Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-10-16

his own band. / might have stay
ed him. but did not" She looked
intently at him, as If to read his
thoughts then said: "You are NOT
young; you have a kind face. ]
will trust you. Judge who is gull
ty."
Dreading such a confidence, DR.,
Rowe would have Irefused : but,
with imploring looks, she entreated
him.
sin pity, hear me. You have
discovered the truth but do not
condemn me without cause. My
life is in your hands,
Leaving the bedside she APP
preached the table in the center OF
the room, her face partly averted
from the light, aud proceeded, in
measured tones: "Six years ago,
the wife of that man"
"Yourself!" suggested DR.. Rowe ;
as, he scarcely knowing how to
avoid confronting her, he leaned
on the back Of chair.
She made an impatient gesture
with her hand, and proceeded
"Six years ago ] was one Of the
happiest of girls. People called
me beautiful. know l had many
admirers, and had not a care. /
was my poor fathers idol, and my
family's spoil darling"
She stopped to struggle with her
emotions. In a few seconds, re-
covering herself, she continued.
IL was not eighteen when my
father now dead, fell in difficulties,
which threatened ruin and disgrace.
His chief creditor was Samuel Ash
forth, who pressed him to the ut
termost for settlement. Ruin
was impending, when an escape
was offered. Samuel Ashfortb
promised to cancel the debt on re-
ceiving me as bis wife. my father
refused the sacrifice I; but / having
over heard the conversation, frank
ly rendered the hand where | could
not give the beart. Samuel Ash
forth, hard and obdurate, accepted
me-"
Mrs. Ashforth paused. The doc
tor cast his eyes upon the ground ;
he could not bring himself to look in
her face. Finding he neither spoke
nor gave her sympathetic
recognition, she went on.
"In vain my family expostulated.
Samuel Ashforth was as ill-favored
in face as in mind, and over thirty
years my senior. l was FIRM
married him-my father was
saved"
ga brave deed but an unhappy
one," said the listener, touched.
"Most unhappy proceeded the
'ther; "for soon my husband grew
weary of the wife he had bought
ired of her who plainly told him
she had no love to give; and her
misery commenced. My lips"-she
,lasped her hands in shame before
ler face-"cannot repeat, even in
,elfextenuation, how he insulted and
degraded me; how, by perpetual
cruelties, he strove to break my
heart how, enraged at any inter-
ference of my family, he brought
me to this gloomy house, a prison
er-watched, and spied upon by
the old crone you saw, the only
servant he would allow me-"
The doctor averted his face.
The narrative touched him.
"But my solitude was nothing
compared with the horror of his
visits. was a slave, not a wife.
No task-master was ever more
brutal. l prayed for death-it
would not come"
Hiding her face, she wept pas
sionately.
Poor thingw said the doctor
And the wretched woman continu.
ed.
"Three days ago, Mr.. Ashfortl
arrived from the city. There h,
passed for temperate man-her,
he gave way to the most degrading
intemperaDce. He came dowI
earlier than he intended, he said
because be was i'll and wanted at
tention. nursed him; but he
would not permit me to administe
the medicine he brought with him
There were two bottles, one o
which was labeled poison IL
Limited | might make a mistake il
the draught. Two hours ago, afte
drinking deeply, he arose from hi
bed to get his draught. told hin