The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-04-09

better.
suppressed groan from Charles startled
his wife, and he staggered, rather than
walked out of the shop, Caroline clinging to
him. Her alarm was not lesSened, when on
reaching the house, he flung himself on
chair, and resting; his hana on table, wept
as men seldom do.
CHARLES she exclaimed, "dear, dear,
Charles, by the love yoa once bore me.
entreat you to tell me what rs the matter.
Have not promised to be yours il veal or
woe2 And even-eyen, Ch .rles, should you
have been tempted in doing wrong. even
then your wife will never desert you, never
cease to love you. Only tell me all; am
sure 1 could help you. Do not, my hus-
band, let us go on any longer as we have
been doing this last Winter. Speak to me,
dear, speak to your Caroline, and do
not fear her weakness, for your love
would give her strength to do whatever is
right
So pleaded Caroline, as she knelt by her
husband and threw her arms around him,
and at last he raised his head, and said, in
a hoarse whisper, care you indeed so strong
es you fancyP Tell me, could you really
bear poverty and privation p
Eyes, Charles; so that l possessed your
love and confidence, I could work gladly
for my daily bread
81 have never ceased to love you, my
Caroline; but have feared to confide my
unworthy secret to you, lest your affection
might be lessened; neither could l bear to
deprive you of what you had every reason
to expect to enjoy as my wife, and what l
thought your tastes required to make you
happy"
''Oh, Charles this last doubt is most un-
just; but do not let me interrupt you-let
me know everything
"Yes, L will tell you al, even should you
despise me hereafter; AMI L will also tell
you VIII 1t l have even now resolved to do
to redeem the sin which / have committed.
You are aware, believe, that shortly be-
fore my poor father died, he had become
bankrupt, but not through any fault cf his,
and that his creditors were paid, as far as
possible, by the proceeds of the sale of all
his personal property, which settled about
his working partner, with an income of
three hundred a year, and he is one of the
the creditors to whom a hundred pounds is
still owing, though he has no legal ciiim
for the amount since he signed my fathers
certificate of bankruptcy. He has now a
poor salary Of sixty pounds per annurn, up
on which he is expected to dress and ap-
nd
have a salary of five hundred, and can live
in the greatest comfort
at see it all 1 understand what you are
thinking of - she exclaimed, throwing her
arms around his neck.
"On his death bed continued Charles,
"my father besought me to rescue his
memory from degradation, but L have not
done it And now what do you think of
your honorable, respectable, gentlemanly
husband, who wooed you from -Dingley
Farm, as one who had right to the goodly
income of five hundr ed pounds2''
81 think said Caroline, whose tears
were falling fast, Il think he made a mis-
take in entering upon life as he did, but
that be has entirely repented his error, and
will go hand in hand with his young wife
in redceming the past, and paying all the
creditors in FULL
A silent embrace spoke all that Charles
would have said in reply, while he felt
strangely relieved, and ashamed of having
doubted his wife's good sense of firmness.
He could not exactly emulate her restored
gaiety, for he had sinned too deeply against
his conscience but he felt in all its purity
and strength the redeeming might of re-
newed rectitude of purpose. and that sweet
! peace which follows hearty repentance was
already his. He was astonished the next
day, when Caroline proposed the plans
which she thought should be, Immediately
executed, and did not know whether to ad-
mire most the energy of her resolution or
the ability and good-humor which she after
rangements which they then naturally
agreed upon.
Moving was so expensive, she advised
their remaining in their present quarters.
and said that they would live in two rooms
themselves and let the rest, which would
! pay the rent. Their two servants were AT
once dismissed: all useless furniture was
sold their friends were frankly told that
their circumstances now admitted of nc
visiting and with her own hands Caroline
prepared her husbands meals, and gaily
performed the most arduous household
services.
fortnight after the disclosure, Charles
received his salary for the half wear. anf
after setting aside a portion equal to
laborer's wages for six months for the sup
port Of himself and Caroline, he divided tbs
rest between the different creditors. Only
by his wife's suggestion, when she found
that three out of the four were compare
! lively well off, he resolved to pay the Who'll.
of Stephen Ellice's debt, as he stood il
such sore need of money. Nothing coulC
exceed the delight and astonishment o
e. -f4 49,. l114