Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-08-05

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owner of the money. , But in her surround
ings the tact so readily at command of hel
sex, had deserted her. Her self control, wo
mans strong armor in the face Of danger
failed to serve her, so completely was she
overcome by the presence of supposed gov
ernment official, the nature Of whose mission
implied hundred horrors suggested by the
strong arm of the power that knew no Law
and respected no private rights.
Her evening duties, if not performed with
the cleverness for which she was noted as q
skillful, tidy house.keeper, were discharged
in such manner as to excite no comment
from her husband. The frugal meal was pre-.
pared and eaten with only the conversation
usually indulged by them at table. The
dishes we're cleaned, the "tallow-dip," the only
substitute for lamp, was lighted, and after
the customary family devotions, which were
never omitted, the couple retired. But with
what different feelings did each seek the
couch of repose? The husband-an invalid,
but through many years of suffering, patient
aud accomplishing, conscious of never hav-
ing done his fellow-man a wrong, seeking the
quiet repose of the rishteous; the woman
guileless as child, who would instinctively
shrink from the least wrongful deed, her mind
racked with the fear that she had committed
al act not wrongful in itself, but which might
bring upon her untold misery, if not poverty,
to herself and husband.
Fear and hope alternating in her breast,
she passed sleepless, restless night, and arose
the next morning with baggard face and
troubled expression, which her husband, had
his duties kept him in the house that morn.
ing, would have easily detected. But fortu.
nately, he made no discovery, and after the
routine of the mornings work had been per.
formed by the tireless woman, she made pre-
text for calling upon neighbor, and with
beating heart hastily repaired to the man who
had entrusted her with the money.
With language eloquent in its simplicity,
she recited the whole story. She told how
implicitly, in the effort to render him service,
she had kept the secret from every human
being, not excepting her husband the ankle
ty the trust had imposed upon her for so long
time; with tears streaming down her cheeks
which had previously known no burrows, she
related all that occurred between her and the
pretended official how she hesitated, and how
at last, as she supposed in obedience to the re-
quirements Of her country, she reluctantly
gave up the money. Ifshe had acted wrong.
fully she pleaded ignorance and fear, induced
by the novelty of the situation. She saw,
when too late, what would have been the
proper course for her to pursue, "but," she
concluded, "as the agent would have taken it
from you any way, hope my offense is not so
great at last. My conscience is clear that I
did not divulge the secret of having the money
in my possession, and if, through fear and
trembling, and under compulsion, surren-
dered it to the Government, as was demand.
ed, trust you will show the pity crave"
But the man of money was not OF for
giving nature With stern countenance he
heard her simple story, and replied that she
should have known better; that there was no
such officer empowered to impress money
from citizens, and that in strict justice to'him-
self he must require her to refund every cent
of it.
Fortunately, the woman was prepared for
the worst and fortunately, through life of
toll and care she had learned ito suffer and
grow strong" But to replace this sum of
eight hundred dollars in coin, at that time,
would have been difficult, even with men of
financial resources to her it seemed an i'm
possibility. To break the secret to her hus.
band at this stage, she feared, would entail
the bitterest consequences. Though a kind
husband, he was Of irascible temper, and this
last stroke of misfortune added to reverses
which he had patiently borne, might, in the
evening of her life, bring untold vials of bis
wrath upon her head or what she most fear
ed-true and devoted wife as she vast
might hasten the climax of an aggravating
disease and cause the death of him whom
she had promised "to nurse through sickness
cherish, love and obey, until death did them
part
In this dilemma her only source Of relief
came. The man whom she attempted to
serve-the man who imposed the task upon
her-he who seemed instrumental in filling
her cup of sorrow to the brim-made prop
osition, the only feasible plan," as he said,
that presented itself, and one which, to any
but guileless, confding woman would have
seemed to have been "cut and dried" for the
occasion. 1t was proposed that if she did
not have the money to replace the forfeited
sum Immediately, she should become his debt
or to that amount, and pay it in installments
as she could. But the currency of that Pc
riod could not be received. Only specie
would suffice. And it was stipulated that as
her husband had been thus far kept in ignor.
ance Of the transaction, as q matter Of policy
it would now be best to admit no one into the
secret.
Only too glad to know the worst, the wo-
man took the only alternative She returned
to her home, and as best she could, set about
the new burden imposed upon her. Though
our story covers period of many years, but
little more remains to be told. Schooled in
adversely from a child, selfimposed lessons of
the most rigid economy did not 60 so hard
with her. A little saved here, and little
there, the deprivation of articles of dress,
and the many little economies which one can
practise when motive prompts, enabled her
year by year to reduce the debt, the last cent
of which was discharged fourteen years after
the unfortunate transaction with the bogus
Government agent, and only few days be-
fore the death of her husband, to whom she
ever proved a faithful and devoted wifes He
never knew the secret Of his wife's burden.
While it is pleasant to know that he left his
widow a competency, it would be a satisfac-
ton also to know whether or not the man to
whom she refunded the amount derived any
benefit therefrom, and also whether or not the
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