The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-08-10


thrust it into the escritoire. Gone now was
her recent repentance, good resolutions, and
revived trust. She would read that letter,
yes she would, cost what it might. Her
hypocrite She was going to catch him now.
Of course that's where his evenings were
spent, at that womau's and nowhere else
She shut her teeth hard as she inly vowed to
obtain divorce from him, the false, wicked,
cruel, cruel wretch There was the proof of |
his per6dy, there in her hands! But first
she would read read it-and then-ah, then!
She stopped in her wrathful TRADE as
she read -
"MY DEAR BERTHE Il cannot-no, /
never can tell you of the horror and an
guish that seized me at receipt of your news.
My son to have been guilty of such an ac-
ton My son! my once priced darling
child But you have yourself to blame for
it, yes, yourself and Margaret. You were
both infatuated with him. 1t was no use
my speaking to you. l told you not to
trust him; and now l hope you'll believe
next time say anything. And SO all that
pile of money is gone Ten thousand dol
lars Its awful How will you ever meet
the blow? You say you alone will have To
bear the loss you could not think of max
ing your partner suffer for what you con-
slider to have been your fault-introducing
your brother-in-law into the business. My
dear BERTHE, that's very foolish, allow me to
tell you. 1 don't see why your partner
shouldn't go shares in your losses as well as
your profits. You might just as well have
lost the money in some other way. My son,
than common thief. You say he cashed
the bills and then absconded that the books
are all at skies and seven, and you have to
stay in the office till near midnight to ar
range all in proper order again. Dear me,
it's shocking But there's one consolation
i always told you how it would be- It's
all your own fault; and now, of course, you
must bear the consequences.
"About your strict prohibition not TO
breathe word about it to Margaret can't
: say l approve. No husband should have a
secret from his wife. But of course you
know best. I'm so upset by the shameful
news l scarcely know what | am doing.
My nerves are all in perfect tremble.
"You want to know whether l have seen
anything of that bad, wicked boy. My dear
Berthe, that's just like you. Don't you think
if I had would soon have marched him
hack again? You think he's still in this
vicinity, do you? Then all can say is I'm
sorry for your belief My conviction is that
. if not already in California, he is on his
way there. can't say l approve of your
i wanting to manage the affair quite by your
self. You might meet him some night, you
l know, and he always carries firearms. Al
l all events, be on your guard. know what
d a high temper you have, and that bad, bad
h boy is easily provoked. Dear me- wish
6 | were dead. l only hope he is in Califor.
y mia so that your superstitions about encour.
i tering him may yet not be verified.
d "Pray let me know whether you have dis
n covered any trace yet, and how poor Mar
q" garet bears it. Oh! forgot she didn't
e know.
II "Good-by, my dear BERTHE. Believe me
o it's great comfort to me that it's all you
own fault and Margarets, and that ] hac
Il nothing whatever to do with it. alway
q told you how it would end. My best low,
20 your wife, and accept same for yoursel
e from your broken hearted mother-in-law
l. ANNA MARIA YEssoP,
l. "P, S.-You say for Margaret's sake yor
t, wish to keep the whole affair quiet, that
t. the reason you assign for having no searcl
" made for the reprobate. Allow me to tel
er you that you are decidedly in the wrong, a
y the greater part of the money might hav
I'd been recovered. However, of course yo
n. know BEST and I've no doubt the wretche
Id boy will make restitution some day whe
s. he's made pile Of money, as he was alway
OF of a generous disposition, and very fond G
to you. Of course his behaving so was shame
ne full. L shouldn't wonder but what ther
I'd were some woman at the bottom of it ALI
ok A. M. Y"
wv How long Margaret sat after perusin
IS this unique specimen of incoherency 81
ne never knew All her faculties were stunne
III Her very powers of reasoning seemed gon,
ss Her brother a common thief!-had embe
IL zled large sum of money and absconde
tn She passed her hand over her throbbir
&C. temples in mute agony. Her husband-h
ad good, kind, noble husband-how she hs
e. maligned him. How worse and shamef
n appeared now not merely her own conduC
'ct but also her mothers in contrast to his hig
TO souled forbearance, for, with smile of bi
ter derision, Margaret called to mind h
is mothers incessant opportunities in giviI
nd the scapegrace another trial How she hs
en- pleaded for him, and so got her to interce
ly with her husband, in spite of the obscu
ad past. True, there had been no actual erin
lie, but now, now-oh, how would her mot
in er, how could she-how dared she, in tn
lat mean false fashion exonerate herself from
ill all blameY Apart from shameful fact ha
py ing occurred, where was the money to col
I'M from to cover the deficiency? She knew b
Ow husband to be prosperous, but she doubt
ess his ability in meeting such heavy stro
int all at once-perhaps quite unprepar,
irs Poor dear fellow All was explained no
ra- His altered and troubled appearance,
err late coming home, his patient, dgnif
ON bearing undet all her cruel taunts and
ful proaches. How she could explain the 5
ich nifcance of the monosyllabe don't" 81
'he ken so gently in answer to her threat of goi
her back to her mother. One idea only pc
md essed her. She would go to him, she wor
vas beg his forgiveness on her Bonded kne
IDS she would work her fingers to the bones
ted need be, only to wipe out that stain--tl
ita- shameful stain of which she felt herself ps
ltly ly guilty. With nervous, trembling ha
are she started up to go; then suddenly rec
irst lected that it would not do to make a SC,