River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-02-24
MISCELLANY.
A CONFESSION.

sick man "they cannot cure me. Send
for a clergyman and lawyer. 1t is all
over now and better so; life is but a
long fever. Perhaps he will sleep now,
and let me sleep too. Yes, killed him.
Why, | will tell you. Give me some
wine"
What said at the inquest about ow-
ing my worldly prosperity to him was
true. trace my pecuniary success to
Mr.. Elmsdale; but J trace also hours,
and years Of anguish to his agency. My
God the nights that man has made me
spend when he was living, the nights
have spent in consequence of his
death"
He stopped. lie had mentally gone
back over long journey. He was re-
tracing the road he had travelled, from
youth to old age. For he was old; if not
In years, in SORROW. Lying on his death
bed, he understood for what game he
had burnt his candle to the socket; com
pretended how the agony, and the sus-
pense, aud the suffering, aud the long,
long fever Of life, which with him never
knew rcmittont moment, had robbed
him of that every man has right to ex-
pect, some pleasure in the course of his
existence.
"When first met Elmsdale,' he went
on, 81 was young man. and an amb-
tious one. was clerk in the city. ] had
been married couple Of years to a wife
loved dearly, She was possessed of only
small dot; and after furnishing our
house, and paying all the expenses incl
dent on the coming OF first child, we
thought ourselves fortunate IN knowing
that there was still a deposit standing
IN our name at the Joint-stock Bank for
something over 600.
Nevertheless | was anxious. So lar
we had lived within our income; hut
with an annual advance of salary only
amounting 10 ten pounds or whereabouts
! did not see how We were to manage
when more children came, particularly
as the cost of living increased day by day.
1t was dear year that Of which ! am
speaking.
II do not precisely remember on what
occasion it was that first saw Mr.. Films.
dale; but knew afterwards he picked
me out as a person likely to be useful to
him.
''He was ON good terms with my EN-
plOyers, aud asked them to allow me to
bid for some houses he wanted to pur.
chase at a sale.
ITO this hour do not know why he
did not bid for himself. He gave me a
five pound note for my services, and that
was the beginning Of our connection. OF
and on, did many things for him OF ono
sort or another, and made a rather nice
addition TO my salary out of doing them,
till the devil, or he, or both, put it into
my head to start as builder and speculat.
or OH my own account.
/ did not answer, | only moistened his
parched lips, and bathed his burning fore
head as tenderly as my unaccostomed
hands understood how to perform such
offices.
''Lift me a little, please" he said; and
put the pillows in position as deity as !
could.
"You are not bad fellow. he remark
ed, but am not going to leave you any.
thing"
God Forbid" | said Involuntary.
III had two hundred pounds and my
furniture; that was the whole of my cap
ital; but Mr.. Elmsdalc found me money.
I thought my fortune was made the day
he advanced me my first five hundred
pounds. Il | had known-if | had
known
Don't talk any more | entreated.
"What can it avail to speak of such mat
ters nOw!'
lie turned towards me impatiently.
"Not talk he repeated, "when for
years have been as one dumb, and at
length the string of my tongue is loosen
cd! Not talk, when, if | keep silent now,
he will haunt me in eternity, as he has
haunted me in timel''
Are you not in want Of money! he
asked.
Not Of yours answered.
"Mine," he said; sit is not mine. it is
his. lie thought great deal of money,
and he has come back for it. He can't
rest, and he won't let me rest till have
paid him principal and interest--com.
pound interest. Ycs--well, | am atle
TO do even that.
We sat silent for a few moments, then
he spoke again.
"When first went into BUSINESS with
my borrowed capital, Hoihing ! touched
really succeeded: found myself going
back-back. Far better wasm my position
as a clerk then at least slept sound
at nights, and relshed my meals. But
had tasted Of SO called independence,
and could net 60 back to b. at the
beck and call Of an employer. All :
no employer ever made me work s. hard
as Mr.. Elmsdale no peck aud call were
ever so imperative as his.
pass over long time Of anxiety,
struggle and hardship. The world
thought me prosperous man probably
no human being save Mr.. Elmsdale,
understood my real position. and he
made my position almost uncomfortable.
GLOW came first to bet on races
would be a long story, longer than ] have
time 10 tell; but my betting began on
very small scale, and | always won--al
ways " the beginning. ! won 20 Ger
tainly and 30 continuously that finally
began 70 hope Coz doliycFenre from Films
aale's clutches