your heart was almost broken by his
baseness. True, he was your welded
husband, and held you by bond
stronger than that of parents; but their
silence was cruel, and cannot forgive
them for it." ...... l.--
sYou de not know how I had tried
their love. My father warned me
against the man, my mother told me of
his falsehood and wickedness, and de-
ceived, betrayed them both. Oh, 1 was
guilty of such base subterfuges, it SEEM
ed as if demon had entered into me,
and 1 was no longer my real self! What
ever they said only increased my OBJ
stinacy, and made me more infatuated
with the object of their censure. Be-
sides, you must remember, my father
had reason to think robbed him the
night of my departure, though the
theft was committed without my knowl-
edge, and by the wretch into whose
hands 1 had trusted my honor and hap
piness. That I could have been so
blinded to his real character seems i'm
possible now; but he had winning,
plausible manner, and was vain and
foolish, found OF flattery and admira-
tion."
"You fled to America at tonce, did you
not? and wrote home from there?"
eyes. My husbands villainy was
first revealed to me on board of the
ship that took us over. accidentally
came across the money he had stolen
from my father, and recognized the
purse that held it as one had knitted
MYSELF. 1 asked for an explanation,
and he gave it boldly, gloating over the
idea of what he called just and right
eous veDgean ce, instead of the hateful
crime it seemed to me. 1t was then
found out that there had been feud of
long standing between him and my fa-
ther, and that it was for this he had
married me, and thus struck his enemy
to the heart"
"Though the villain is dead, it makes
my blood boil to think of him, Kate.
But did you not mention all this in your
vile plot, the stolen money p
"Yes, and more too. told of my
deselate condition in New York, alone
and friendless, for as soon rs we landed
1 fled from the wretch whom the law
had made my husband. He followed
me, prosecuted me, prevented my OBJ
tanning any respectable employment;
and oh, the terrible life that led those
two years that he lived. 1t is dreadful
to say it, but his death was actually
relief" ----.-'-.-
"And they never answered your let
ters?" said her husband, Indignantly.
81 cannot understand such vindictive-
ness,
"The first one was returned unoren-
ed" she answered aof the others l
never had any tidings.A But am sure
they would have forgiven me had they
known all. II may be that the letters
were intercepted. The suspicion has
occurred to me lately that they fell in
to my husbands hands, and that he re-
mailed and stamped that first one to de-
ceive me and prevent my writing 9TH
ers."
'cDon't call that man your husband
Kate. 1t makes me shiver. He was
capable of anything, and 1 have no
doubt your suspicion is correct. But
surely you wrote after his death?"
81 did not" she replied. "I was so
utterly heart-broken by all that had oc-
CURED, as to believe myself an outcast
from love and kindness forever more.
You know what I suffered, and how 1
went from place to place, vainly seek
ing employment. The stage was the
only means of livelihood that offered
itself. All! can ever forget from what
a life you rescued me, the humble bal
let-girl?'
"But, remember, you said it was from
love, not gratitude, that you became
my wife. For 1 am old enough TO be
your father, Kate, and had ysu refused
me what craved, would have adopted
you as my daugh.er."
"Old in years, but young in heart"
she answered. ,"If my first marriage
was wretched mistake, my second is
indeed blest, and crowned with such
happiness as 1 never hoped to enjoy.
The carriage had reached the suburbs
of the city by this time, and now stop
ped before large house, with an old
fashioned, hospitable aspect very in
viting. er