The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-12-07

peat as defendant AS your counsel, / will
say in preface that by right you will not in
herit a cent of DR.. spencer's estate. You
stand before us, thcn, the son of a poor
miner, with your future life to be made o.
unmade by your wisdom or your lack of it,"
The old lawyer here took a letter from under
his mantln,, q" Horeisa letter written by you
about two months ago,and addressed to Miss
Minnie DcCosta. 1t was intercepted by her
father and she has never seen it or known
of it. l will read it:
FRIEND MINNIE.-Honesty to YOU prompts
me to write you this letter, In few weeks
shall return home and comlnente life as q
business partner Of my fathers. On account
of the social gulf that sewers us, we cannot
renew the relations that once bound us to-
gcthor. Let US forget the promises which we
once made to each ether in the childish en-
, thusiasm of years past, and in the future be,
at least in feeling, friends.
rr Yours, ,.,.w GBRoeE.
suppose added the lawyer" that you
wrote this letter." ........
al wish could deny it," answered the
young man, sadly. . ...r,.
The old lawyer lifted the veil from the
face of the person by his side.. "This, said
he, ISL the friend to whom 1t was addressed"
Minnio's faGe was pale and betrayed the
agitation which she felt. George Spencer
threw the lamp which he held in his hand
upon the ground, and rushed forward, both
| hands extended, but Minnie drow back and
turned her face away. ".
Minnie" he said, stopping short, Gas
God is my judge never meant what that
letter says. t.. ia '...'' "...,l
e it is wicked letter." she said, "and
am sorry did not get it." ......,.,r-.
But" he said, with terrible earnestness,
You must forgive it, only intended to
prorokg,a little quarrel, just before. my rer
turn. You know me too well to believe for
a moment that the letter was real. Adverse
circumstances place me the attitude of a sy-
cophant here now; but since l am-thus
made to defend myself before witnesses, l
call heayep to witness that have loved YOU
since childhoodj it grew upa second nature
with me you have been the star ofmy am
bition during my studies at College-apd if
| have been brought to this dark, earth
bound dungeon to see the last bright hope of
light crushed, swear never again to see
daylight /" ,,s...
" cannot believe you mean IT," she said"
1t was wicked, but 1 forgive il George" and
in ecstacy George clasped her TO his bosom
and ina mutual kiss they buried the hatchet.
Do understand" said Squire Dobson,
that you We're plighted in marriage If SO,
let it be consumated here now"
"I am willing" said George. ... .u.,..
Not now. Let it be next week-to-mor-
row-anytime but now. Give us time. to
talk over the letter, first" pleaded Minnie.
."" Now or never |" shouted Jacob DeCosta,
who till now had been a silent observer Fac
Minnie looked pleadinglY at the firm face
OF the old man for m0ment,and then said
o." Well then assent" and the good rector
stepping forward, made them one, Squire
Dobson giving away the bride.
When the couple, thus mysteriously
united had received the congratulations of
the little dark-lantern assembly, the. old
lawyer handed George large envelope, and
said: 90,
,"Take tbisj it contains my check tor
$1,000 for you and $500 for your wife, a,
present from Mr.. DeCosta. When you 90
from here, let it be to the depot. Take the
FIRST train. Go any whore you please, and
remain till | call for you. And, George,
look out for 'socal gulfs.' Take care, of
Minnie. Ifyou lose her, you lose all, And
when yon return, Mrs Spencer, have hero
little bridal present for YOU" and he un-
folded and held up in his hand, an infants
mantle or cloak, slightly soiled, made Of
cream-colored silk, and trimmod with blue
plush, in the front of which a small diamond.
studded cross glistened ike dew drops in the
morning sunbeams, ... r u =, h.,
Minnie blushed and hid her face in her
hands at what she thought was meant fora
joke; but at this moment the woman, Mary
Kcrns, with ptiable shrek, reeled and
fell PROSTATE upon the musky floor of the
chamber. The old lawyer, hastily gathered
her in his arms, and still holding up the
little mantle, said, his voice ringing through
the subter-rencan passages .'.'.,'
" Well, George, your case is. won l"cand
Jacob DeCosta and the good old rector,
echoed, " Amenl"
And now, reader, with the mourners, let
us gather about the last sad scene In our
narrauve-the death bed of Jacob DeCosta.
lie never worked in the mines after the mar
riage of George ana Minnie His llfe-work
seemed to be finished Shortly after he was
seized with nervous prostitution, and a
threatening of paralysis and now comes
the hour Of his death. The same assembly
who witnessed the marriage are Here, aug
mcnted by the attending physician, Mrs.
Won Week and the Spencer household, and
Sam the coachman. lie died easily his
last words were, Send down the carriage
my work Is done,' and then turned his
head toward the wall and ceased to breathe.
Then il was that the secret of his life was
promulgated by Squire Dobson, who pre-
scnted Minnie with the little mantle, Which
he told her was her own by right, and that
nineteen years ago it was described in every
detectives note book in the country. She
herself was the stolen child who wore the
little mantlci and the mother of her hus-
baud was the frantic perpetrator Of the ter
leflole cIlme' Inc poor woman watched
for and accomplished the deed disguised as
a man in her husbands clothes, in mask,
Her own social misery, coupled with envy,
prompted the act What she did with the
child that night, while she returned and
robbed Mrs. Dr. Spencer of the jewels and
money, she never revealed. Suffice ii, she
did SO, eyaded the detectives, shipped from
New York to Liverpool by stea Iner, anil
went TO the mining regions of Males, where