Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-03-13


riority. They pronounced him guilty
and were glad to do it; the whole affai
was shocking, of course, but it showe'
what men of fair pretensions could brinl
themselves to do, ETC., etc. Such expires
sions, and hints, and inuendos had thei
desired effect in increasing the feeling
against the accused. Arthur, though
innocent, became at last resigned to hi
fate; to the few who clung to hin
through all he was deeply grateful, bu
towards the many who were less charit
able he grew at last indifferent-it wa
despair. Circumstances were agains
him, and the verdict of the court tha
tried him was "Guilty." He was sen
fenced to an imprisonment of t,Cents
years. That was eighteen years ago.
This is terrible story, my dear girls
I almost wonder that I can bring mysel
to repeat it. You may in turn wonder
how endured my sorrows; but friends
were kind, Arthur was innocent, God IL
just, and patience has its reward at last
Let me drop the veil over the sad and
lonely years that followed. I did not
after the first year resign myself to hope.
less grief, but found work to do amongst
the poor and needy, and thank heaven
for it, for it has saved me. Oflate, have
l not seemed happier to you than when
you first knew me?"
"You always seemed happy to me,
aunt" answered sympathetic Clara
"that is-how can I express it?-softIy
happy"
Aunt Margaret smiled and paused.
"Oh, aunt, go on, 60 on ]" "cried Lucy,
who had caught from the words of the
stately woman suggestion of something
glad to follow. 1.-The story is not ended
yet; there is something morew
YES" was the reply, given in tone
so deeply calm and hopeful, that the
girls pressed closer to the speaker. "You
think am patient" she continued,
"but in my heart there is feeling 30
restless, SO eager, that sometimes think
l am hypocrite to be so quiet apparent
ly, when am 30 impatient in reality.
In short time 1 expect to be informed
that Arthur is to be discharged from i'm.
prisonment, two years in advance of the
expiration of his term, since his conduct
has been SO unimpeachable during his
confinement, that although he is still
believed guilty by the majority, we are
sure the Government can be induced to
pardon him. Pardon him !" she repeat
ed bitterly; che was never guilty. He
has promised, when released, to make
me his wife. Unknown to you, unknown
to nearly every one, I have seen him
frequently during his imprisonment
and we are the same to each other as we
were before that dreadful event clouded
what should have been to US years of
happiness and freedom. 7 have little
more to say just now, my dears, but
pray God that your young hearts may
never suffer as mine has; but if any
grief so great. should fall upon you, ask
for the sustaining patience which Heav-
en- has, in kindness, given me-"
Deeply affected, just as the evening
coolness of the day began to be felt, the
three left the riverside for the house.
=
1t was October-the month that is to
the declining what June is to the OPEN
ing year. Clara Dalton and Lucy Gray
were again on the river bank; Aunt
Margaret was with them-and Arthur
Graham was with her-her husband.-
He had not been ''pardoned' by the
Government; but his immediate dis
charge had been ordered in just six
weeks after the summer day Margaret
Hartley had told her sad life story to her
young friends, in consequence of revela.
tions made by the parties really guilty
of the crime-forgery-for which Arthur
Graham had been tried and convicted
The mighty wrong that had been done
him both by the law and the world could
never be repaired. A great gap had been
made in his life by those eighteen years
of ignominious confinement. But his
heart had been kept alive and sweet by
the faithful love of Margaret. 1t was in
deed beautiful and unusual proof of
wor1an's constancy. My readers will
think that have been telling them an
Invented tale, and indeed it reads very
much like it, but it is truth, and not fic.
ton.
The world lost mice old maid" when
Margaret Hartley became Mrs. Arthur
Graham; but if this story has a minor
moral, it is to show that there are, among
those whom the thoughtless call "old
maids" as if the title were a reproach,
some of the best, the gentlest and the
most loving of the sex.