The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-03-27
EXPLANATIONS.

Ia =
EXPLANATIONS.
Randolph hurried his bride away and dad
not see Laura for over four weeks. When |
recovered learned all the above circums,anc.
cs. went to the hotel and 10y the free use OF
money learned from the landlord that tor "a
fifty dollar bill he had himsclfmiXcd the drug
with the wine on the fatal evening, at the IN
stance of Randolph. | got hun to go bciolc Il
magistrate Cby promising not to prosecute him)
and make affidavit to the above. Then on l.au
ra's return, went boldly to call on her and of
fer my poor con- CALCULATIONS found her with
her mother, and looking deadly pale could
see she was unhappy TO the mother and
daughter made my explanations and offered
my apologies for my seeming neglect. also
presented the affidavit of Paxton, the landlord
of the Oriental at Waterford. After my cxpla.
nations the mother withdrew, and then Laura
burst into tears. ! said nothing for few mo.
mcnts then exclaimed from the bitterness OF
my heart:
l'Mrs. Randolph, it was all occasloncd by and
through the abominablc habit OF drink. Had
been q te.totalcr they could not have caught
me thus. VIII you forgive me-" She ex-
tended her hand. ~ was too prcclpitate" she
said II should have awaited an explanation
frem you, but il is too late now. | shall be
miserable all my life. If my husband has so
grossly deceived me ON the start, he will de.
cicvc me through life. But we must not part
forever, He is fearlully jealous of you, and
when he knows that have learned Of his per
| tidy he will be worse than ever" | babe her
sorrowfu goodbye aud never saw her after
| wards.
Mounting my horse rode slowly away. Be,
fore got tree Of her grounds | met Mr. Ed
wardsOn and Randolph, both on horseback.
spoke respectfully to Mr.. Edmondson and pre-.
secuted him with the affidavit Upon this Ran
dolph made as though nc would go on, but |
said to him: "lIold on SIR, if you please; this
concerns you"
| Old Mr. Edmondson had his family pride.
He read the affidavit, and then exclaimed: "a
pretty mess; d the drug and the VINE along
with it But il Is too late to mend matters
now. I hope, Mr. Hunt you will respect the
honor Of my house, and leave my daughter to
| fight her own battles and gain all the peace
of mind possible under the adverse circum'
| stances"
assured him that had visited her for the
last time, and turning to Randolph, in good
Anglo Saxon, pronounced him u william Of
the darkest dye.
He replied insolently, saying: You have
your remedy-my pistols are handy" Where
upon he threw his left glove upon the green
sward.
| raised my heavy riding whip, and antcl-
pating his move, | quickly reversed it, and
quick as thought with the but end knocked
the pistol from his hand and then with one
violent blow, that the very presence OF my
mother could not have prevented, laid him
PROSTATE beside his glove on the grecn-sward !;
then Downing to Colonel Edmondson, who re-
turned the salutation respectfully | quietly
rode away. ! never repeated the circumstance
of the meeting in old Loudon; but somehow
it got wind, and Randolph became despised in
his own county-but by none 50 cordially as
by his young wife. However, | could never
forgive myself for drinking WINE on the eve of
nay marriage, and always will reproach my
self for being the indirect cause Of poor Lau-
ras misery
She died early, and Raadolph became a
poor prohigate IN spite Of his millons-ior he
was immensely rich. So, boys, my motto =
Money IS Powcr"-Iailcd Tor once. In this
instance money, pride and wine brought only
sorrow and impotency.
(YO be CDHttHucd)