Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-07-31
NUMBER AZ.

you believe that?" said he. az certainly
did, implicitly" said. "Well, let me
tell you: they all live. Not one is de-
stroyed."
If this was said ITO intimidate me it
had quite the contrary effect; / had
never been so fearless nor seen so clearly
before with when was dealing. Coming
to me little later: 81 want you to read
it. You will.find it vindication of your
self You, have not stood before the
community for five years as you now do"
Z g. Reused. still further by the wicked
ness hid behind so false a mask, Ireplied:
Theodore understand me. This is the
last time you call me publicly to walk
through this filth. My character needs
no vindication, at this late hour from
you. There was time, had you spoken
out clearly, truthfully and manfully for
me, had been grateful; but now | shall
Fspeak and act for myself. Know, also,
that if in the future see a scrap of pa
per referring to any human being, how
ever remote, which it seems to me you
might use or pervert for your own ends,
| will destroy it." "This means battle
on your part, the H." he said. "Just so
far" replied.
Z. write this because these words of
mine he has since used to my harm. The
next morning | went to my brother, and
told him that now | had decided to act
in this matter; that / had been treated
by my husband as nOnentity from the
beginning; plaything to be used or let
alone at will; that it had always seemed
to me | was a party not little con-
cerned | then showed him
card / had made for publication.
He respected the motive, but
still advised silence on my part. |
yielded thus far as to not appear in the
public prints, but, counseling with my
self and no other, it occurred to me that
among the brethren of my own commun
ion | might be heard. Not knowing of
any church committee, asked the privi-
lege of such an interview in the parlors of
those who had always been our
mutual friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ov-
ington then learned for the first
time that the committee would meet that
night, and advised me to see those gen
tlemen as perhaps the godliest persons |
could select This / accordingly did.
There alone / pleaded the cause of my
husband and my children, the result being
that their hearts were moved Ill SYM
pathy for my family, feeling their
pastor had shared for years, and for
which he was now suffering. On going
home / found my husband reading in
bed. I told him where / had been, and
that / did not conceal anything from
him, as his habit was from me. lie asked
who the gentlemen were. He said no
more, rose, dressed himself, and bade me
good-by forever.
s. The midnight following [ was
~ CT W
my bedside In a very tender, kind voice
he said he wished to see me.
rose instantly, followed him to his
room, and, sitting on the bedside, he drew
me into his lap. "He was proud OF
me, loved me so that nothing ever
gave him such real peace and satis-
faction as to hear me well spoken
Of" AT that meeting, from member OF
the committee, he had learned that he
had been mistaken as to my motive IN
seeing the committee and had FASTENED
to assure me that he had been thorough
ly ~'retched since his rash treatment OF
me the night before, etc. Then and
there we covenanted sacredly our hearts
and lives, | most utterly renewing the
trust in the one human heart L loved.
The next day how happy we were!
Theodore wrote statement to present
to the committee when they should call
upon him. to all Of which | heartily ac-
ceded. This document, God knows, was
true history of this affair, completely
vindicating my honor and the honor OF
my pastor In the afternoon he left me to
show it to his friends. He returned home
early in the evening, passing the happiest
hours / had known for years, assuring
me that there was no rest for him away
fro,,n NO % -, of l,vp fO the dear
Father ] slept. OH that the end had
then come; would not then have re-
ceived the cruel blow (which made a
woman mad outright"
The next morning he called upon Mr..
and Mrs Ovington and there, with
shocking bravado, began awicked TRADE,
adding with oaths and violence the
shameful slanders against Mr.. Beecher,
of which / now believe him to be the
author. This fearful scene | learned
next day. In the afternoon he showed
me his invitation from the committee to
meet them that evening; | did not show
my hurt, but carried it heavily within,
but calmly without, all night till morn
ing. Reflection upon this scene at Mr.
Ovington's convinced me that notwith-
standing my husbands recent profession
to me his former spirit was unchanged,
that his declarations of repentance and
affection were only for the purpose OF
gaining my assistance to accomplish his
ends in his warfare upon Beecher.
In the light of these conclusions my
duty appeared plain. | rose quietly,
and, having dressed, reused him, only
to say "Theodore, / will never
take another step by your side. The
end has indeed come" He fol
lowed me to Mrs. Ovington's to break
fast, saying that / was unduly excited,
and that he had been misrepresented,
perhaps, but leaving me as determined
as before. How to account for the change
which twenty-four hours have been capa-
BILE of working in his min i, then fixed for
many years past, ] leave to the eternities,
with their mysteries, to reveal. That he
is an unreliable and unsafe guide, whose
idea of truth-loving is self-loving, it is
my misfortune in this late, sad hour to
discover. ELIZABETH II. IILTON.
Brooklyn, July 3d. 1874
A CaiJor,s 0uinion of Comet.