The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-07-07
The Last Friend.
BY CLAUDE DE HAVEN,

, y
with the year. Come to my couch, my
dear friend, that may look upon your
honest face again. that may be chcered
by the pressure Of your hand, and take
inspiration from your love.lit eye. Come,
if you would once more hear me breathe
your name in blessing
The above is fragment Of letter re-
ceived by Horace Weldon, once well and
favorably known among sporting men as
a gentleman of wealth, education, aud re.
fnement. The letter was written by his
former partner in business, Edward Man
ders, or as tie firm used to read. Weldon
& Manders.
For six years the bright gilt sign bear
ing the above inscription graced the bust
ness place Of these two young friends,
when all Of sudden the sign was re.
moved, the store closed, and the simple
though common inscription substituted,
This place for rent No one knew the
cause their entrance into bankruptcy
had not been published, in fact their pa.
per had been honored up to the very
hour of suspending business; their stand.
ing was marked "A. A. in the commercial
directory, and their recognition on change
was A No. /. The social standing Of
both was irreproachable, and no tete,
banquet, or sociable was perfect without
both of them. Both were excellent sing.
ers and thorough musicians, their society
was eagerly sought after by the young
ladies giving receptions; and they were
looked upon with appreciation by ambi.
,ious mothers having marriageabe dsugh
ters.
Their acquaintance took place in the
gold diggings Of Australia, far away from
home, from friends, and the smiling faces
of women. How strangely we meet peo'
pie in the pathway of life, almost uncon
scious of their presence. Yet there are
} people, and people in this world--some
we grow to like by inspiration, as it were
We see each other constantly, and by de-
grees grind off the salient points that
once separated US. 1t is long and moi
pleasant process, and the plain on which
at length we meet and adhere is never
native to our souls. But there are 9th.
ers whom we spring at once to meet
whose kinship was established in the
heavens, before we ever beheld their fac
cs who are nearer and dearer to US in u
week than the loves of our childhood ,and
for whom we are smitten with q passion
ate affection no death can destroy, nc
distance weaken or dismay. Horace
Weldon aud Edward Manders met like
two brothers. No, not like two brothers.
for the everlasting tie of blood, though
in this life we can neither escape or avoid
it. is by no means necessarily a tie Of
sweetness, If it is always affection, it is
sometimes an affection so exquisitely
painful that hatred would be calmcr
passion, and contempt more grateful
feeling. 1t is too often an exasperated
self.love, full Of thorns, yet with an oc.
casional blossom ofpurest loveiness. But
these two men met like predestined
friends, as they were, and few months
of varied experience in the wilds Of Aus.
tralia found them living together in a
miners hut alone
1t is needless to some, useless to 9th.
crs, that should undertake to describe
how Horace Weldon and Edward Man.
ders grew to each other in this wild life
-undemonstratively enough, in the shy
and silent fashion of men. There are
only few words to tell of it, and these
are not mine The soul of j Jonathan was
knit with the soul of David 1t was a
proverb amongst the red.shirted and
long. bearded miners, and at the rancho
where they went for supplies, Mexicans
gave them names in their own language
that meant duality, and the miners held
so faithful an affection in profound re.
spect, that Whenever at the camp or era.
dies they were called the Twins OF
Mates, or 'Buddies, which was a syno.
nym for honor, honesty, and respect
They had worked together, dug the bright
precious ore and glittering dust. and
weekly divided it equally; and then in
the long summer nights, when work was
over, and the camp fire burned dismally
and low, would they sit beneath the tall
swaying pines, while the silver moonlight
glimmcred through its tasseed foliage
and blended their hearts and thoughts TO-
gethcr.
Their homes were in America Tor.
ace Weldon's in Maryland, Edward Man.
der's in Pennsylvania. A letter came tc
Weldon once, ard told him to return
Could he leave his friend alone iu the
wilderness, for all the wild creatures tc
combat with The man he loved alone on
earth, perhaps the only thing he would
ever love, for the old ties Of kindred were
overgrown with crop of bitter weeds nc
man should harvest. a bitter rGeollec.
tion passed through his mind, aud cast Il
gloom upon his countenance that reflect.
ed strangely in the dim, dying embers
What say you, Manders, to our re
turning home? Are you willing to leave
the dggings now and return with me tC
America, and we will embark in busines,
together?'
Edward Manders removed his gazt
from the dying Goals and punched the fire
anew, in meditative manner, seemingly
unconscious of the interrogation, when il
a moody manner and husky voice, he re
piled that he was willing to leave it il i
suited the convenience OF his friend
Preparations were speedily completed
for the voyage without notifying thei
friends, and Within two weeks from tn,
time Of the proposition to return, they
r were on their way to America, In due
time they arrived safely, and at once re
paired to their respective homes, with thu
promise Of speedy reunion, whichre
suited in the copartnership stated at thu
commencement of this sketch. The Sc
| quence Of their dissolution to be explained
hereafter. After the closing of thei
place of business, Horace Weldon ha,
been rarely seen; Edward Manders new
er. The circle in which they had as
sOciated were not rraced with either