Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-08-20

the truth OF MS stories In so lar as thew 1
concerned her. This fell like a thun-
derbolt on me. Could it be possible
that his wife, whom had regarded as
the type of moral goodness, should
have made such false and atrOcious
statements? And yet if she had not, |
how would he dare to send me to her
for confirmation of his charges?
/ went forth like a sleep-walker,
while clouds were flying in the sky.
There had been a snow storm, which |
was breaking away. The winds were
out and whistling through the leafess
trees, but all this was peace compared
to my mood within. 1 believe that
Moulton went with me to the door of
Tilton's house. The housekeeper (the
same woman of whom Mrs. Tiiton had
complained,) seemed to have been in
structed by him, for she evidently ex-
pected me, and showed me at once up
10 Mrs. Tilton's room. Mrs. Tilton lay
upon the bed. white as marble, with
closed eyes, as in trance, and with her
hands upon her bosom, palm to palm,
like one in prayer. AS look back on
it, the picture is like some forms carv-
ed in marble that I had seen upon mon
uments in Europe.
THE RETRACTION WRITTFN.
She made no motion, and gave no
sign of recognition of my presence. /
sat down near her and said, elizabeth
Theodore has been making very seri-
GUS charges against me, and sends me
tC you for confirmation. She made
no reply or sign. Yet it was plain that
she was conscious and listening. I re-
peated some of his statements-that
[ had brought discard to the family,
had alienated her from him, had sought
to break up the family, had usurped
his influence, and then, as we'll as I
could, added that he said that had
made improper suggestions to her, and
that she had admitted this fact to him
last July. Isaid, elizabeth, have you
made such statements to him ?' She
made no answer. / repeated the ques-
ton. Tears ran down her cheeks, and
she very slightly bowed her head in
acquieScence. / said, "You cannot
mean that you have stated all he has
, charged" She opened her eyes and
began in slow and feeble way to ex.
plain how sick she had been, how
, wearied out with importantly; that he
!, had confessed his own alien loves, and
, said that he could not bear to think
| she was better than he; that she might
win him to reformation if she would
confess that she had loved me more
than him, and that they would repent
, and go on with future concord. / can
not give her language. but only the
tenor of her representations. / receiv
, ed them impatiently, spoke to her ir
the strongest language of her course.
said to her, Have ever made any i'm
, proper advances to you?' She said
.sNo.' Then 1 asked, why did you say
so to your husband % She seemed deep
!, lly distressed. My friend,' (by tina
, designation she almost always called
7 mel Il am sorry, but could not hell
a it. What can do?' 1 told her she
/ could state in writing what she haC
+ now told me. She beckoned for he
writing materi Ills which I handed he
y from her secretary near by, and she sa
I up in bed and wrote a brief counter
n statement.
+ In sort of postscript she denied ex
i plicitly that l had ever offered any i'm
!. proper solicitation to her, that bein,
y tn only charge made against me by
4 TiIton, or sustained by the statemen
. about the confession which he had rea'
p to me. / dreamed of no worse charg
: at that time. That was horrible enough
:. The mere thought that he could max
n it and could haveeXtorted any evidenc
a on which to base it, was enough t
- take away my senses. Neither my con
i sciousness of its utter falseness, DO
y Mrs. Tilton's retraction of her part il
a it could remove the shock from m
% heart and head. Indeed, her admis
\ sion to me that she had stated unde
# any circumstances to her husband s
r. wicked falsehood was the crownin
a blow of all. 1t seemed to me as if sh
:. was going to die, that her mind wa
a overthrown, and that L was in som
II dreadful way mixed up in it, and Nigh
h be left by her death with this terribl
f. accusation hanging over me.
:. l returned, like one in a dream,
q MOuItOn's house, where said very Iii
n tie and soon went home. 1t has bee
Il said that confessed guilt and expires;
= ed remorse. This is utterly false.
Il it likely that, with Mrs. Tilton's RI
7 traction in my pocket, l should hay
"a thus stultified myself?
N Concluded neat Week.)