The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-11-12

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mich. He was always at Aunt Hitty's,
and going away late; and Aunt Hitty
was usually i'll with neuralgia, which
prevented conversation on her side,
while Dora had nothing to do but keep
the ball rolling, and was never weary of
talking of Clements case.
You are profoundly interested in
this affair."" Cleverly said to her one
night when she had stepped out upon
the pizza to wish by the new moon, and
he had followed.
Nothing interests me so much" Mr..
Cleverly WINGED.
What would you do to prove his in
| nocenceP"
Anything-that was right"
Would you marry some one else, if
that would save himP"
"Some one l do not love? Would
that be right?"
Where would be the harm, if he
preferred to marry without love, rather
than not at ALP"
These are mere idle words, Mr..
Cleverly."
mo, they are not mere Idle words.
Listen; you will do anything to save
Clement Smithers. is it wrong to make
another happy, and save a friend from
ruinP Then marry me, Dora, and l
will save him; / give you my word"
why will you make such condition
| if it is possible for you to clear himp
Why will you not accomplish it gratu
| itouslyP"
because / love you, and / am not
| QuiXotic. At present your story is not
credited; you are suspected of weak
ness for the prisoner. Were you my
wife, that prejudice would be cancelled.
Marry me, dear Dora, and / swear to
save his name and credit, or forfeit my
own"
How could I do such thing, even
| to save ClementP"
1t is in your power to decide whether
! he shall sp nd his best years in prison,
| in the pursuit of menial tasks, in con-
vict's garb, in the society Of abandoned
men, imbittered by injustice. 1t seems
to me that you can not hesitate"
Was it true, then, she asked herself,
that ii was in her power to save Clement
from ignolniny, and did she hesitate? |?
Did she rot love him we'll enough to
sacrifice everything for himp Daily she
reached the heights of renunciation,
daily she slipped back into the valley of
! humili ttion and self-love. Every day
Mr.. Ceverly pressed his suit, waxed
eloquent, convinced her ignorance by
plausible proofs and promises, and one
day he carried his point.
Yes, she assented, feebly; 81 will
marry you to save Clement"
9 accept the TERMS" he said. you
will marry me for Clements sake; by
and by you shall love me for my own. "
She could make no objections to an
early wedding, since it was only rs Mr..
| Cleverly's wife that she could influence
Clements fate, while Aunt Hitty, un-
aware of the conditions of the contract,
at that time, pressed the matter forward
with feminine alacrity. I'm sorry for
| Clement Smithers," she confessed, "but
you couldn't marry a felon if you loved
him to distraction. Mr.. CleVerly says
he prefers a wedding in church. Shall
it be satin and tulleP' But it seemed as
If Dora had but a shadowy interest in
the preparations, such as ghost might
have.
1t was toward dusk of a dark after
noon, always darker in the place where
Clement awaited his trial than else
where, that Mr. Oliver, one of the bank
directors, was admitted to an interview
with the prisoner.
You have come to beg me to confess
what / have done with the bonds?"
laughed Clement, bitterly.
NO." replied Mr.. Oliver; 81 have
come to tell you that the bonds have
| been found"
"Foundn
Exactly. We had wind-storm on
Mr.. Cleverly's wedding day. You have
the newspapers here's you must have
read ofit?"
=" read nothing here; / have beeu
composing a satire on justice instead. |
did not know Cleverly was married"
mop" 1t was a furious gale, and the
old elm that stood near the Church OF
the Heavenly Mamma broke beneath it.
a splinter struck MIR. Cleverly as he
passed from the carriage to the church
door. 1t proved his death blow"
Poor fellow! On his wedding day,
tool But what has that TO do with me
or the bondsP"
"Mr. Cleverly was our teller, you re-
member. Yesterday the bonds were
found among his personal effects. That
is all"
"That is a good deal, said Clement,
a new color flushing his face. II should
not have thought it of Cleverly. How
ever, let us speak no i'll of the dead. On
his wedding day, too! Who was he
going to mirryg"
Miss Theodore Gray"
Miss Theodore Gray! My Dora
he cried. The cloud that had lifted for
n space dropped again over Clement,
and he walked out of prison more hope
less and heartless than he had entered.
He asked no questions; he did not seek
Dora. The captain of the Swan, about
to sail for the Indies, had fallen i'll, and
he accepted the situation without a mo-
ment's hesitation.
On the homeward voyage he put about
to relieve shipwrecked crew. You'll
never catch me mt sea again" one of the
rescued contided to Captain Smithers'
mate when she had gotten to rights on
board the Swan. Between seasickness
and shipwreck, it's no joke. You see,
the doctor prescribed voyage for my
niece; a love affair, you know-lowered
her system. l wonder if shipwreck is a
tonic? Save us! who is thatP The
captain? Why, man alive! it's Clement
Smithers! Dora! Dora! there was q