River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-01-22

ii thank you very much"
"My time is ever at the service of
my Pensioners, Sir Leicester" | said,
taking the seat he himself placed for
me. Il am glad, however, TO find that
your need is not so grave as | was led
by your steward to believe"
He regarded me, as he laid back in
his chair opposite, with faint, tran.
sient smile.
sit is quite as grave, l can assure
you," he answered. morrison did not
exaggerate. am dying, as he stated.
In less than two hours / shall have
ceased to live u
| stared in amazement, while my
wife's assertion seemed to gain confr-
nation. To me Sir Leicester had sell.
dom looked better.
at is scarcely to clergyman that
should make the confession am about
to-" he proceeded. I" But the name
you bear for all that is good and char.
liable tells me | may trust to your
secrecy. am dying, Mr.. Hartop, be-
cause | am poisoned, the poison being
self-administered. Yes, you behold one
who has just taken his own lifc."
"Sir Leicester!' / cried, leaping up /;
"what are you saying! You are either
hooking me in my calling, or, if true,
medical aid must be obtaied at once"
As | moved toward the door, he
caught my arm gently but firmly, and
forced me back into my chair, while,
with an earnestness almost prayerful,
he exclaimed: SIT is no mockery! 1t
is true, and the most skillful doctor
could find no antidote for the Eastern
drug | have swal lowed, which, in two
hours after it is taken, generally pro.
duces painless death. If you, Mr..
Hartop, feel any compassion for me, do
not let these two hours be lost. have
trusted in you. beg you will not dis
| appoint me, for you see before you the
most wretche1 man on earth!"
81 cannot comprehend" began,
confusedly.
describe her is impossible. Did / do so
accurately, you would attribute my
words to lovers exaggeration, there
fore, judge for yourself"
Taking a miniature from his bosom,
he handed it to me. 1t represented q
young girl of scarcely Is, and with one
of the sweetest, loveliest countenances
| had ever beheld. Even the eyes Of
the picture seemed to thrill the obsery-
er's very soul.
"Seeing her., proceeded Sir Leiees.
ter, "you will not wonder when say
loved Gertrude better than life. She
capable of the purest and truest af-
fection-returned my passion; and |
being then the presumptive heir of my
grandfather, my uncle festered my suit.
Gertrude and | were consequently
looking forward to the confirmation of
our happiness, when my grandfather
died, and it was found that, owing to
personal animosity TO my uncle, an
other grandson had been put in my
place.
SAT the same period, Lord Worth,
elderly but immensely rich, paid
marked attention to Gertrude. Secure
in the knowledge of our mutual love,
no fear aSsailed us, until one day, to
our horror, my uncle informed US that
as was comparatively beggar, oul
engagement must be broken, and that
Gertrude must accept the addresses Of
Lord Worth. | shall not describe our
agony, our useless supplicaticns.
was banished from the house-my
cousin was kept prisoner to her room.
Yet by her maids assistance we man
aged to meet, when we decided to elope.
"Ah, why did not mistrust that
woman! Why did not the fatality
which attended all my plans put me on
my guard ! thought of nothing but
the Joy of soon calling Gertrud mine.
"The night arrived, Gertrude, &C.
companied by her servant, met me,
aud in the .postchaise | had provided
We started for the cottage of the
maids mother, where the former as
sured us a clergyman would be wait.
ing to unite US.
On our meeting in the dwelling stu.
atued in lonely part Of the country,
we found no minister there. The maid
assured me that the falling rain may
have prevented him, but that certainly
he would be there before morning. We
waited. The night went BY spent
it outside the cottage. would not
pass it even beneath the same roof that
covered my poor Gertrude. My ankle.
ty was all for her; and at daydawn ]
: would have started for another clergy
man, when the maid, entreating me tC
} forgive her, stated that in the confusion
} she must have made mistake in tn,
| date, for the clergyman's reply said
: the 9th, not the 9Th. She showed mt
the letter, and believed her. We YET
waited. The night came, and so die
, the clergyman.
eve had already taken our places
. before him when the door was burst
r open, and my uncle, Lord Worth, anC
r three serving men rushed in. Instant
ly was torn from Gertrude, frml,
G held by the servants, and Knocked by
: my uncle, while Lord Worth, grinninc
r and grimacing, took my place opposite
s my beloved as her bridegroom. In vair
D the poor girl resisted; her father
. threatened her with public exposure
I lie confessed that the cottage was on,
! Of ill.repute, and that her stay at il il
S my company had ruined her name for
! ever were the circumstances known
adding, that she would not find anoth
: er with love like Lord Worth's.
e IL saw all then; we had been cruelty
: framed. With n shriek. Gertrudl