Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-07-24

table in the corner covered with writing
materials betrayed her recent presence.
An open letter in a handwriting knew
and detested, attracted my attention.
Husbands have certain prerogativeS. i
asserted one at that moment, and read
the letter. If you care to do the same,
here it is; if not skip it:
DEAR MAY: If you don't eontrive
to send me SO before this day week it
will be ruination for me. If you send it
you will enable me to retrieve my FORM
er position, and become credit to my
family. Yonrs affeetionately. FRANK
"The young rascal, what fresh mess
has he been getting int0?' exclaimed
angrily This same Frank had been the
source of untold squabbles between my
self and Marian; holding fairly good
position in the city, for an unmarried
man, and yet always getting into debt.
Presently heard Marian enter the
house. With the letter in my hand /
confronted her. She turned first white
and then red, and asked me by what
right gentleman entered lady's private
room and read her correspondence.
/ paid no attention to this high-fown
language, but replied by asking her
whether she had been out to post a let
ter. She admitted she had.
ITO Frank 2" inquired.
81 decline to say" she replied, haughti-
ly.
Containing money!" asked.
"That / also decline to say" she repli-
ed.
Here was pretty pass things had
come tony own wife openly refusing
to answer my questionsl What was to
think? / think any one else in my place
would have come To tile s;silIe conclusion
| did-namely, that the letter was to
Frank, and that it contained money. A
few inquiries at the Post-office confirm
ed my supposition. From the time of
this discovery cloud seemed to have
settled over our usually happy house
hold. Marian was sullen and angry, and
sat at the head of the table without
speaking word. Between meal times
| scarcely ever saw her. Martha sided
with her mistress, and always looked at
me reprOachfully.
In the mean time other cares were
pressing hard and fast upon me. In spite
of rigid examination could discover
no clew to the money. OF course /
had been obliged to make it good. and,
in order to do this, had drained myself of
every available farthing.
These events happened at time of
year when it was impossible to call in
many outstanding debts so that after a
while of desperate struggle against our
unfortunate circumstances, was COM
PEELED, sorely against my will, to appeal
! to nv father. All this while had not
been inert about the lost money, but had
held several discussions with detective.
A fear of incurring additional expense
had deferred me from setting him to
work but as he seemed to think that to
trace the money would be the easiest
thing in the world, / at last gave him au-
thority to commence strict investiga-
| ton.
From the detectives 1 went to my
| father, and plainly stating the facts, ask
ed him if he would lend me the sum
had lost. This he agreed to do, and the
conversation turned on family matters
generally. The unhappy coolness which
had arisen between myself and Marian
was presently discussed, and when my
father taxed me with unkindness toward
her, | felt bound to explain to him
Franks demand, and her resentment of
my interference.
Ny mother started up suddenly from a
fit of thinking and piled me with ques-
tions.
"Was Marian the only person who had
access to the sideboard 2"
"As far as know, the only person"
replied.
"And did you say her letter TO her
brother Frank contained money!"
"Yes; a p. o. o. for ten pounds"
/ "Had she ten pounds of her Own2"
| "Not that know Of"
! "Was she likely to have saved it from
her allowance for housekeeping or pri-
yate purposes?"
"Very unlikely, indeed"
"Then," my mother continued, sit
seems to me that the nearer home you
look for your money the sooner you will
find it."
When arrived home my mind was
torn and distracted by conflicting opin-
ions. felt very anxious to discover
some sign of innocence, or may be guilt.
Marian" l said, as gently as l could,
where did you get the money from that
you sent to Frank?"
She started, and turned quickly round
upon NE.
| @How did you know I sent money to
Frank ?"
Never mind how 1 knew it ?" 1 repli-
ed. "Where did you obtain it? You
must answer me that question before
you leave this ROOM" ] added, more
sternly; for her evasion of my question
disquieted me.
She looked at me steadily in the face
for moment, then, dropping her eyes
and clasping her hands tightly together,
she exclaimed:
81 see now the drift of your question.
The money was lost at the same time
that sent some to Frank Harlod, you
suspect 0se-your own wife-of being
the thief, and you have sent that man q
saw he was detective Immediately to
track me out and prove this against me.
Do you intend to send me to prison?"
Marian" answered excitedly, when
| sent that man here no such suspicion
had ever occurred to me, and now that l
must confess it has, one word from you
will dispel it; or, if it should be other
wise (here 1 extended my hand to her,
but she flung it from her. you have only
to acknowledge it to obtain my free for
/ glVeneSS.
"Your fOrgivenessp she added haughtl-
ly,"I do not need it," and without an
other word she left me.
1 For some minutes l remained stun
ned by this new aspect of affairs. Could
it be possible that my Marian was guilty ?
1 would never believe it. And yet she
had not attempted to deny it. Again,
the anxious face she had lately worn,
together with the other circumstances of
the case, served only to confirm the idea.
/ Would that it had not been so, or, even
being so. that she would come to me for
the reconciliation was longing for. and
the forgiveness was only too anxious
\ to bestowl .
! A day or two after this found note
awaiting me when 1 returned home to
dinner. The handwriting was Marian s