The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-07-13
CREIGHTON GRANGE /;
Or, The Strange Purchaser.
BY MAYOR A. F. GRANT.
CHAP. 1.-The Broken Merchant.

Hutter Of surprise among the social and
business circles of c. He was account
ed beyond the breakers of financial ruin,
and when the president of Change read the
announcement of his failure, the city mill
| lionaires looked in each others faces and
said at cannot bel" But there stood the man
himself pale, handsome, but as proud and
unbending as ever. To the many, who sur
rounded him, trying to probe his misfortune
to the bottom, he said that he had failed, SO
terribly indeed, that he feared he would
have to part with the Grange, his elegant
country seat overlooking the rich mart of
the West, Had he speculated rashly? Alas,
yes but he did not say to what extent he
had been duped he kept to himselfhs fool
ish speculation in English bonds, not worth
the paper they were printed on! In his
pride, crushed beyond healing, he kept the
! particulars of his failure from the gaping
world, and let it feed on his reputation with
out restraint.
| He closed his great business house and
met his creditors with that proud smile,
which, in joy or misfortune, never left his
lips. He paid dollar for dollar,
and, when the last human wolf
had been satisfied, Abel Goldwing
found that he had made several inroads
upon his country scat known everywhere as
Creighton Grange. Buttoning his coat close
about his form, he left the city, and sprang
from the vehicle as it stopped before the
mansion. No wife came forth to receive the
bankrupt and condole with him in this the
darkest hour, but one, of his life; and no
little children ran toward him crying "papa"
at the top oftheir merry voices. The broken
man was wifeless, and there were many
proud bellies in the city he had just left be-
hind, who were congratulating themselves
upon what they termed their escape" For,
as things had turned out, they were glad
that Abel Goldwing did not, in the flush of
his fame, ask for their well gloved hands.
"le entered in his house HE home no more.
For without hearts there is no homei-and felt
The soil ude Of passing his own ooor
Without a welcome r.
| 1t was thus with Abel Goldwing no wife;
no sweetheart to greet him on the threshold
of the fairylike place where he had passed
many happy days. The very servants
seemed statues Of ices, and biting his lips
for the first time since his public downfall,
he passed up the steps and entered the soli-
tude of his library. Everything around him
betokened wealth tho luxurious furniture,
the great shelves of costly volumes, the tas-
sells at the damask curtains braided, as they
were, with gold
He did not fling himself into the chair
whose arms seemed ready to welcome and
console him, and pour forth his heart in an
agony of regrets. He stood erect, proud and
white as ghost, in the centre ofthe room
and for the FIRST tmo since leaving the city,
| heard the sound ofhis own voice.
Somebody's plan has succeeded |" he said
bitterly, and there was tinge ofhato in his
tone. "Somebody has made me financial
wreck Who hates me so deeply? Where,
in all my life, have made a single enemy
who could deliberately blight my life and
make beggar ofme? What great sin have
done to deserve all this3 Those English
bonds-those worthless bits of paper, for
which ! paid my thousands-to them trace
my financial ruin. Where is Geofiiy st.
VAIN now? Whose tool was the crafty
fellow? Oh, that he were here, that | might
force from him all the internal plot
that succeeded so well-tearing me, fool that
was, from the pinnacle of happiness and
dashing me upon the rocks of disgrace But
l will rise They may beggar me; but l
shall still be Abel Goldwing, able to regain
my position, terrible to punish the unseen
foe who has so deeply wounded mel"
With the last word quivering his lips, tho
broken merchant went to his desk, and drew
forth tiny gold locket richly set in jewels
Opening it, he gazed upon the miniature of
a girlish face framed in golden hair, beauti-
tul and fresh as summer rose jswelled
with dew. The blue eyes-the miniature
was painted on ivory-seemed TO look
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and tenderness, and for the first time the
man betrayed the weakness of his nature.
"If had dealt fairly with you-if had
listened when, on your knees, you implored
me to stop and hear your defence, might
not have these terrible resolves in my heart
now," he exclaimed, looking at the picture.
81 saw enough then to believe you tickle,
bright eyed Amy Lee, and, though my heart
was wrong to its very depths, cursed you
with all the bitterness Of my soul, and left
you on your knees beside the sea. do not
think you really loved me. Afer we parted
you never sent message but went and
married him-the man whom fought be-
fore the whirlwind of madness swept YOU
from my heart"
lie shut the locket with much bittorness
and tossed it into the drawer from which he
had taken It.
Die there, forever he said. 81 never
want to see that face again.' 20