The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-03-13
BROOKHAvEN. MISS, THU1{lDAY MARCH l + vo

go in her. He saw Grace Melburne,
and she would wait. He saw DR.. ives
ton, and the kind old gentleman praised
him for his manly Independence.
Again Arthur Morton was upon the
sea, and again he assumed the duties of
his Office. and even more. He even
stood watch when there was no need of
it, and during seasons of storms he
claimed post on deck.
AT the end of another year the young
man returned to his home again. He
was eight and twenty, and few who
knew him two years before could recog-
nize HIM now. His face was bronzed
by exposure, his form was filled out to
perfection. aud he was greeted with
great affection by old DIR. Weston, who
would l;,sist on his staying with him
during his leave on the shore. One
day after Arthur's arrival he suddenly
burst into the room and said abruptly:
"Well, Arthur, Mr.. Crobsy is here.
will you see him?"
"See him? See Mathew Crobsy?
OF course I will. He owes me an ex-
planatlon, AMI hope he can give me a
satisfactory one."
The door was opened and Mr.. Crobsy
entered.
He was an elderly man, but hale and
hearty.
The old man and the young one
shook hands, and then inquired after
each others health.
"You received note from me some
two years ago" said Crobsy. "in which
l stated that one in whom l trusted had
got your money and mine with it. and /
could not pay YOU
"Yes, sir" answered our hero, not
knowing what was to come next.
well, resumed Crobsy, "Dr. Wes-
ton was the man. He bad your money"
"How? What?" grin ped Arthur, gaz
ing from one to the other. i'll blank as
tonishment.
"Hold on, my boy" said the doctor.
while a thousand emotions seemed to
work within his bosom. II was the
william. l. was 1 who got your money.
1 worked your ruin and l will tell you
why; | saw that you were dying. Your
father died of the same disease. A
consumption was upon him-nou the
regular pulmonary affection, but vast
ing away of the system for want of
vitality. The mind was wearing out
the body. The soul was slowly but
surely eating It's way from the cords
that bound it to tho earth. l know
that you could be cured, and 1 knew.
too, that the only thing iu the world
which wonld cure you was to throw you
Oh your own physical resources for a
livelihood. There was morbid willing
ness for the spirit to pass away. You
would have died ere you would have
made an exertion, from the very fact
that you looked upon exertion, as worse
than death.
1t was strange state of both mind and
body. Your fortune rendered work un,
necessary, 80 there was no hope while
the fortune remained. Had it been a
wholly body mslady, could have argu-
ed you into necessary work for cure.
And on the other hand, had it been a
wholly mental disease, 1 might have
driven your body to help your mind.
But both were weak, and 1 knew you
must either work or die.
"And now. my boy, I'll tell you
where my hcpe lay. I kne" that you
possessed such true pride of Jude
pendence that you would work. 1 saw
Crobey. and told him my plans. as
sured him if we could contrive to get
you to sea, and make you start ont into
activs life, for the sake OF livelihood
you could be saved. He joined me al
once 1 took your money and his, and
then bid him clear out. You know the
rest. Your money is safe fe-every penny
of ito the amount of one hundred
and fifty thousand pounds. Poor
Crobsy has suffered much in knowing
how you looked upon him; but l know
that he is amply repaid by the sight OF
your noble, powerful frame, as he sees
it to>night. Aud now, Arthur, are we
forgiven?'
1t was a full hour before all the
questions of the happy friends could
be asked and answered: and when tbs
doctor and Crobsy had been forgiven
and blessed for the twentieth time, Mr.
Mclburne said, "waitr
He left the room, aud when he re-
turned he led sweet Grace by the hand
Late i'll the evening, after the hearts
OF our friends had fairly begun to grow
tired with JOY. Arthur asked Grace
whether he need wait any longer.
Grace asked her father, and the an.
swer NAV easily be guessed.