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

years before had been porter in our Beck
man street store, came into the prison, and
beckening me into an angle, where we were
unseen, told me in whisper that he had
heard I was in prison, and that for more
than six months he had been trying to OBJ
tain a moments interview with me. He
said that he was servant of Simmonds,
and slipping letter into my hands, wills
pered
'Keep that close, and read it when you
can. Maybe it will interest you. My mas
ter lost it, and picked it up
He was gone in moment, and as socn
as the opportunity offered I opened the let
ter and read it. Judge of my horror when
L saw the following in the weIl-kuown
handwriting of William Darragh, my bene-
factor:
'NEw YORK, April 81, 1886.
'MR. SIMMONDS-MY DEAR SIR Mr..
FeargUs OchterlOny will deliver you a let
ter of credit signed by me. Arrest him for
forgery, and keep him closely confined, so
that he can communicate with no one until
l request his release. Enclosed hnd my
check on the - Bank, New or1, for your
trouble. Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM DARRAGH.
ono. - Beellman street"
Then cursed my benefactor as the vilest
reptile on the face of the earth.
On the blank page Jack had written out
a plan of escape, which, by fleeing one Of
the keepers, could be easily accomplished.
The truth flashed upon nae in a moment.
My old master had fallen in love with
Amelia, and had been sent to Nassau and
to prison that he might accomplish his end
in marrying her. No doubt she thought
me dead. Perhaps even now she was his
wife. The thought nearly drove me mad.
In less than week Jack and the bribed
keeper had me out of jail and smuggled on
board schooner bound for New York.
How slow it sailed on its journey. The
days heightened into years and the weeks
into centuries as the lazy breeze waited us
onward l paced the deck and scarcely
slept.
At last the voyage was ended, and 1
leaped upon the pier and fastened to No
Beekman, to denounce Darragh and rescue
Amelia. Pushing my way into the front
shop, 1 inquired for the inmates.
The girl in attendance glanced up in q
frightened sort of way, and exclaimed
''Oh Mr.. Ochterlony, surely you are
dead. They have gone to -- church to
be married"
l did not tarry to explain, but flew to the
church, and bursting open the door, hur-
ried up the aisle. There stood Amelia, the
ghost of her former self, and there stood
William Darragh, her expectant husband.
The clergyman had just begun to repeat
the marriage services.
''Stop - l cried.
Amelia turned and saw me, gazed at me
for moment, and then Pronouncing my
name, fell in the arms of the minister in
dead swoon.
William Darragh did not utter word,
but fled from the church, his face blanched
with terror.
By the time I reached the altar, Amelia
had recovered consciousness, and threw
herself into my arms with tears and sObs of
Joy. 1t took me but a few moments to
make satisfactory explanation to the cler-
gyman, and in fifteen minutes Amelia and
l quilted the church husband and wife.i
We loitered along Broadway and in the
park in the bright April sunshine, while we
detailed our strange experiences during the
past year.
As l had suspected, William Darragh
had told Amelia that l was dead, and show
ed her letter from Simmonds detailing
the circumstances of my death and burial.
Heart-broken, it was but an easy matter to
induce her to marry her benefactor. My
timely yarrival had saved all three Of Us from
a life of misery.
But we could not go back to the house
of our mutual benefactor even for mo
ment. l sought comfortable lodgings in
Varrick street, where Amelia and l began
the VOYAGE ef life together, and very bright
was the beginning of our new life journey.
Our honeymoon was not over, however,
until William Darragh found out our hid
ing place. He came to us in the cleaning
of the evening. How he was changed
His hair, which a month before was but
slightly frosted, was now white as the snow.
He was bent and his face bore the marks
of more than human grief and rersorse.
He told US the whole story without the
slightest reserve. How his jealousy had
been aroused when I spoke of marrying
Amelia, and how he had arranged to keep
me imprisoned at Nassau until he a3d Anne
liza were married.
We both felt instinctively that his love
had crazed him, and when he begged us
to forget aud forgive, and GO home with
him as his dear children, we kissed him
reverently, and went without word.
Once more we were back at our dear old
Beekman street home, but business no long
er prospered with William Darragh. The
crash of '37 came and swept away all he
had, and with it my own little fortune, with
which | lad tried to save his.
We were turned out of house and home
well nigh peuniless, and 1 secured humble
lodgings in Little Jones street, whore by
dint of hard labor I managed to furnish my
wife and our mutual benefactor with the
bare necessities of life. 1t was hard to see
Amelia deprived of the comforts and iuxur-
les she once enjoyed so much, SAd see the